615-856-8181
shania@shanialynnvo.com

talk

Communicating for Change

by

“All communication must lead to change”- Aristotle

In acting, we learn that words are useless. Words only become effective once humans add purpose to them. The greatest actors understand the power of each word and use that power effectively to change the person they are speaking to. The change can be a perspective of a topic or a perspective about themself. We sometimes use the same words with different meanings or inflections to mean different things. This is the beauty of language and communication.

We conducted a communication survey within our facility to evaluate our current communication methods, strategies, and opportunities. A majority of the respondents voiced that they were “not confident” or “fairly confident” about our internal communication, communication with hostile patients/ family members, and communication to different departments.

With Covid, we realized that nurses are out of practice with communicating with visitors and the routine communication with interdisciplinary staff, most of which was eliminated during Covid.

There are two main types of communication that can be evaluated here: assertive communication and aggressive communication. Assertive communication is standing up for your beliefs, voicing your concerns, and not being afraid to communicate different viewpoints. Assertive communication is essential for leaders as it does not just go with the flow, but uses words effectively to evoke a positive change. Aggressive communication is not normally effective because it downplays other views, does not accept criticism, and has the “I am always right” mentality. Rather than offering suggestion like assertive communication, aggressive communication demands a certain way.

Communication is essential for a healthy work environment and relationship with coworkers. Ensuring that all voices are heard, points are spoken clearly, and evaluating different approaches are all ways to improve current communication modalities. If people have the sense that they have a say, their motivation for change can be greatly improved.

It’s Just a Bad Shift: The Importance of Mindset

by

In the past several weeks, I have transitioned into a new job, got scammed out of $1000, lost and found my “sold” wedding dress, messed up my personal website, and our house closing has gotten delayed. Reflecting on these many frustrations, I remind myself that these are so little mishaps in the grand scheme of things.

I remind myself that I am so thankful that my family is healthy, my country is not under war, Covid numbers are decreasing, I have a successful side job that I love, we are building our first new home, among so many other amazing events that life brings.

There are bad days at the hospital, but there are also bad days at home. It is normal for humans to doubt their abilities and question our life paths. It is so easy to live in life’s frustrations, rather than choosing to embrace the oxygen that we breathe at every moment.

It’s our attitudes and perspectives that determine our outlook on each situation. It is so important to magnify the good and simply experience the bad. Experiencing every emotion- the good, bad, and ugly, is part of a healthy life. The problem lies in adopting a negative viewpoint that determines all future reactions and paths for greater things.

Inpatient nursing is already a high stress environment, so why bring such negative emotions and perspectives to the work? A negative aura is felt by others around you. It truly is amazing how just thinking negative thoughts can affect an outward appearance.

We need to choose to accept healthier perspectives and view all sides of a situation. A bright person is just as recognizable as a negative Nancy.

Until next shift,

Shania

Funny Tidbits of Nursing Knowledge/ Nursing Advice

by

  • Be careful not to nurse the computer
  • Not everyone showers regularly
  • Everyone’s anatomy is different
  • It is not exactly like the case studies
  • I have never inspected so many butts
  • No, you cannot bring your monkeys to the hospital
  • If you smell smoke, one of your patients is probably smoking in their room
  • If you are a patient and walk across the street to taco bell, you will be forced to leave AMA
  • Allowing a patient to leave AMA will probably make your shift so much better- don’t take it personally!
  • It is a good morning when you only have one fingerstick.
  • Ensure quality > quantity
  • Sometimes the best position to place a foley is side-lying or doggy style
  • Just because a patient is in the hospital, does not mean that they can treat you like trash
  • You do not work for the doctors, you work for the hospital.- Stick up for yourself!
  • Family members are often worse than the patients, however if you listen, they can turn out to provide valuable information
  • Stay humble!- You will not know everything and there is always a resource to learn more
  • Be involved within your unit- building personal relationships with coworkers will make going into work so much better
  • The best nurses are those that start from the ground-up- Remember to appreciate and help EVS, NTs, etc.
  • Offer things the patients are allowed, rather than focusing on things they cannot have or cannot do

My anxiety got the best of me. Moments at the bedside.

by

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, 18.1% of the US population suffers from anxiety, however only 36.9% of those people with anxiety seek treatment.

