The Real Nurse Jackie by Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC
Honey is sweeter
By
Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC
May 24, 2022
We all have heard the expression about getting more flies with honey than vinegar. Personally, I have absolutely zero desire to attract these annoying insects anywhere near me; bleh! But I get it. I…
Manage your pit stop — with a well-used crew
By
Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC
May 10, 2022
Every year on the West Coast of Florida they hold a Grand Prix event in St. Petersburg. On the East Coast of Florida, they hold the Daytona 500. Now, I will admit, this hasn’t been a sport I get excited…
Living in a Hot Pocket world
By
Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC
Apr 26, 2022
You ever wonder about the fascination about Hot Pockets? To me, I suppose the allure is that it promises immediate satisfaction.
Eating an elephant
By
Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC
Apr 12, 2022
I think everyone has heard the expression, “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.” Right? Though the idea of eating an elephant makes me want to become a vegetarian. (But I digress.) OK,…
The transformative power of happiness
By
Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC
Mar 29, 2022
It seems almost daily we are hit by news where someone or something is trying to rob us of our happiness. We barely survived the pandemic while losing our staff and having to deal with an agency that will…
Administration and CMS’s big fix
By
Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC
Mar 15, 2022
I think a lot of us were a little ticked off with the State of the Union address and the administration’s focus on improving the quality of care provided in America’s nursing homes. We all know we…
Test and tests and tests… there’s failure here
By
Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC
Mar 01, 2022
Let’s face it. Unless you’re the character Sheldon from the show “The Big Bang Theory” or “Young Sheldon,” most of us really hate to take tests. So, those of us in this profession got a little…
Wait, what did you just say, CMS?
By
Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC
Feb 15, 2022
Keeping up with the constantly changing guidance between the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regulations would make even a rocket scientist’s…
Come on, it’s not new!
By
Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC
Jan 18, 2022
I was reading an item in the McKnight’s Clinical Daily newsletter and it totally touched on one of my pet peeves. It’s a habit we just can’t seem to get nurses and families to break. And it may be…
2022 – time for a do-over
By
Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC
Jan 04, 2022
If ever there were a time for a do-over, it’s now. I mean, every time we think we are coming down the hill, we have to climb the fiery heights of Mount Doom* once again. (*fictional volcano in J. R….
A happy Christmas to all
By
Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC
Dec 14, 2021
‘Twas the morning of Christmas, when all through the buildingNo staff member was sitting, but everyone scurrying.The residents were washed and groomed with care,Knowing that visitors (finally) soon…
It really is a wonderful life
By
Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC
Nov 30, 2021
Every year, around Thanksgiving Day, I start off my holiday movies with “It’s a Wonderful Life.” In it, our main character George Bailey, due to a series of events, wishes he’d never been born….
Season of giving
By
Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC
Nov 16, 2021
As we head into a season of thanksgiving and generosity, I am so grateful for all of you. How you love every day. How special you are with your hearts of compassion and giving. I was recently reminded…
Oh, the horrors!
By
Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC
Nov 02, 2021
Yes, we just had Halloween. For some it’s a splurge of treats and dressing up, and for some they enjoy all the frights the holiday has to offer. Me, I prefer a good old harvest festival with lots of…
Chitchat is your new favorite
By
Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC
Oct 18, 2021
One of my favorite holiday movies is “Elf.” A movie about a human, who is raised at the North Pole as an elf. When Buddy, our main character, finds out he is human (an absolutely hysterical scene),…
Road warriors, conference season and taco beds
By
Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC
Oct 05, 2021
We road warriors know all about the “fun” that comes with the constant travel. You know, getting to see some really not cool cities, desperately trying to catch up on emails and calls, often adjusting…
Why grease the squeaky wheel?
By
Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC
Sep 21, 2021
We all know the expression; the squeaky wheel gets the grease. But why? Why do we do that in long-term care? We all have those squeaky residents or families that just are NEVER happy. But have you thought…
Water beads and new perspectives
By
Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC
Sep 07, 2021
So, a good friend of mine is a preschool teacher. She was telling me about a craft she did with the kids. She got these water beads, which are small marble-like beads, and had the kids put them in water. …
Suck rubber!
By
Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC
Aug 24, 2021
OK, so this has to be the oddest title of any of my blogs. But it’s something this incredible speaker (Calvin Stovall) said during his keynote speech at the recent National Association of Directors of…
Compassion fatigue – the struggle is real
By
Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC
Jul 27, 2021
Not getting a vaccine isn’t just affecting you. It’s why we have this variant, and it’s why we all have to keep dealing with this. And it’s why nurses are burning out and getting compassion…
