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Category Archive: Shannon’s rants

This is where I get to share thoughts with you about things that drive me, as a nurse, a little CRAZY. Folks of my generation would say this is where I "let it all hang out". I keep it professional, but absolutely real.

Jul 11

KITTENS are cute.


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What? A RANT about kittens? Who on earth would rant because everyone thinks kittens are cute?? You know what other things are cute? Babies. Yes indeed, babies are cute. Puppies too. Who can resist melting and saying awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww….ADORABLE!! You know what’s NOT cute? My mom. She’s been called feisty, funny, stubborn, charming, independent, irritating, opinionated…even …

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Apr 03

“Safe” care and crumbs of kindness: NOT NEARLY GOOD ENOUGH


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The other day a colleague told me how grateful she was for the “positive” experience her family had in the acute care sector. I quote: “my husband didn’t get an infection in hospital, and the nurses were mostly kind to us”. I ask you: how did things get to the point where this bare minimum (and some would say sub) standard became …

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May 27

The health care “system”.


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You know, language is powerful. We throw the word “system” around in relation to our health care in such a way as to assume that it actually exists, a “system” of health care. Webster’s online dictionary has 15 different variations of the definition of system, but the jist is this: “a group of independent but interrelated …

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May 21

Nametags and safety: Really?


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Anecdotes are powerful. Some even take on the status of urban legends. I even have an anecdote that absolutely feeds into what I would call a nursing urban legend: putting your last name on your nametag puts your personal safety at risk! Forgive me, but despite a personal experience with this, I don’t believe it. What’s more, …

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May 02

Is caring practice disappearing?


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A nursing executive that I greatly admire told me a story the other day, and I have her permission to retell it here. She recounted to me how a newer staff member in her department sought her out to talk about something she had found upsetting and confusing. The staff member described a recent shift …

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