Ebonics: Politically Incorrect?

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ringerslactate

ringerslactate

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I grew up in a very ghetto/ low SES area. Before learning to speak proper english, i did speak a very "inner-city" or ghetto/ebonics dialect. Subsequently, I'm able to switch between talking like a normal educated person and talking ghetto. I find that during patient interviews, especially being in an inner city, low SES county hospital, talking ghetto helps my patients understand me better and also helps me connect with them in a way that other students can't (based on direct feedback from pts). I had a fellow student snub me a few days ago, trying to say that it's condescending and improper for me to interact with pts like that. I had to disagree, since my intentions are clear, and I am purely interested in making the patients (who already receive less than desirable treatment at this hospital) feel more comfortable. Who's correct in this situation??? thoughts please...
 
You've got to make sure that patients understand you. As long as you get that accomplished, and don't come off like you're "talking down" to them, or that you don't know what you're talking about, I don't see any problem with it.

But in my experience (I know this is probably not exactly what you're talking about), patients do want to know the actual "medical" terms for what they've got. So if someone has myositis ossificans, you should say those actual words to them, in addition to putting it in words that make sense to normal people.
 
you gotta read the person. if u can read them well (i know i can't always), talk with them the way they would feel most comfortable. If you have a patient who wants a doctor that can connect with him, go for it. If you ahve a pateitn who wants someone who sounds like mr. fancypants, be all medical. Though honestly, it's not like there's much difference between otitis media and middle ear infection. or pyelonephritis and kidney infection. e.g.
 
I currently work in technical support/customer service and everything I've read about this type of topic says this is a great thing for you to do. I always speed up my rate of speech a bit for New Englanders, slow down and let out a little of my drawl out for Southerners, etc. As someone from a middle class suburb I don't feel comfortable speaking in Ebonics, but for someone with your background it's a great thing for you to do. I also agree with the poster who says you should still use medical terms with patients, just explain the ones you think they wouldn't understand (same as any other patient)
 
I grew up with a thick southern accent which I managed to lose completely in my years travelling the world. Now when I see patients who are obviously very 'rural' here in he south, I can slip in and out of it with no problem. I truly think that it really helps me interact and get information from them since I don't sound like "some smart doctor who knows everything." I've also been complimented on my patient interactions from attendings after having great encounters with known 'difficult patients' which I directly relate to an ability to mix well with them.
 
What you're describing does sound a little condescending. But, it doesn't seem like that's your intention and if you're getting good feedback from the patients, then why not?

It brings back memories of one of my ex boyfriends who would try to speak "ebonics" when addressing supposed lower SES African Americans and it was just terrible. The guy is white, first of all. And he doesn't even speak "ebonics" very well. THAT was condescending.
 
OP: I think that as long as it's clear that you aren't mocking your patients then it shouldn't be a problem. I barely speak Spanish (3 years in high school which was 6 years ago) and was helping out with vision screening today at a health fair. I don't feel like I was mocking the visitors by using the minimal Spanish that I know to help communicate (numbers in Spanish to communicate which line to read, left/right, etc. It actually helped me also because when they used the Spanish pronunciation for letters I knew what they meant without missing a beat) with what I needed to do. Of course we also had a handful of bilingual workers who I could rely on when I needed more translated. What good is trying to communicate with patients if they don't receive the message as best as possible?

eforest said:
It brings back memories of one of my ex boyfriends who would try to speak "ebonics" when addressing supposed lower SES African Americans and it was just terrible. The guy is white, first of all. And he doesn't even speak "ebonics" very well. THAT was condescending.
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Waz up dawg. What you meanin that takin' like this is condenscending? Woman, why yo up on my case like this?
 
what pops into my mind with reading this post is a scene from a classic movie...i might be dating myself here, but i will try anyway. You ever see the movie "Airplane," where the nun starts speaking "jive"?

In all seriousness though. Patient rapport and interaction comes down to 2 things. 1) you gotta project confidence, and 2) you have to instill confidence. If you do those two things, as a clinician, ou will not have problems interacting with your patients. Medical terms and all the words that we learn, are for when physician speaks to physician, to the general public, they could give 2 craps if you know the 15 point scrabble word for "my chest hurts." They just wanna know whats going on. Communicate however you feel necessary.
 
eriedoc514 said:
what pops into my mind with reading this post is a scene from a classic movie...i might be dating myself here, but i will try anyway. You ever see the movie "Airplane," where the nun starts speaking "jive"?
Click to expand...

I totally thought of that scene too.

