Words to address a nurse in the hospital

As I can see, there are a lot of friends who use English as a foreign language. Of course, I belong to them, too.

That's why I have got an idea to set up this topic, where we, non native English speakers, could insert our language questions concerning the medfet sphere.

And I hope that there will be found the native English speaking friends enough who can answer them :-)

Which way are usually addressed nurses in hospitals?

There are only described conversations between patient and doctor in all textbooks, phrase books etc., as if any nurses do not exist...

In the places I've worked, the options for a doctor addressing a nurse are:

1. first name

2. 'er...' with or without a vague wave of the hand (to be used when memory fails)

A ward sister may occasionally be addressed as "sister", usually as a professional courtesy in front of patients. I don't recall ever hearing "nurse" used as a form of address.

Nurses addressing doctors - much more variable. "Doctor" is the exception rather than the rule though, and personally I find it cold and offputting (and comparable to 2 above 😉

Hope this helps!

Yeah I agree curious doc. It's either by first name or just assumed by the nurse what is to be done. I've heard nurses addressed as "Nurse Jessica" or whatever the first name was on pediatric wards. Hope this is helpful.

Very interesting. But which way are nurses addressed by patients? Especially in case they do not know their names?

For comparison, there are nurses addressed by the word meaning "sister" in Czech. Male patients often use the word meaning "little sister", "sisterie".

I guess they are just called nurse. You mean like if it's a quick question and you just ask whoever is in the room, I guess that I'd just say something like, excuse my nurse, or maybe ma'am. I don't think I spelled that right and since we are talking about foreign languages, maybe someone could clarify if it's needed. Hope this helps.

When I was in the hospital, the nurse on each shift would come in and say, "I am Jessica, I will be your nurse today, if you need anything, just call me" So I think everyone just used first names. If you did not know their name, you just called them nurse.

I agree when i went in for a while they introduced themself by first name..... i even got a cute male one, just a shame i looked so sick!!

Agreed, first names on the whole. Occasionally a patient might say "nurse", but mostly if they're being jokey-formal (or see point 2 above...)

I introduce myself by name to the patients i like, if i dont like the doctor (if they are rude or arrogant)i make them call me Sister, but there is nothing worse than the patient from hell just shouting 'NURSE!!!' all day! They are the ones you want to avoid at all costs and delegate the work to the juniors! 😉 LOL