One of the many benefits of being a nurse is time spent at the bedside. The patients I remember most are those that I have found a connection with through talking to them. Along with educating them on their diagnosis or treatment, one of the most beneficial things we can do as nurses is to build a relationship… I know, I know easier said than done. We often feel like we don’t have enough time to connect with people, but it is in those moments that we can discover things. We may find out the reasons for their noncompliance, that it is their 50th wedding anniversary, that today is the anniversary of their daughter’s death, or even that they have no running water at home. Simply speaking to the person in the bed, making eye contact, and truly engaging in conversation, alone, can help relieve any fears that they may have and can also make for an easier shift.

Discovering like interests and creating conversation away from their hospital stay lightens up the room for both the patient and family. In a stressful situation, talking about things other than their current state can help divert their attention away from their pain and illness. We can make an impact by just being present with them in the moment and stepping away from our computers. Rapport is also a way to bring the humaneness of nursing back amidst the plethora of hospital protocols and technology scanners. Just like “skin is the nursing domain”, so is communication. Being transparent with patient and families is what they want and need. Keeping them up to date, while also connecting on a personal level can help alleviate any unnecessary worry in a less ideal environment.

Until next shift,

Shania

Time, Talent, Treasure

by

From a young age, I always valued the concepts of time, talent, and treasure. These three qualities make or break a person’s life and I evaluated them within my own life in order to be successful and to be in a continuous state of growth.

  1. Time is such a valuable resource in the sense that you cannot get it back; it only keeps moving forward. Where you invest your time determines your future. I stated before in previous posts that my biggest fear is wasting my time on things that are unnecessary. Therefore, I make an effort to use my time for productive things, whether that is learning, growing my business, calling my grandmother, going to the gym, cooking a meal, or even watching a show I enjoy.. anything in moderation. I often make a to do list for every day and this helps me stay productive and make sure that I am making the most out of the time I have during the day. Atul Gawande wrote a great book on this topic, The Checklist Manifesto. I highly recommend!
  2. Talent. Talent is tricky because this is where your life purpose or passions come in. It is amazing to me how many people just settle because they don’t want to go out of their comfort zones, experience new things, and find why they are actually here on Earth. A talent isn’t just some child prodigy who wins America’s Got Talent. Talents are the unique qualities and interests that each person has. I enjoy people and helping people live healthier lives, therefore, I became a nurse. The stress and anxiety that comes with working in the hospital allows me to realize that I am not meant to stay in the hospital forever, at least not as my sole income. I also know that I have always loved acting and I am at a point in my life where I can actually pursue it professionally, alongside my nursing job. Talent is what keeps me motivated and reaching for me. As Ronnie Doss says, the comfort zone is the danger zone. It is dangerous to remain stagnant in life and never reaching for more.
  3. Treasure. Where your treasure is, there your heart will be. Look at your bank statements. Other than bills and living expenses, where do you spend the majority of your money? This reveals what your priorities are. Many times this money goes to food, alcohol, coffee, or toys. What about if much of it was invested, donated, given to others? It is important to be conscious where the excess is going and to monitor the outflow. Money is not inherently bad. So many great things can be done with proper funding. It is how money is used that can lead to trouble.

Where are you investing your time, talent, and treasure?

Until next shift,

Shania

Patient Talk

by

“It’s easier to find men who will volunteer to die, than to find those who are willing to endure pain with patience.”- Julius Caesar

Recently, I have found myself becoming slow to anger and quick to speak. I have to consciously think about taking a deep breath or even doing yoga to help calm myself down. This lack of patience, I’ve realized, seems to be from a lack of direction. The past few months, I have spent many hours in constant study and dedication to build up my voice acting business. I have spent much less time just being still. It is in the stillness that answers can be found and peace fills the soul. My mind is in constant flight mode as I attempt to audition for any job possible, reach out to as many people as time allows, while also tending to the home and spending time with my husband. I have neglected time for myself to simply sit and reflect on the achievements I have made in these past few months.

I have goals set each day to achieve, but have re-added items such as sit on the porch and read, drink a cup of coffee and watch a favorite show, just sit and be still. Calming my mind and stilling my body are the most challenging things for me to do as I always love to be in constant motion. However, in the loud world we live in, I realize that the peace that is now missing from my life may only return if I allow my body some rest.

Patience is not always easy to give others, yet alone ourselves. We must listen to our bodies and give them what they are craving. I am not normally an annoyed person, but I have definitely been short in times I do not mean to be recently. It’s the Patient Talk with ourselves that can help refuel the soul. I choose to check that off my list today and every day for the week ahead.

Until next shift,

Shania

©2025 Shania Lynn Dubbert // Voice Over Site by Voice Actor Websites
Website Hosting provided by UpperLevel Hosting

615-856-8181
shania@shanialynnvo.com