Meet Vivian Canneti

After 26 years at Children’s National, Vivian Canneti, BSN, RN, CPN, has learned something important about leadership: if you want things to change, you can’t sit on the sidelines.

As a shift coordinator on the Heart and Kidney Unit, Vivian plays a critical role in ensuring every shift runs safely and smoothly. She oversees staffing, coordinates admissions and transfers, and supports both patients and nurses through some of the most complex moments of care. She also serves as a mentor and leadership resource for her team members, ensuring they stay on track with professional requirements and feel supported in their growth. 

A Journey into Shared Nursing Leadership 

Vivian’s impact doesn’t stop at the unit level. For more than 15 years, she has been deeply involved in Shared Nursing Leadership (SNL), a journey that started not with a title, but with a simple realization. 

“When you’ve been somewhere long enough, you start to notice things you wish were better,” Vivian shares. “My manager at the time asked me, ‘So what are you going to do about it?’ That made me realize that if I wanted my voice to be heard, I had to get involved.” 

Vivian joined what was then the Comfort Council, which eventually evolved into today’s Advocacy and Wellness Council. As the council’s focus grew from internal nurse advocacy to broader community involvement, Vivian grew with it. She learned firsthand how collective voices can lead to meaningful change, from educational support to professional development opportunities that now benefit nurses across the organization. 

Recognizing What Matters 

Today, Vivian serves as co‑chair of the Recognition and Engagement Council, one of SNL’s most visible and far-reaching committees. The council oversees initiatives that many nurses experience firsthand: DAISY and BEE recognition, Magnet Champions, Image of Nursing, Engagement, and Special Events like Nursing Care Team Week. 

One of the council’s most impactful recent projects is the Recognition Toolkit – a practical, leader-friendly guide designed to help managers and unit leaders recognize and engage their team members in meaningful ways. The toolkit offers ideas, templates and ready-to-use resources that make recognition more accessible and intentional. 

“Recognition and engagement might seem small, but those small moments matter," shared Vivian. "They remind people why they became nurses in the first place.” 

That philosophy extends into the council’s work with DAISY Awards, including newer initiatives like DAISY for Leaders, Educators, Ethics and Equity, and the ongoing “Race to 1,000” DAISY nominations, an effort to amplify gratitude across the organization. For Vivian, DAISY has become one of the easiest ways to spark interest in SNL. 

“People love recognizing each other,” she says. “It’s often the first step, and once they see the impact, they want to do more.” 

Advocacy in Action

Beyond Recognition and Engagement, Vivian remains an active member of the Advocacy and Wellness Council, contributing to initiatives like cereal food drives and winter wear collections that support the surrounding community and partners, such as So Others Might Eat, McKenna’s Wagon, and Horton’s Kids. She also supports global outreach through the Global Health Initiative, aligning closely with her own belief in connection beyond borders. 

She is equally passionate about inclusion within our organization. As a member of the Night Shift Council, Vivian advocates for night-shift team members through initiatives such as education access, safety and napping initiatives, coffee bars and training – ensuring that engagement and resources are available regardless of what shift you work.

Most recently, Vivian became an ambassador for newly recruited international nurses, serving as a mentor and guide as they navigate both work and life in the U.S. Through the “Pinoys at Children’s” group, Vivian helps foster community for Filipino employees while supporting broader global health efforts, reflecting her belief that connection matters, both locally and globally.

The Power of Hope

At the heart of Vivian’s work is a deep compassion for others and an unwavering commitment to providing exceptional nursing care. Among the many meaningful moments that have shaped her career, one stands out above the rest.

Years ago, while helping a mother bathe her gravely ill toddler, the mother quietly shared the weight she was carrying: her daughter had been given only a 20% chance of responding to a high-risk heart surgery. Rather than seeing that number as a limit, the mother saw possibility.  

“She told me she would take that chance,” Vivian recalls, “because it was 20% more hope than she had before.” 

The surgery went ahead and hope prevailed. Today, that little girl is a thriving teenager, full of life and possibility, with dreams of becoming a chef. But the story didn’t end there. Vivian watched that same mother care for her child with such devotion and strength that she was encouraged to consider nursing. Years later, that encouragement came full circle when the mother returned, not as a patient’s parent, but as a nurse colleague, standing alongside Vivian in the profession they now share. 

“It reminded me never to underestimate the power of hope,” Vivian says. “Hope changes outcomes. It changes people. And sometimes, it changes the future in ways you never expect.” 

What Continues to Drive Vivian 

Inspired by her late grandmother who modeled a life of caring for others and insisted she pursue a nursing career, Vivian brings empathy, perseverance and advocacy into every role she holds. She even brings a unique lens: after earning her nursing degree at the first nursing school in the Philippines, she went on to attend law school, something many people are surprised to learn about her. 

Vivian’s 26 years here at Children’s National reflects what Shared Nursing Leadership is truly about: nurses shaping their practice, workplace and community together. Vivian offers this perspective, not as an invitation, but as a reminder: “Change doesn’t happen on its own. Someone must step forward.”