Title: THE JOY OF NURSING: RECLAIMING OUR NOBILITY
Author: JULIANA ADAMS, BSN, MSN, MA
Type of Book: Softcover
Genre: Non-fiction, Memoir, Inspirational, Health Care, Nursing, Management
Length: 239 pages
Release Date: May 1, 2016
Publisher: Steamboat Springs Publishing
ISBN: 978-0-9972003-0-0 (Softcover)
ISBN: 978-0-9972003-2-4 (Hardcover)
ISBN: 978-0-9972003-1-7 (EBook)
Cover Price: $19.95 USD (Softcover)
Cover Painting: Kimberly Conrad
Rating: 4 OUT OF 5 STARS 🌟🌟🌟🌟
* I received a free copy of this book from Angelle Barbazon of JKS COMMUNICATIONS in exchange for an honest review.
This book was written by JULIANA ADAMS who has dedicated over 50 (yes, 50) years of her life to nursing and taking care of patients.
In her introduction she states: “Much of what nurses do remains unclear to those outside the profession… This book… is intended for those considering becoming a nurse and nurses presently practicing who may have become disillusioned along the way.”
Although I am neither a nurse, nor an aspiring nurse, I still think this book has value in it for myself as well as for other adults.
I have (unfortunately) had dealings with hospitals and nurses on multiple occasions both as a patient myself, and as a concerned loved one.
I have dealt with nurses from a variety of specialties and departments and I can personally attest to the fact that the majority of caregiving in any hospital is done by the nurses, NOT the doctors.
Reading this book reminded me of how helpless I felt while sitting at my husband’s bedside while he was in a coma battling for his life. It was not the doctor’s in the ICU (Intensive Care Unit) that patiently explained the numerous tubes and drains attached to my husband’s body. It was not a doctor that offered me comfort or encouragement. It was the nurses.
“In the most helpless moments of our lives, we must truly rely upon the kindness of strangers.” – Daniel F. Chambliss (Author)
I cannot imagine the stresses placed upon nurses on a daily basis and I truly believe that having word “nobility” in the title of this book is appropriate. I believe that nursing truly is a noble profession and one that is often underpaid and under appreciated. According to the author: “Nobility is a word that you don’t hear that often today in regards to many professions.” She is correct.
In her 50 years of experience, Juliana has accumulated a vast array of knowledge as well as many stories and anecdotes. She is acutely aware that nurses can become overwhelmed by the politics and the lack of resources that they face on a daily basis.
I believe that this book is an important one, since it reminds people that while there are discouraging moments in any profession, there are also moments of amazement and unparalleled kindness and connection. This is especially true in the nursing profession.
Imagine having to change a homeless person’s clothes that are so grime covered that the smell alone would repel most people, then having to clean up after a baby with the flu and having to do all this with a smile on your face. Then, imagine that mere minutes later, you are needed to hold the hand of an elderly patient as their spirit leaves their body and they pass on in death. The emotional (and physical) toll must be almost more than one person can bear. Most people (myself included) would not be able to do these things day in and day out.
The stories in this book are sometimes sad, sometimes happy, and always awe-inspiring. They remind the reader of the importance of nursing and nurses to the patients they serve and to the health care system as a whole.
Without nurses our health care system would collapse. Juliana Adams does a wonderful job of reminding readers just how important nurses are. I love the chapter titles she chose. Each one is unique and most made me smile. For example, chapter two’s title is “It All Started with a Lie to a Nun and chapter five’s title is “Oops, Maybe I Wasn’t as Smart as I Thought I Was.”
This book should be required reading for all current and aspiring nurses. I believe it should be added to the nursing student’s syllabus so that they can learn from Juliana’s many years of experience.
I also firmly believe that this book will appeal to many other people as well. It is a fascinating glimpse into the inner world of real nursing (not the sanitized view of nurses that we all see on television.)
If you know anyone who is a nurse or who is going into nursing, you need to buy them a copy of this book.
Poignant and thought-provoking. This is an excellent read.
For the reasons listed above I rate this book as 4 out of 5 stars. 🌟🌟🌟🌟
The only reason that I did not rate this book as 5 out of 5 stars is that it contains a few proof-reading and editing errors that I found distracting.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
JULIANA ADAMS, BSN, MSN, MA is part of a unique number of nurses who have dedicated more than a half a century to the care of patients… and to the advancement of the nursing profession. She remains actively engaged in how nursing care is delivered.
She is an author, speaker and film maker. In 2012, she produced a documentary film, Exposure, Reclaiming the Nobility of Nursing. The focus of her film began by highlighting the excitement of the nurses working in the inner-city emergency room that Eugene Richard’s made famous by his controversial book, The Knife and Gun Club. Where the film ended … what it exposed … led her to further explore her own journey of moving from novice to expert.
Juliana divides her time between Englewood, Colorado and Steamboat Springs, Colorado. She and her husband, along with pets left by their two children who are pursuing their own admirable dreams, have chosen to work in their respective fields, for many years to come.
To learn more about Juliana Adams, she can be reached by email at JulianaAdamsInc@gmail.com or visit her online at the following links:
Purchase your copy of THE JOY OF NURSING here
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