General
404 moment
What does 404 moment mean?
The moment on rounds when the chart, the file, the scan, the lab result — none of it can be found. Not in the trolley, not on the system, not at the desk. Borrowed straight from the HTTP 404 'Not Found' error, deployed with a sigh.
"Consultant asked for the bloods and we all just stood there having a 404 moment."
Origin
Late-1990s/early-2000s medical slang, lifted from the HTTP 404 web error code.
Frequently asked questions
What does a 404 moment mean?
In hospital slang it's when a patient's notes have vanished mid-ward-round, borrowing the '404 not found' web error.
How do you use 404 moment in a sentence?
A doctor might say 'Total 404 moment — his chart's nowhere to be found,' when the records go missing.
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