In The Night Shift, Dr. Brian Goldman shares his experiences in the witching hours at Mount Sinai Hospital in downtown Toronto. We meet the kinds of patients who walk into an E.R. after midnight: late-night revellers injured on their way home after last call, teens assaulted in the streets by other teens and a woman who punches another woman out of jealousy over a man. But Goldman also reveals … also reveals the emotional, heartbreaking side of everyday E.R. visits: adult children forced to make life and death decisions about critically ill parents, victims of sexual assault, and mentally ill and homeless patients looking for understanding and a quick fix in the twenty-four-hour waiting room. Written with Goldman’s trademark honesty and with surprising humour, The Night Shift is also a frank look at many issues facing the medical profession today, and it offers a highly compelling inside view into an often shrouded world.
more
An ER Doc’s description of his training and experiences over twenty + years. Laid out as a hour by hour recounting of a night on duty with the past woven into the narrative. It is well-written, a fascinating insight into the life of a doctor who doesn’t think he is God.
While the book does explain the workings of the ER from the physician’s point of view, it didn’t seem to have a clear direction Perhaps more enjoyable for those who are not familiar with the workings of the ER.
An informative look into the workngs of a hospital and its caring staff.
Accurate portrayal of patients in the ER plus the challenges the doctor faces not only with the ill but with the system.
A good read. Very realistic
Enjoyed this look at a Canadian hospital emergency room as viewed from the inside by one of the staff physicians.
Emmensly interesting and informative.
This was fair, a pretty good description of life as an ER doctor. I applaud the author for being so frank and open.
For really excellent medical writing, however, I recommend the books by Richard Selzer. He is a master of words and experiences.
In addition to explaining medical procedures in understandable language, it was enlightening to see the emotional turmoil doctors experience when dealing with patients and their loved ones faced with terminal illness or injuries. It makes doctors appear more human to see how they react to these situations. It gives me a deeper awareness of what it takes to be a good doctor and to appreciate the doctors and nurses I’ve met whose excellence and compassion I’ll always remember.
Being a nurse I can relate!
Very dull read
This book, written by a Canadian Doctor is a insightful look into the world of emergency medicine. Goes along at a good pace until the last part where I felt it lagged. He’d made his points and it was often repetitious. Still a good read
Enjoyed reading this. You will too!