When people ask me how I take my coffee, my answer is “Seriously, very seriously!” This is no joke. Just ask my well-trained (and very tolerant) husband, who knows to avoid me until I have...
Breaches of basic infection control practices — why?
By
Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC
Jul 30, 2012
Basic infection prevention and control isn’t rocket science. It is essentially following some general guidelines. Some of them pretty simplistic. Not too hard right? You would think, but …
Nurses are tired of being tired
By
Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC
Mar 04, 2014
Nurses regret more than clinical decisions when they’re too tired at work — and that happens all to often. Here’s what we should do about it.
Unicorns, leprechauns, CBO Scoring and other mythical things
By
Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC
Dec 23, 2012
I recently attended the National Transition of Care Coalition Summit in Washington. It was an eye-opener.
Bed A and Bed B are people!
By
Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC
Oct 28, 2014
As a Charlton Heston movie once illustrated in an indirect way, it’s important to know about the lives of who is living in our home. It’s about relationships, not about heads in the beds.
Where did all the spoons go?
By
Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC
Mar 06, 2018
As nurse leaders/managers, I believe we have to be smarter in what we decide to let go and shrug off, as we might wind up having to do those things ourselves too often.
Documentation is like cotton candy
By
Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC
Oct 18, 2016
Very often, the nursing progress note documentation is like cotton candy. You think it looks really good but when you get down to it, it’s just a sticky mess! Or, just a bunch of fluff with no substance....
Are you a one-person rescue team?
By
Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC
May 15, 2018
I have heard nursing leaders refer to their nursing staff as their children. I think this can be good if it is in the context that your staff is like family. But I think it can be damaging if you feel...
Burnout equals HAIs and higher costs
By
Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC
Aug 06, 2013
A team of researchers at the University of Pennsylvania used a survey tool called the Maslach Burnout Inventory to analyse nurse burn out, or what they defined as a “burnout nurse”. Now, if...
I don’t want to turn back the clock
By
Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC
Oct 28, 2020
This weekend we’re supposed to turn the clocks back an hour? Um, NO!