Happy Unintentional Ignorance Awareness Week!

Oh. My. Goodness. A treat with a lesson in it.....or maybe, a lesson with a treat in it.Either way, it's a spectacular piece of writing that should be showcased in a much broader spotlight.....like the NY Times or "O" magazine. Brilliant as always, CP/TT!

Haha! Brilliant article. I'm stealing 'SugarNiblets' for those who pretend that my name is a jumble of unpronounceable consonants (and I say pretend because I have the easiest name to pronounce yet some people always ask if they can call me something else). With your permission CP, I can now look all such people straight in their eyes and tell them "you can call me SugarNiblets."

I gotta steal Sugar Niblets, too. I've said some not so bright things in my nursing career. I'm getting better at catching myself at that very last moment, and being able to rethink it.

Ha, he sounds like some of my vets lol. You had me in tears. Thank you for writing this

Thank you for this article! It's fun and light hearted, but it does make you think.

Very good article. It reminded me of when my 88 year young grandfather was in the hospital. He complained to me about the pet names, and the shouting he was subject to. But he also had this complaint and I've never forgotten it. He couldnt open a lot of the meal covers. Mostly on the liquids and he always ended up spilling it on himself. He couldn't see the packets clear enough to know the sugar from the salt. The tray would be brought in, placed on the table, and "Off they would run". I make it a point to access the needs of my patients along with their capabilities. Thanks to my Grandpa for showing me the obvious.

Why do nurses and other medical people call their patients "sweetie"? Is it because they have forgotten their names?

Wonderful!! Stealing "Remember, shouting = something bad is, was, or is about to happen. It's generally frowned upon with good reason."

absolutely AWESOME!

LOVE IT. ....and for the record, I absolutely detest it when someone calls a patient "honey" or "sweetie" or anything else like it.

Very nice! I occasionally call my patients sweetie or bub or kiddo, but they are 9-15 or so and they miss their mommy.

Yes. Yes. Yes. Thank you for helping us to remember that our patients are not just their diagnosis(es). The gentleman in 201 was a combat veteran in the Korean War an lost his leg not related to diabetes, but because he jumped on a bouncing betty to save a friend. Miss June on the 3rd floor can't hear you any longer, but the former English teacher, would love it if you wrote her a note rather than gesticulate wildly. Little Bobby, who is 5yo, thinks you are wonderful because you let him bring GorillaGorilla, his 3 foot high stuffed gorilla (of course) to the OR with him--and his parents think you rock. All of our patients are someones' mother, father, sister, brother, niece, nephew, neighbor, pastor, etc. Remember that the next time you refer to the "gallbladder" in 402.