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#108042 - 08/19/08 03:55 PM
Trachea lies in the midline
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danac
Member
Registered: 07/28/06
Posts: 100
Loc: Illinois
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This is a copy of an e-mail my supervisor received and she sent it on to me:
I need a second opinion about something! Dr. ** dictates "the trachea lies at the midline". I changed it to "the trachea lay at the midline". Which is correct??
I believe the way the physician dictates is correct and I would not change it. We are asking for your expertise because unfortunately our transcriptionists are asking for "evidence" to everything that we change in our new QA program. Your help is very much appreciated.
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#108044 - 08/19/08 04:17 PM
Re: Trachea lies in the midline
[Re: danac]
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tropsicleAfter
Member
Registered: 10/30/06
Posts: 2674
Loc: Vicksburg, MS
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I'm sure someone will come along with a more precise answer and details, but, seriously, the answer can be found in the dictionary.
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tropsicle
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#108045 - 08/19/08 04:17 PM
Re: Trachea lies in the midline
[Re: danac]
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Badfinger
Member
Registered: 11/07/07
Posts: 507
Loc: Grand Prairie, TX
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If the report is being dictated in present tense, I would definitely use "lies," as "lay" is past tense, correct?
_________________________
I've got something to say . . . . it's better to burn out than fade away.
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#108050 - 08/19/08 04:27 PM
Re: Trachea lies in the midline
[Re: Badfinger]
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cincygal
New Member
Registered: 08/19/08
Posts: 2
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Lay means to place or put something or someone down. Lie means to rest or recline. You wouldn't place or put the trachea down, but the trachea can rest in the midline. Therefore, lies would be the correct word.
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Janet
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#108052 - 08/19/08 04:40 PM
Re: Trachea lies in the midline
[Re: cincygal]
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AnnR
Member
Registered: 12/31/69
Posts: 18511
Loc: Ocean Park WA
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Cincy, badfinger is right, "lay" is the past tense of lie (as in the verb "to recline"), so it depends on the overall verb tense of the dictation, which of course dictators are often very careless about!
When we looked at the x-ray yesterday, the trachea lay (past tense) in the midline; today on the exam it still lies (present tense) in the midline, and tomorrow it will lie (future tense) in the midline.
Dr. Paul Brians says: "You lay down the book you’ve been reading, but you lie down when you go to bed. In the present tense, if the subject is acting on some other object, it’s “lay.” If the subject is lying down, then it’s “lie.” This distinction is often not made in informal speech, partly because in the past tense the words sound much more alike: “He lay down for a nap,” but “He laid down the law.” If the subject is already at rest, you might “let it lie.” If a helping verb is involved, you need the past participle forms. “Lie” becomes “lain” and “lay” becomes “laid”: “He had just lain down for a nap,” and “His daughter had laid the gerbil on his nose.” "
Edited by AnnR (08/19/08 04:51 PM)
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so many docs dictate stuff that makes sense only to them. . .
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#108110 - 08/20/08 07:36 AM
Re: Trachea lies in the midline
[Re: danac]
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danac
Member
Registered: 07/28/06
Posts: 100
Loc: Illinois
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Thank you to everyone that has responded. I do appreciate it.
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#108215 - 08/20/08 08:22 PM
Re: Trachea lies in the midline
[Re: danac]
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inkyfingers2
Member
Registered: 03/25/03
Posts: 612
Loc: southern California
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But I can't help picturing a trachea in the process of moving into a recumbent position to rest.
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inkyfingers
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#108255 - 08/20/08 11:18 PM
Re: Trachea lies in the midline
[Re: inkyfingers2]
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Debbers
Member
Registered: 08/21/02
Posts: 214
Loc: IL
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I want to also thank Ann for one of the best explanations regarding lay, lie, etc. I have ever come across. This always confuses me.
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#108264 - 08/21/08 12:19 AM
Re: Trachea lies in the midline
[Re: Debbers]
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AnnR
Member
Registered: 12/31/69
Posts: 18511
Loc: Ocean Park WA
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Dr. Brians' explanations are alsways so nice and clear.
http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/errors.html
Edited by AnnR (08/21/08 12:20 AM)
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so many docs dictate stuff that makes sense only to them. . .
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