to find the word "bloods" irritating?

[Joy27]

Every pregnancy appointment involves some talk of "taking your bloods"/ "I'll need some bloods from you" or similar.

It's not bloods, it's blood or "some blood" or "blood samples". You wouldn't say "look at those sheeps", unless you were three.

I know I am being a bit unreasonable, but it just seems lazy and the sound of it makes me want to poke myself in the eye.

No doubt there is some legit medical reason for it, and I am going to feel like a buffoon....

[Iklboo]

Just medical shorthand I think. I mean, if the poor doctors/nurses had to say everything in proper medical lingo it'd be 20 minutes before they got round to saying 'hello'
Or - they could be arsey & say 'blood' is the product as a whole but is made up of several components - white blood cells, red blood cells etc. So, tehcnically....blah blah blah

[violethill]

I always assumed it's because they then divvy it up into several different phials to send off for various tests... but you're absolutely correct, that it's still 'blood', it doesn't suddenly morph into 'bloods' as it leaves your body!

A bottle of wine is still wine even when I pour into several glasses, innit?!

[Iklboo]

Oh - and YANBU. If it irritates, it irritates. I can't stand people saying 'haitch' for the letter 'aitch'..

[MadreInglese]

look at those sheeps

lol

[seeker]

I hate it when non-medical people use words like this. I can just about cope with medical people use them, but when other parents talk about "paeds" and 'bloods' I cringe. Especially "paed"

[violethill]

obs and gynae

[Joy27]

The thing that bothers me is that it's actually just as quick to say (correctly) "blood" as "bloods" and this would still cover multiple blood samples.

The wine analaogy is good. If you're buying a glass of wine for 2 friends and yourself, you don't go to the bar to get the wines, do you?

Oh, wine. I miss it.

[ReneRusso]

This has never irritated me before now, but now you mention it...

[diddl]

Sounds as if it´s from ER!
YANBU.
Is it a new thing?
I´m sure I was only asked for "some blood" or that they needed a blood sample!

[Joy27]

Glad to be of service, Rene

[PureAsTheColdDrivenSnow]

bloods (AFAIK) is an americanism (anybody feel free to correct me on this)

Medical terminology though, why would it annoy you

YABU

[notcitrus]

I think it's just lab-speak as almost invariably the blood is used for more than one test. Just be grateful the nurses manage to avoid saying "we need some urines" or "got to do some shits today"!

Course, I'm someone who says 'haitch' In my defence, I only started doing it when living in Kilburn and found receptionists hanging up on me on the phone as soon as I started spelling my name...

[MrsBadger]

you are right
but it is technical jargon so normal grammar rules don't quite apply

SHO: What are you doing?
Med student: I am taking blood for FBC, electrolytes, liver enzymes and VZV antibodies
SHO: You can't do all that from one blood, ffs take four and stop messing about. And get them in the right tubes.

[reikizen]

Joy27, you are spectacularly misnamed if this makes you want to poke yourself in the eye!!

[Joy27]

Pure, because I don't think it is medical terminology; I don't think it is taught as part of medical training (correct me if I'm wrong). And if it is, I don't think it should be. It isn't a word! There is no such thing as bloods. And it's not handy shorthand either- even saying "blood samples" takes 1 second.

And it also annoys me because personally I think it sounds horrid, not sure why. Am pregnant and very hormonal though. Could do with a few wines.

[Spottyotter]

I thought I was the only one who finds this one intensly irritating. What is even more irritating is when a non-medical person uses the term

[Joy27]

MrsBadger, yes I do see your point.

notcitrus- snort! Can imagine dr's receptionist phoning- "we've had your shits back"

Come to think of it, I have frequently given "urines" ie more than one sample at one appointment (my life is spent pissing into pots these days). But never have they been called that.

[PureAsTheColdDrivenSnow]

OK, maybe not medical terminology, medical shorthand

I always just thought that if someone was taking blood from you, it was one tube full for a single test. If they say bloods, it means more than one tube/test needs to be done. Blood samples doesn't always cover that.

The Lab here always says 'bloods'. they get hundreds of samples a day to deal with.

[FimbleHobbs]

It bugs me when people say brufen instead of ibuprofen. Normally its people who are pharmacists trying to make themselves look clever. Surely to be a pharmicist means they are at a certain level of clever anyway so stop trying to show off!

[PureAsTheColdDrivenSnow]

Oh - and you might not say 'wines' but I certainly say 'beers'

[PureAsTheColdDrivenSnow]

brufen used to annoy me too, until I realised that's what it used to be called.

[StrikeUpTheBand]

It's better than what I keep overhearing at my antenatal clinic (have to go every couple of weeks). Constantly hearing people at the desk asking each other "Have you bled that one?"

Talk about making you feel like you're a piece of meat at the butcher's shop!

[Joy27]

Pure- you have a good point with the "beers" thing and your lab experience. Conceded.

I did suspect that actual medical types might put me in my place. It still annoys me though.

And oh god fimblehobbs- "brufen"- yes. Shudder.

[Joy27]

strikeuptheband- uuuurgh!