A New York Times bestseller. “A funny, intimate, and often jaw-dropping account of life behind the scenes.”—PeopleNurses is the compelling story of the year in the life of four nurses, and the drama, unsung heroism, and unique sisterhood of nursing—one of the world’s most important professions (nurses save lives every day), and one of the world’s most dangerous, filled with violence, trauma, and … dangerous, filled with violence, trauma, and PTSD.
In following four nurses, Alexandra Robbins creates sympathetic characters while diving deep into their world of controlled chaos. It’s a world of hazing—“nurses eat their young.” Sex—not exactly like on TV, but surprising just the same. Drug abuse—disproportionately a problem among the best and the brightest, and a constant temptation. And bullying—by peers, by patients, by hospital bureaucrats, and especially by doctors, an epidemic described as lurking in the “shadowy, dark corners of our profession.”
The result is a page-turning, shocking look at our health-care system.
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I am an RN and I have to say that this is the most realistic book about nurses that I have read. Taking care of humans jerks your emotions around like not much else, but it’s the most rewarding thing you will ever do!
I loved reading about the real-life struggles and victories of ER nurses. I really liked that it took you into the ER, into their outside lives, and into their thoughts. As someone who spends a fair amount of time in the ER, it was eye opening.
This book was about the issues that nurses face on a daily basis. Although this book focused on nurses working in the emergency department or intensive care unit of a hospital, the incidents focussed could happen anywhere. As a nurse, it gave me a lot to think about.
Sad most medical institutions who have to cut budgets in most cases begin with the nursing staff. Having family working in this area reaffirms the main point of this book. These poor nurses are over worked and under appreciated, and sadly, abused by the very doctors who relie on them to care for their patients 24 hrs. a day.
This is definitely an …
This is not a novel. If you have never known a nurse or been in a hospital, it might be interesting. I found it to be one long (very long) gripe session. I’ve worked in two hospitals (not as a nurse) and didn’t find the nurses to be this unhappy.
This is a book–no, a love story, about the profession of nursing. I was never one drawn to the calling, but as a pastor I’ve gotten to see the difference they can make to those who are sick and suffering. I’ve seen them devalued by those counting pennies in hospitals while passing out administrative bonuses for those at the top. This book lays …
One of the best books i’ve ever had the privilege of reading!
I imagine that nurses would gravitate to this book but it really should be directed to non medical people. There is a lot of research on what nursing was & is. The public could get a better idea of what nurses do as well as to other nurses.
As a nurse, I read this book with interest. I am ashamed that this book presents such a negative ( but often true) picture of my colleagues. Nurses will never garner the respect that many deserve until they stop whining, moaning and stabbing each other in the back.
It’s truly an eye opener!
Really enjoyed this book. Well written and believable.
I personally did not finish reading this book, although I hope to return to it again someday. I found it to drag along with much history of the issues nurses have to deal with every day. I found the nurses that were followed in the book very interesting. I give the upmost respect to nurses, overworked and under paid, they are who keep the …
I felt the author had a very negative career in nursing and should have changed professions. I spent 50 years in the profession, at all levels from floor nurse to hospital administrator and NEVER had the experiences as described by the author. The book would scare away any prospective nurses from entering the profession.
Shocking and tragic. American nurses need more support and guidance as they experience tragedy daily.
As a retired nurse, I’ve observed many of the same issues and am happy that someone is finally addressing them so the medical world might become a better place for workers, patients and other staff.
This book is about the difficult working situations of many nurses and an insider look at the difficulties they face. Violent patients, abusive physicians, unsupportive hospital administrators, etc. This is the acount of a few nurses and some statistics of many others. I’d love to readmore real accounts from more nurses. It is helpful to us as …
It was well written and informative, but since I’m a retired RN I found it spent way too much time complaining and whining. It also had the resentment about those “darn dumb MD’s.” Many females in Nursing seem to feel this way. As a male, I never saw or felt this. There is nothing better than a “good nurse”, but there are way too many that talk …
Would have liked more stories. As a nurse, it is realistic but didn’t hold my attention.
As a retired nurse, I found this interesting. Experiences of nurses in their own words. Perhaps my low rating is because I have experienced it myself or saw/heard it from colleagues. Non-nurses may find it more interesting.
This book was ok only. As a nurse who graduated in the late 60’s i could see a little bit of this. I thought it was greatly exaggerated. The nurses i know (myself included) would not have put up with doctors or hospitals like that. I realize the author was trying to make a point but don’t think most nurses have these major problems.