Slay, Skibbity, Ghosted, Ohio? The Nurse’s Guide to Gen Z & Alpha Slang You Need at Work
Alright, fellow nurses, gather ’round! Let’s talk about something almost as mystifying as deciphering a doctor’s handwriting—Gen Z and Gen Alpha slang. Whether you’ve been rocking scrubs since flip phones were a thing or you just graduated nursing school yesterday, understanding the lingo from our youngest teammates and patients can feel like trying to juggle IV bags during a code blue. But don’t worry, I’ve got your back, let’s decode this like pros at a nurse’s dance-off!
Say What? Gen Z Slang 101
First up, Gen Z—the squad born roughly between 1997 and 2012. These fresh faces bring a whole new flavor to hospital chatter. According to Parade.com, a lot of their slang comes from African-American Vernacular English and LGBTQ+ ball culture (yes, really!). Here’s the cheat sheet for what you might overhear:
- No cap: Means “no lie.” So if a nurse says, “No cap, this shift is wild,” they’re not exaggerating.
- It’s giving: Basically the vibe or energy something throws off. “The new scrubs? It’s giving cozy and professional.”
- Glow Up: A nurse who started their career struggling with time management and patient communication undergoes training and mentorship, eventually becoming a confident, efficient, and compassionate caregiver who is highly respected by colleagues and patients alike. This transformation from a novice to a skilled professional is a true "glow up" in nursing.
- CEO: “You’re the CEO of IV starts,” to a colleague who’s exceptionally skilled at starting IV lines. This means the nurse sees their coworker as the undisputed expert or pro at that particular task.
- Fam: "Fam, can you cover my shift tonight?" Here, "Fam" is used to refer to close colleagues or friends, showing camaraderie and trust among the team.
- Stan: “I totally stan our charge nurse—she always has our backs and brings snacks for the night shift.” In this context, “stan” means they really admire and support their charge nurse.
- W: A Gen Z nurse might say, “We finally got safe staffing ratios for the weekend shift—major W for the whole unit!” Here, “W” means they see this as a big win or success for the team.
- Ghosted: A Gen Z nurse might say, “I paged Dr. Patel twice about that stat order and got totally ghosted—still waiting on a response.” Here, “ghosted” means the doctor hasn’t replied or acknowledged the nurse’s messages.
@pedsnurse_raven You know what, hell yeah #nursesoftiktok #genznurse #nursehumor #nursetok #nursetiktok #ernurse #pediatricnurse #creatorsearchinsights ♬ original sound - LOLA YOUNG LIVE
@mr_quant Get it bestie 🤌🏻🤟🏻🙌 #millenial #genz #nursing #nurse #nursehumor #nursesoftiktok #nursetok #OR #scrubnurse #gay ♬ Teenagers - My Chemical Romance
Meet Generation Alpha: The Littlest Linguists
Now, peek into the future with Generation Alpha—those born after 2012. Their slang is just starting to sneak into healthcare halls, mostly pediatrics at this point, so let’s get ahead of the curve:
- Rizz: Short for charisma. If a patient says you’ve got “good rizz,” congrats, your bedside manner is on point.
- Dog water: Something that’s just plain bad. If the break room coffee is “dog water,” maybe skip that cup.
- Sheesh: An exclamation of surprise or awe. Like when you see the supply closet perfectly organized and go, “Sheesh!”
- Skibbity: Is a silly, made-up phrase that plays on Gen Alpha and Gen Z humor—often absurd, chaotic, and meme-driven. It's a mashup likely inspired by the viral “Skibidi Toilet” trend (which features bizarre animations and nonsense words) and the exaggerated, slangy way younger generations play with language online.
- Aura (or negative aura): refers to someone’s vibe, energy, or aesthetic. But it’s often said in a dramatic or sarcastic way, sometimes to hype someone up, and sometimes to clown them. It’s often paired with phrases like: “Be fr, the aura is insane.”
- Gyat: (pronounced like "got") is a slang term derived from “god damn!”—often shouted or typed in reaction to someone with a curvy body, typically a large butt. It’s meant to be exaggerated, funny, and thirsty, but in a very TikTok/Twitch/YouTube kind of way.
Nurse trying to cheer them up with a joke.
Peds patient: “Your joke is negative aura one million. Be fr.”
- Translation: "Your joke is so bad it’s ruining the vibe. Seriously."
Nurses: “Okay kiddo, time for your liquid medicine!”
10-year-old patient, dead serious: “Bro… this tastes like it was made in Ohio.”
- Translation: This tastes gross. Ohio” means it’s weird, cursed, unexplainable, or just plain chaotic. It comes from viral TikToks and memes that joke about how strange or bizarre things always “happen in Ohio.” It’s not about the actual state—it’s just become internet code for "this ain't normal."
@team2moms Gen alpha slang is confusing 🫣😂 #trend #trending ♬ original sound - Ebony & Denise
Reader’s Digest says these slang terms evolve faster than your shift swaps, with about 30% changing or disappearing each year.
Bridging the Slang Gap Like a Pro
Look, I get it—this new lingo can sound like a foreign language. A Legit.ng survey50 Gen Z slang words you need to know and what they mean - Legit.ng found that 65% of healthcare pros over 40 have totally misread Gen Z slang at work. But here’s the thing: understanding it can actually save you from awkward moments and keep communication smooth.
You don’t have to become a slang dictionary overnight. Just make it cool to ask, “Wait, what does that mean?” like it’s as normal as asking where the saline is stashed. So next time you hear something that sounds more like a TikTok trend than medical jargon, pause and learn a bit. It’s not just about staying hip—it helps us connect with younger nurses and keeps patient care tight. Now go slay that next shift, no cap!
🤔 Nurses: what are your thoughts on this issue? Let us know in the discussion forum below.
If you have a nursing news story that deserves to be heard, we want to amplify it to our massive community of millions of nurses! Get your story in front of Nurse.org Editors now - click here to fill out our quick submission form today!
