For the 13th annual #PlainPledge, we’re doing something new: filling the Jargon Jar.
The #PlainPledge encourages health professionals and health professions students to replace health care jargon with plain language. This Health Literacy Month, choose one jargon word or phrase you will stop using and tell us what you will say instead.
Put Your #PlainPledge in the Jargon Jar
Clear communication starts with the words we choose. Add your pledge to our virtual Jargon Jar and see what other health professionals and health professions students are pledging to replace with plain language.
Add Your #PlainPledgeTaken the #PlainPledge before?
Choose another jargon word or phrase to replace with plain language this year.
See What’s in the Jargon Jar
Take a look at the jargon others are pledging to replace with plain language.
| Your pledge goes here! | Your pledge goes here! | “Payer mix” I’ll say “who pays for care” instead. Lauren |
| “NPO” I’ll say “no food or drink” instead. Natalie — UAMS CHP, North Little Rock, AR | “Synocope” I’ll say “lightheaded or fainting” instead. Greg — ChristinaCare, Wilmington, DE | “Empowered” I’ll say “act in ways that matter to you” instead. Helen — Health Literacy Consulting, Natick, MA |
| “Hypertension” I’ll say “high blood pressure” instead. Brooklyn — UAMS Emergency Medicine, Little Rock, AR | “Noncompliant” I’ll describe the actual barrier the patient faces instead. Sally — Little Rock, AR | “Health literacy integration” I’ll say “adding health literacy skills to help patients understand their health and health care” instead. Jessica — AdventHealth University, Orlando, FL |
| “Circle back” I’ll say “follow up” instead. Kendra — UAMS Recruitment, Little Rock, AR | “Gestational age” I’ll say “weeks pregnant” instead. Kari — UAMS COPH, Little Rock, AR | “Colposcopy” I’ll say “cervical biopsy” instead. Jessica |
| “Chronic” I’ll say “long term” instead. Alex — UAMS, Little Rock, AR | “Participate” I’ll say “join or be a part of” instead. Anna-Kate — Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center, Little Rock, AR | “Edema” I’ll say “swelling” instead. Emily |
| “Prior” I’ll say “Before” instead. Jada | “Medical condition” I’ll say “health problem” instead. Kaylen — UAMS COM, Little Rock, AR | “Diarrhea” I’ll say “loose poops” instead. Kolby — UAMS COM, Little Rock, AR |
| “Pre/post-op” I’ll say “before/after surgery” instead. Maggie — Children’s Hospital Colorado, Denver, CO | “Medication” I’ll say “medicine” instead. Eli — UAMS, Little Rock, AR | “Preeclampsia” I’ll say “high blood pressure duing pregnancy” instead. Olivia — UAMS COM, Little Rock, AR |
| “Prolonged” I’ll say “for a long time” instead. Kaitlyn — UAMS COM, Little Rock, AR | “Edema” I’ll say “swelling” instead. Chris — University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, Detroit, MI | “Vasoconstriction” I’ll say “blood vessels get smaller” instead. Carson — UAMS, Little Rock, AR |
| “Prohibited” I’ll say “not allowed” instead. Richard — UAMS CON, Little Rock, AR | “Lesion” I’ll say “cancer” instead. Brianna — UAMS COM, Little Rock, AR | “Capacity” I’ll say “room for growth” instead. Christi |
| “Pregnancy” I’ll say “having a baby” instead. Matt — UAMS COPH, Little Rock, AR | “Subject” I’ll say “participant” instead. Hannah — UAMS COPH, Little Rock, AR | “FMX” I’ll say “full x-rays of the mouth” instead. Sterling — UAMS Dental Hygiene, Little Rock, AR |
| “Edema” I’ll say “swelling in your feet, legs, or hands” instead. Meera — UAMS, Little Rock, AR | “Localized” I’ll say “affecting one area” instead. Addison — UAMS Dental Hygiene, Ward, AR | “Utilize” I’ll say “use” instead. Hallie — UAMS COM, Magnolia, AR |
| “Complete” I’ll say “your exam is done” instead. Kaylee — UAMS, Maumelle AR | “Hypertension” I’ll say “high blood pressure” instead. Saminah — UAMS COM, Little Rock, AR | “Chronic” I’ll say “long lasting” instead. Maci — UAMS CHP, Malvern, AR |
| “Pulling good volumes” I’ll say “the amount of air you are able to breath in one breath is good” instead. Stephanie — UAMS, Little Rock, AR | “Carcinoma” I’ll say “cancer” instead. Eli — UAMS, Little Rock, AR | “Edema” I’ll say “swelling” instead. Evan — UAMS CHP, Sherwood, AR |
