The Secret Language of Doctors

April 1, 2015
Familiar acronyms abound in the medical world: DNR (do not resuscitate), CHF (congestive heart failure), UTI (urinary tract infection). But other, lesser-known abbreviations smack of dark humor or mean-spiritedness: FLK (funny-looking kid), ECU (eternal care unit), GOMER (get out of my emergency room). Medical slang has the power to degrade sick and suffering people to sad stereotypes. Examples include Yellow Submarine (an obese patient with jaundice from cirrhosis) and whiney primey (a first-time pregnant woman who believes she's in labor but isn't yet). Goldman, an emergency physician in Toronto, examines medical argot, a kind of clandestine language peculiar to health professionals. Decoding medical lingo reveals what doctors think about patients, challenging situations and one another. But why do doctors and nurses invent, allow, and even propagate such slang? Goldman concludes that medical jargon, however disturbing it is to outsiders, offers commiseration, promotes camaraderie, and provides an outlet for complaining. It seems that sharing distasteful stories and being witty, however crudely, help health workers cope with the disillusionment, frustration, and disgust associated with dealing with disease and death on a daily basis.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)