Why do I need to learn what is expository writing to be a nurse? Genuinely asking!

[Thomass]

Okay, I promise this is a genuine question, not me complaining about my required classes! I'm a second-year nursing student, and I'm sitting here in my "Academic Writing for Health Professionals" class trying to figure out why we're spending weeks on what is expository writing. I just want to get to the clinical stuff, you know?

But then my professor said something today that actually made me pause. She said: "Every time you write a patient care report, you're doing expository writing. Every time you explain a diagnosis to a patient and their family, you're doing expository writing out loud."

Wait... what?!

Suddenly I started paying attention. She explained that expository writing in healthcare is about:

• Clearly explaining medical conditions to patients who don't have medical degrees
• Writing accurate, objective patient notes that other providers can understand
• Describing procedures and protocols step by step so nothing gets missed
• Explaining treatment plans to families who are scared and stressed

And she's right! When I'm a nurse, I won't be writing persuasive essays about healthcare policy (probably). But I WILL be explaining, describing, and informing constantly. Every single shift.

So here's my new question for the community: For those of you in healthcare or other "practical" fields, how has expository writing actually shown up in your work? I'm trying to convince myself (and maybe some skeptical classmates) that this stuff matters. Give me real examples! I want to see the connection between this class and my future patients.

 

[Melissa]

Honestly, Thomass, you just blew my mind a little bit. I’ve been sitting in my clinicals thinking the same thing, like, "When will I ever use a thesis statement on a patient?" But your professor’s point about explaining a diagnosis out loud? That hit home.

I shadowed a nurse last month who had to explain to a terrified grandpa why he needed a specific blood thinner. She didn't use big medical words; she told a story about how the medicine was like a "plumber" clearing out the pipes. That’s expository writing, just spoken! It’s basically just translating complex stuff into plain English. Now I’m looking at my homework like it’s practice for talking to real people. Thanks for sharing this, it actually makes me feel better about my grade.