I've been thinking about this a lot lately. It seems to me that whenever there is a debate here on AN, there are three predictable "red herrings" that get tossed into the mix. For those that don't know, a red herring is an element that distracts attention away from the real argument. There may be more, but these top three are the ones I have noticed the most. Perhaps others have more to add to the list! Feel free!
#1) The "Where is Your Compassion" Red Herring. Inevitably, whenever a poster takes an unpopular stance, their compassion is called into question. Questioning a nurse's compassion is like questioning a mechanic's willingness to get their hands dirty. It's such an integral part of nursing that I would give 99.9% of nurses the benefit of the doubt that they give compassionate care, no matter their opinion on a matter.
#2) The "Exception to the Rule" Red Herring. This one is pretty obvious. Whenever someone makes a generalization, no matter how much truth that generalization holds, someone always has to pipe up about their brother's mother in law's cousin who "had x,y, and z, but still managed to do a, b, and c". Know what? There is *always* an exception to the rule. That doesn't make the generalization any less true.
#3) The "Well, if you have never had (fill in the blank), then you couldn't possibly know anything about it" Red Herring. This one assumes that, for example, if I have never had a broken bone, I know nothing about the appropriate assessment, treatment, and follow up for that condition. Unless I have had my arm ripped off in an industrial accident, I couldn't possibly know anything at all about how to treat that patient. Unless I have not personally experienced burns over 50% of my body, I could not possibly know what is the most critical thing that needs to be done with that person.
Well, that's my little rant for the evening. Good night, all!