What you're doing seems fine to me too. I did a similar thing when I was a phlebotomist at home (Hawai'i)... it doesn't really help me in Wisconsin, but I'd talk pidgin with the locals -- they trusted me more to show I was local, and I didn't get "Wat, you stay one of da kine, da traveling nurse, yeah?" after I started using my Hawai'i accent and pidgin. Then when a tourist came into the ER, I could talk normal.
 
Rendar5 said:
you gotta read the person. if u can read them well (i know i can't always), talk with them the way they would feel most comfortable. If you have a patient who wants a doctor that can connect with him, go for it. If you ahve a pateitn who wants someone who sounds like mr. fancypants, be all medical. Though honestly, it's not like there's much difference between otitis media and middle ear infection. or pyelonephritis and kidney infection. e.g.
Click to expand...

I think this scenario is a little different than using lay terms vs medical terminology to describe pathology. It is, of course, always preferable to describe things in language the patient can understand. However, you walk a fine professionalism line when you start using slang or "ghetto" language. While, relating to patients is important, it is very possible to do this while speaking standard, professional English. I'd also like to point out that how you come off to patients is important, but how you come off to colleagues is also important. It would be easier to evaluate this case if the OP could give an example of an ebonics dialogue he has had with patients.
 
eriedoc514 said:
what pops into my mind with reading this post is a scene from a classic movie...i might be dating myself here, but i will try anyway. You ever see the movie "Airplane," where the nun starts speaking "jive"
Click to expand...

LMAO! Nun: "I speak Jive"
 
This may have been what the admissions committee had in mind when they accepted you.
 
cpants said:
I think this scenario is a little different than using lay terms vs medical terminology to describe pathology. It is, of course, always preferable to describe things in language the patient can understand. However, you walk a fine professionalism line when you start using slang or "ghetto" language. While, relating to patients is important, it is very possible to do this while speaking standard, professional English. I'd also like to point out that how you come off to patients is important, but how you come off to colleagues is also important. It would be easier to evaluate this case if the OP could give an example of an ebonics dialogue he has had with patients.
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My vocabulary and grammar wouldn't be different. As far as terminology, I would actually use both (as I do with all pts) - i.e. "It looks like lil Marlon has otitis media, or what we call more commonly an ear infection."

What I was referring to in my post was moreso my accent/ dialect, not some rap or grimey street talk. I agree that professionalism must be maintained to a certain degree.

Also, when I'm in the middle of rounds, with faculty and colleagues in the room, I definitely do NOT switch over to ebonics.

LR
 
ringerslactate said:
My vocabulary and grammar wouldn't be different. As far as terminology, I would actually use both (as I do with all pts) - i.e. "It looks like lil Marlon has otitis media, or what we call more commonly an ear infection."

What I was referring to in my post was moreso my accent/ dialect, not some rap or grimey street talk. I agree that professionalism must be maintained to a certain degree.

Also, when I'm in the middle of rounds, with faculty and colleagues in the room, I definitely do NOT switch over to ebonics.

LR
Click to expand...

If you don't feel comfortable doing something in front of you superiors, it's probably inappropriate.
 
I think trying to connect with them and speak their language is a good thing. Using slang that they're familiar with is good too. However (assuming you are black), I would suggest refraining from using improper verb tense or improper pluralization or doulble plurals (ie. childrens). They know that you are more educated than they are. I think you can connect with them without trying to convince them that you're not educated. Obama pulled it off. I'm sure most of them feel proud when they see students/doctors that look like them. You don't have to sound like "whitey", but you shouldn't sound like you dropped out of high school either.
 
I do think its important for rapport that you speak in a manner that your patients will understand, so I don't disagree with what you do. However, my own style is to speak to everyone with proper english and if they indicate to me they dont understand, then I'll take a step back. For instance, if I ask "have you ever used cocaine?" and they look at me funny or say "huh?", I'll just reply "you ever smoke rock?" That usually gets the point across, so even if I'm with a resident/attending my communication style would be seen as appropriate to all parties...at least I hope...
 
cpants said:
If you don't feel comfortable doing something in front of you superiors, it's probably inappropriate.
Click to expand...

I agree. If a patient can understand you when you're speaking "ghetto" then they will almost surely understand you when you're speaking proper english. There is room for using layman's terms to explain medical concepts to patients but its important for a patient to know (in proper english) what is going on with their health so that at the very least they can convey that information to other healthcare professionals at some later time and those providers will know what they are talking about. You're going to school to be a professional not a salesman, so the your #1 priority is to be competent. Although you may have received positive feedback from some patients about how your "ghetto speak" made them feel more comfortable you've gotta realize that it will make you look unprofessional and incompetent in front of in front of everyone else (even if that is not really the case). If your patients can seriously not understand proper english then that is a different story...
 
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