Nursing against the Odds: How Health Care Cost Cutting, Media Stereotypes, and Medical Hubris Undermine Nurses and Patient Care

by Suzanne Gordon

In the United States and throughout the industrialized world, just as the population of older and sicker patients is about to explode, we have a major shortage of nurses. Why are so many RNs dropping out of health care's largest profession? How will the lack of skilled, experienced caregivers affect patients? These are some of the questions addressed by Suzanne Gordon's definitive account of the world's nursing crisis. In Nursing against the Odds , one of North America's leading health care journalists draws on in-depth interviews, research studies, and extensive firsthand reporting to help readers better understand the myriad causes of and possible solutions to the current crisis. Gordon examines how health care cost cutting and hospital restructuring undermine the working conditions necessary for quality care. She shows how the historically troubled workplace relationships between RNs and physicians become even more dysfunctional in modern hospitals. In Gordon's view, the public image of nurses continues to suffer from negative media stereotyping in medical shows on television and from shoddy press coverage of the important role RNs play in the delivery of health care. Gordon also identifies the class and status divisions within the profession that hinder a much-needed defense of bedside nursing. She explains why some policy panaceas―hiring more temporary workers, importing RNs from less-developed countries―fail to address the forces that drive nurses out of their workplaces. To promote better care, Gordon calls for a broad agenda that includes safer staffing, improved scheduling, and other policy changes that would give nurses a greater voice at work. She explores how doctors and nurses can collaborate more effectively and what medical and nursing education must do to foster such cooperation. Finally, Gordon outlines ways in which RNs can successfully take their case to the public while campaigning for health care system reform that actually funds necessary nursing care.

Genres: Nursing, Medical, Nonfiction, Health Care, Medicine, Health

512 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Suzanne Gordon is an award winning journalist and author who writes about healthcare delivery and health care systems. She is the author of more than 15 books, including Beyond the Checklist and First Do Less Harm, both published in 2012.

Reviews

[Miranda Mata · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book, while well researched and so very true, was so depressing and anger inflicting to me, that I had to stop mid way through. I really recommend it because it speaks the truth, but don't expect it to be positive in any light. As a nurse who is fed up with the political part of my profession, it made me take a hiatus to really think about whether I want to be a floor nurse for the rest of my life. And the answer is no, no I do not want to be treated as such for the rest of my life. So, I've decided to further my education and pursue a masters degree in the hopes of becoming a certified nurse midwife where someday I will have my own practice and won't have to deal (so much) with the utter disrespect my profession so undeservingly takes on a daily basis.

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book will change the way you look at nursing as a profession.


I had to read this for a class I'm taking and recommend it to be read by any nurse. Some clasmates reacted badly to the book, in that it portrayed nursing in a negative light... I thought it ought to be looked at as what nursing has overcome in the past and tremendous impact nurses can and do have on healthcare in the United States.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

OK this was supposed to be the book that I was going to write... if you are a nurse you must read it. You could skip the middle part about media portrayals, not as interesting.

[Gail]

This book is informative, well written but a bit depressing since I am a nurse. I honestly have to read this book in spurts...otherwise I think I would get a little depressed and quit my job.

[Rielly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anyone who knows a nurse, wants to be a nurse, or cares about the health care debate should at least flip through this interesting read.

[Rainier Moreno-Lacalle · Rating 5 out of 5]

The writer and journalist Suzzane Gordon offers a compelling story why nursing as a profession is constantly dumb down, unappreciated, tagged as second-class workers, let alone oppressed & exploited in the health industry. She started the book by discussing the unjustified dominance of the medical profession in the health industry, meek history of the nursing which resonates to contemporary nursing practice, the wrong portrayal of the media, and nurses unassertive stance to many health issues as some culprits to the deplorable conditions of nurses in many countries. If you want to understand the scathing contemporary nursing practice, this books offers a candid discussion. This is a must-read for all nurses!

[Garry Mccallum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although I bought this book in 2007 a recent reread has led me to conclude that not much has changed in the last 12 years. Canada has continued to follow the USA in cost cutting measures that leave patients at the mercy of understaffed medical facilities. Although this book focuses on nurses it also applies to other medical professionals such as respiratory therapists, lab technicians and all of the other employees who provide the medical procedures ordered but not performed by the doctors.

This book and others by Suzanne Gordon are well worth the time to read or re-read prior to the next election where ever you may live.

[Aphton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would not advise anyone who is considering to study nursing to read this book because it just discourages you from doing so from the first page onwards. I read this book in my first year on course to completing a Bachelors in Nursing, although I nodded to some of the statements in the book I felt that she was generalizing too much concerning certain topics. A good informative read yes, but discouraging to nursing students.

[Joy Shak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kinda of a dry read, but FULL of great information. This book was a principle resource for a term paper I wrote the year it was published.

[Elise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read by a reluctant nurse (I NEVER thought I would choose this career path, nor did I ever have any nurse role-models in my family)...read this book with an open mind and be careful not to take only the dark parts of the book away. The last section provides insight on how to fix these nursing problems, and this should be the take-away message. I would like for non-nurses to read this so I could get their take on the book (Suzanne Gordon, the author, is not a nurse). Sometimes I get depressed when I read certain sections because so much of it is true.

[Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are a nurse or a physician, this is a must read. I've been a nurse for more years than I would care to remember,and the sad thing is that nothing has changed since I began my career years ago. I'm not sure it ever will, and I've yet to figure out why we continue to allow this attack on our importance and professionalism. Suzanne Gordon's discussion reflects what so many of us have experienced for too long, while hanging on for dear life to remain patient advocates. The hubris she examines doesn't even begin to describe it. This is an essential read.

[With Butterflies · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, quite a book. It many places it angered me while in some it depressed me. I've been a nurse for about 10 years and I'd say she nailed the "politics" of it in most hospital settings.

I feel that she, like many authors, really went wild with the worst case scenario situations. That's why I won't give it five stars, but it is worth reading.

[Helena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Suzanne Gordon really knows her nursing politics and issues. Although I found this book profoundly difficult to read at times because of the accuracy with which she describes the frustrations of being a bedside nurse, she also provided some much needed validation. A double edged sword I guess.

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was really interesting for me to read as someone who is thinking of going into nursing. But I'd recommend it to anyone interested in health care, politics, media studies, and gender studies. I learned a lot.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Our health care industry and how it is truly falling apart. Also the detailed accounts of why we have a nursing shortage. Truly fascinating

[ChickDude1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kind of a downer, but gives you the realities that we nurses face every day; parts of this should be required reading for all patients who come into the hospital...

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

great book, well researched. in my opinion, acurately tells of the modern nurse's difficulty in the current health care system.

[Hunybe]

I have to stop reading this book. I'm getting too angry.

[Lene · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this book for Christmas a couple of years ago. Maybe I should read it now that I am in the middle of the mess...

[Oceanmtnfan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Depressing :(

[Nabel_asamhotmail.com]

ok

[Sarah]

I'm going into a Bachelor of Science in Nursing program in September and I want to be more informed about taking that path. Hopefully, this'll help me out!

[Deb Mccamish · Rating 3 out of 5]

Couldn't get into the book much

[Jan Stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. Another painful look inside the nursing profession.