| “Hypertension” I’ll say “high blood pressure” instead. Kinsey — UAMS COM, Little Rock, AR | “Acute” I’ll say “sudden” instead. Evan — UAMS CHP, Vilonia, AR | “Inhalation” I’ll say “breathe in” instead. Alisha — UAMS Cardio-Respiratory Care, Helena-West Helena, AR |
| “Prophylactic” I’ll say “to prevent” instead. Mattie — UAMS COM, Little Rock, AR | “EKG or ECG” I’ll say “a measurement of the heart’s electricity” instead. Anna — UAMS COM, Little Rock, AR | “Transducer” I’ll say “camera or scanner” instead. Rowan — UAMS Diagnostic Medical Sonography, North Little Rock, AR |
| “Utilize” I’ll say “use” instead. Haris — UAMS College of Medicine, Little Rock, AR | “Caries” I’ll say “cavity” instead. Emily — UAMS Dental Hygiene, Little Rock, AR | “Kilovoltage” I’ll say “radiation” instead. Rhett — UAMS CHP, Little Rock, AR |
| “Xerostomia” I’ll say “dry mouth” instead. Sydnee — UAMS Dental Hygiene, Little Rock, AR | “SRP” I’ll say “deep cleaning” instead. Reagan — UAMS CHP, Little Rock, AR | “Hypertension” I’ll say “high blood pressure” instead. Sophie — UAMS Pharmacy, Little Rock, AR |
| “Etiology” I’ll say “cause of the condition” instead. SM — UAMS COPH, Little Rock, AR | “Cohort” I’ll say “group of study participants” instead. Eli — UAMS | “Chronic disease” I’ll say “long lasting disease” instead. Kristy — Arkansas Department of Health |
| “Dentition” I’ll say “all teeth” instead. Hailey — UAMS Dental Hygiene, Fayetteville, AR | “Afebrile” I’ll say “no fever” instead. Andrea — UAMS, Little Rock, AR | “Statement” I’ll say “bill” instead. Misty — UAMS, Monticello, AR |
| “Terminal” I’ll say “fatal” instead. Eli — UAMS, Little Rock, AR | “Hypoxemia” I’ll say “low blood oxygen levels” instead. Vanessa — Respiratory Care, Bryant, AR | “Environment” I’ll say “space we live, play, and work” instead. Rachel — UAMS COPH |
| “Xerostomia” I’ll say “dry mouth” instead. Lexi — UAMS Dental Hygiene, Malvern, AR | “Cray cray” I’ll say “not good” instead. Julian — UAMS CHP | “Hypertension” I’ll say “high blood pressure” instead. Daniel — UAMS COP, Little Rock, AR |
| “Decannulate” I’ll say “remove the trach tube” instead. | “Dyspnea” I’ll say “painful breathing” instead. Lydia — Respiratory Care | “SRP” I’ll say “deep cleaning” instead. Venessa — UAMS Dental Hygiene, Smackover, AR |
| “Operationalize” Kristina — Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario, Ontario, Canada | “Hypertension” I’ll say “high blood pressure” instead. | “Cessation” I’ll say “stop or quit” instead. Jordan — UAMS Library, Little Rock, AR |
| “Diuretic” I’ll say “medicine that lowers your blood pressure by upping the amount that you pee in a day.” instead. Matt — UAMS COM, Damascus, AR | “Dyspnea” I’ll say “feeling shortness of breath” instead. Miracle | “Syncope” I’ll say “fainting” instead. Susan — UAMS Library, Little Rock, AR |
| “SRP” I’ll say “deep cleaning” instead. Kate — UAMS Dental Hygiene, Cave City, AR | “Hypertension” I’ll say “high blood pressure” instead. Katy — UAMS COPH | “LDL” I’ll say “bad cholesterol” instead. Susan — UAMS Library, Little Rock, AR |
| “Pulmonary” I’ll say “lungs” instead. Grant — UAMS COM, Little Rock, AR | “Paradigm shift” I’ll say “fundamental change” instead. Neil — Office of Educational Development, Little Rock, AR | “Utilize” I’ll say “use” instead. Scarlett — UAMS Research and Finance, Little Rock, AR |
| “Lesion” I’ll say “cancer” instead. Alex — UAMS COM | “Extremity” I’ll say “arm or leg” instead. Emily — North Little Rock High School, North Little Rock, AR | “Edema” I’ll say “swelling caused by fluid” instead. Adelene — Holistic Management International, Bella Vista, AR |
| “Dyspnea” I’ll say “cannot breath” instead. Beneisha, Respiratory Therapy, Little Rock | “Utilize” I’ll say “use” instead. Steve — IT Development, Little Rock, AR | “Oral” I’ll say “by mouth” instead. Sydney — UAMS COM, Little Rock, AR |
| “Hypertension” I’ll say “high blood pressure” instead. Anita — UAMS Center for Health Literacy, Little Rock, AR | “Syncope” I’ll say “passing out or fainting” instead. Alison | “Provider” I’ll say “doctor” instead. Katie — UAMS Center for Health Literacy, Little Rock, AR |