A Call to Nursing: Nurses' Stories about Challenge and Commitment

by Paula Sergi (Editor), Geraldine Gorman (Editor)

What leads a person to become a nurse? And what makes some decide to stay and others to leave? Hear from twenty-five nurses—from hospitals, private practices, and in home health care—about why they became nurses and why some have walked away. Edited and introduced by two experts in the field, who speak from two sides of the same coin. One is still in practice, and the other has left the field. A Call to Nursing is a resource for nurses, those considering the field, and anyone who wants to understand what makes a nurse tick.

Genres: Nursing, Nonfiction, Anthologies, Medical

288 pages, Paperback

First published March 31, 2009

Reviews

[jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of the stories were very heartwarming and affirmed my reason for choosing to be a nurse. I appreciated the writers' honesty - they didn't promise that nursing was an easy career, but they shared that their passion for caring motivated them even when they were bone tired from long shifts.

Nursing school teaches you pathophysiologies of diseases, meds to memorize, signs and symptoms to watch for. But it doesn't teach the "why" of nursing. I think it's so important to learn from these nurses who have made compassion their occupation.

I want to be a competent nurse. But i also want to touch my patients' lives indelibly with compassion.

[Funmbi · Rating 4 out of 5]

"What I love about nursing is the way it legitimizes caring. In fact, I am paid to care."

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3.5 ✨

The books in this collections aren't particularly spectacular and some stories in this anthology were too long and too bland while others were short, but packed a punch.

Now I know that nursing is what I want to do career wise and make plans for it; it's important to me to listen to real accounts of how those in the profession feel about it.

There are so many misconceptions that either glamorize or demean the nursing profession and I like that this book was full of honest accounts of people who had been or are still in the field.

It's definitely not an easy field, but I'm determined to make it and excel.

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Honey gave this to me as a graduation gift, and I read it in 3 days! I love that the editors chose stories that reflect new nurses, experienced nurses, nurses changing careers within nursing and even nurses who ultimately decided that nursing was not for them. It was inspirational and helped me feel less alone on my journey post-nursing school.

[Krystel · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's nothing like reading the words of nursing students, patients, and nurses. This book contains a variety of accounts and poems from individuals giving reasons that drew them closer to nursing, and also delved into some of the challenges nurses face. Good read.