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&#...
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Apr 10, 2009
Louise
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An excellent biography of the life of an Intensive Care Nurse who worked in the various hospitals in Toronto.
Tilda Shalof begins her nursing career with great trepidation and a lack of self-confidence. Working on a life-like dummy in a classroom is a whole lot different than attempting to install an I.V. in a real live person. Many of the tasks a nurse must perform takes great courage, self-confidence and a belief and understanding of what you are doing, what you are trying to accomp More...
Tilda Shalof begins her nursing career with great trepidation and a lack of self-confidence. Working on a life-like dummy in a classroom is a whole lot different than attempting to install an I.V. in a real live person. Many of the tasks a nurse must perform takes great courage, self-confidence and a belief and understanding of what you are doing, what you are trying to accomp More...
Jan 24, 2008
Tamara
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Every new nurse should read this book, it makes you realize entering into our career takes time and patience there is no easy way
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Dec 11, 2011
Sue
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It's pretty technical at times, and does sort of just meander from patient to patient, but I liked this book. It seems to put into concise terms the balance of reward and emotional price in this high stress area of medicine. How a 'good death' is often the best outcome. My daughter works in this field, and I can see why she loves it and how at the same time some cases eat her up inside. Doing this work well is a gift for which these blessed few can pay a high price.
I would say More...
I would say More...
Mar 09, 2009
Mari Anne
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This book was mildly interesting but poorly written and even more poorly edited. The narrative was choppy and repetetive and basically boiled down to a couple of different points: she was too sensitive, others weren't sensitive enough, nurses don't get enough respect and drastic end-of-life or life-prolonging measures are unnecessary and cruel. While I agree with some of her points the author tends to belabor them in the book. Some of the patient's stories were interesting and compelling but
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Oct 06, 2010
Adrienne
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The real picture of what it is to be a nurse. Sweet, sweat, bodily fluids and more.
This story by Tilda Shalof expresses part of the same journey she describes in her book The Making of a Nurse. Only she wrote A Nurse's Story first and I read it second. Still very highly recommended -- for anyone with a stout heart that is.
It is perfectly titled. In each chapter she explores an area of nursing care:
* How the primary object nurses are known by is a bedpan and it More...
This story by Tilda Shalof expresses part of the same journey she describes in her book The Making of a Nurse. Only she wrote A Nurse's Story first and I read it second. Still very highly recommended -- for anyone with a stout heart that is.
It is perfectly titled. In each chapter she explores an area of nursing care:
* How the primary object nurses are known by is a bedpan and it More...
Apr 10, 2011
Megan
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Tilda describes what it is like to work as an ICU nurse in Toronto. The healthcare system doesn't sound like it's perfect there either, but I LOVE how she disgustedly mentions the US health care system on a couple different pages, as in "Do you want us to be like the US health care system where people's health is a commodity to be bought and sold instead of a human right? Where the rich have better access to health care just because they have more money?" Go, Tilda!
Dec 06, 2011
Wendy
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As an ICU nurse, so many of Tilda's stories resonated with me. Her experiences and the situations she struggled with on a daily basis are so accurate and easy to relate to. I think this is a great book for anybody to read, but especially for nurses.
Feb 11, 2011
Jen
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of course i would love this book since i am and icu nurse. i really didn't want this book to end i found it very well written! i think people who don't like this book probably aren't nurses and don't understand the issues and hardships our profession faces. every nurse should read this book!
Aug 01, 2011
I absolutely loved this book. I couldn't put it down..A great book for nurses to read...it shows that nurses everywhere are the same and we all deal with the same as well as different issues!
Apr 01, 2009
Elizabeth
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This book got me through some really, really tough times. It made me push really hard to achieve my goals of becoming an RN. I LOVE IT! One of my faves!
Feb 12, 2010
Pudds
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This book was interesting if you happen to be a nurse. If not, I'm unsure what the appeal would be. Being a nurse I found it to be an ok read. But I wonder about the question of patient confidentiality.
Dec 21, 2008
Rachel
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This was a great book. Very interesting and human. I didn't want the book to ever end.
Apr 02, 2008
katie
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I feel conflicted about this one. It is sort of like being at work, but being able to lie in bed at the same time. Reflections about what I deal with every day are in this book and I need that. Its just so hard...But there is also a lot in this book that made me feel so uncomfortable, like, I have felt that way, but I would have never written it like that. It is also difficult things to write about so how could you do it without pushing a few buttons. Maybe it was just the attempt at humor
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Feb 20, 2009
Rebecca
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Tilda "gets" it. Not everyone in nursing school nor working in the profession of nursing SHOULD be a nurse. She expresses very clearly the character traits required to be successful in the field, now if only there were some way to inventory and assess those traits on the licensure exam! Wonderfully human.
Feb 08, 2008
Liannis
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This book is about a critical-care nurse in Canada and all the issues it entails. It's a good look at what goes on outside of the ER. There's a lot of details where body fluids and excretions are concerned, so if that squicks you it may not be for you.
Nov 01, 2007
Cathy
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This book confirmed for me why I went into nursing and made me feel less embarrassed about how passionately cheesy I am for the profession.
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