A Nurse's Story
by Tilda Shalof
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Book Summary Information
Author: Tilda ShalofEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2005-02-22
ISBN: 0771080875
Number of pages: 352
Publisher: Emblem Editions
Book Reviews of A Nurse's Story
Book Review: Outstanding!
Summary: 5 Stars
I have read many books written by doctors and nurses about their experiences and this one is definitely the best I have ever read. Not only is Tilda and incredible nurse but she's an incredible writer.
I can speak from experience, not as a nurse but as a patient. I have had six neurosurgeries, 2 of which required short stays in the ICU. I went through hell with every surgery and I learned that nurses can have a huge influence on how you feel both physically and emotionally.
Throughout these surgeries, I had a wide range of nurses. At the top were the nurses who were wonderful. They sometimes went above and beyond what they absolutely had to do. A couple of them even managed to bring a smile to my face when I was feeling so sick that I wanted to die. In the middle were the nurses who were kind and caring but didn't necessarily do anything special that set them apart from the rest. At the bottom were the nurses who showed very little empathy and didn't do a thing to help me through the trauma I was going through. I had a couple of nurses who were downright cold and even mean to me.
By reading this book, I can tell that Tilda, along with some of the other nurses she talks about, would definitely have been at the top of that list. So, Tilda, if you are reading this, we need more nurses like you!
This is a great book for anyone, whether they are in the medical profession, have been a patient themselves, or are simply interested in reading about this sort of thing. It was like reading a novel that you just can't put down. Definitely a 5 star book!
Summary of A Nurse's Story
The team of nurses that Tilda Shalof found herself working with in the intensive care unit (ICU) of a big-city hospital was known as ?Laura?s Line.? They were a bit wild: smart, funny, disrespectful of authority, but also caring and incredibly committed to their jobs. Laura set the tone with her quick remarks. Frances, from Newfoundland, was famous for her improvised recipes. Justine, the union rep, wore t-shirts emblazoned with defiant slogans, like ?Nurses Care But It?s Not in the Budget.? Shalof was the one who had been to university. The others accused her of being ?sooo sensitive.?They depended upon one another. Working in the ICU was both emotionally grueling and physically exhausting. Many patients, quite simply, were dying, and the staff strove mightily to prolong their lives. With their skill, dedication, and the resources of modern science, they sometimes were almost too successful. Doctors and nurses alike wondered if what they did for terminally-ill patients was not, in some cases, too extreme. A number of patients were admitted when it was too late even for heroic measures. A boy struck down by a cerebral aneurysm in the middle of a little-league hockey game. A woman rescued ? too late ? from a burning house. It all took its toll on the staff.
And yet, on good days, they thrived on what they did. Shalof describes a colleague who is managing a ?crashing? patient: ?I looked at her. Nicky was flushed with excitement. She was doing five different things at the same time, planning ahead for another five. She was totally focused, in her element, in control, completely at home with the chaos. There was a huge smile on her face. Nurses like to fix things. If they can.?
Shalof, a veteran ICU nurse, reveals what it is really like to work behind the closed hospital curtains. The drama, the sardonic humour, the grinding workload, the cheerful camaraderie, the big issues and the small, all are brought vividly to life in this remarkable book.
From the Hardcover edition.
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