This past weekend I went to a fun farm and pumpkin patch with my family. It is a really neat place that is all decked out for a non-scary harvest festival that is perfect for a family outing with a 3-year-old.

It’s a place we’ve gone to for years — in the spring, summer and fall — and it is fairytale-themed. In the fall, they really go all out.

They had baby animals for viewing and petting. You could groom a horse. You could feed the goats. You could hold and pet a bunny. 

There was an adorable little train ride that went through the woods, which were decorated with dozens of scarecrows posed in silly and cute ways, such as fishing or a daddy scarecrow reading a book to little scarecrows. There was apple cider and kettle corn and yummy snacks you could purchase.

And, of course, there was the hayride. On the hayride, they stop halfway so you can get out at this huge pumpkin patch and pick pumpkins and then hop on the next hayride as they drop other people off. 

I love the pumpkin patch, but probably not for the same reason most people do. See, in the 1990s, we nicknamed one of my sisters Pumpkin. The thing is, she doesn’t really know why, and thinks it is sweet. But it’s really because, around the holidays, she’s usually smashed. (You have to be a ’90s music fan to understand.)

So where in the world am I going with this? It’s just that sometimes we think we have endearing nicknames for our residents, but we’re not supposed to … unless it’s care planned that they want you to call them “Honey,” “Sweetie,” or something like “Pumpkin.” 

Otherwise, please refrain. These are our elders (mostly … I realize we do have some younger patients/residents, but this still applies). Unless we have specified permission, we refer to them as Mr., Miss or Mrs. _______. They’ve earned that respect.

However, feel free to call your siblings whatever nickname you have for them. Isn’t that right, Pumpkin?!

Just keeping it real,

Nurse Jackie

The Real Nurse Jackie is written by Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC, Senior Director of Clinical Innovation and Education for Mission Health Communities, LLC, and an APEX Award of Excellence winner for Blog Writing. Vance is a real-life long-term care nurse. A nationally respected nurse educator and past national LTC Nurse Administrator of the Year, a 2024 McKnight’s VIP Woman of Distinction award winner, and an accomplished stand-up comedienne. The opinions supplied here are her own and do not necessarily reflect those of her employer or her professional affiliates.

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