Just a smidge, or a bridge too far? Slang use in the ICU (16 December 2021)

Summary

A shared lingo can create cohesion in “the unit,” but James M Hodgetts and colleagues ask whether this is exclusionary and puts patient safety at risk.

They collected the slang terms used by others and ourselves in the intensive care unit (ICU) over six months and collated these terms and expressions (those that can be committed to print) in a mini-dictionary of ICU slang, and some are used in UK medicine more broadly. They hope that the dictionary may be of use and possibly a source of amusement—and that it causes ICU staff and other healthcare workers to reflect on the suitability and inclusivity of the language they use with colleagues.