Have you ever wondered what it's like to work as a nurse? Could this be your calling? And if it's not your calling, could it be your career?
This book brings you inside the life of a nurse who's been practicing in the field for over 20 years. Her work has spanned the ICU, cath lab, home hospice, heart failure, anticoagulation, and other clinical sites. She shares her novice moments, painful growth, and eventual quiet competence. We see glimpses of the inner voice that guides her. Do well. Care for others. Leave the world a better place. The voice is loud and somewhat intrusive during her more novice moments. It slowly shifts to a softer, gentler nudge as she matures. Reminding her, you know what to do. Just be.
The book starts with early moments in her career where the learning is fast and furious. It transitions into stories where she has a basic grounding in nursing but there is still much to be learned. Many of the experiences highlight things that are hard to teach in a classroom. They are learned by doing.
She discovers sometimes there are no ways to gracefully navigate a situation. Despite this she perseveres, trying to provide the best possible care for the patients she is responsible for, while also learning to care for herself. Finally, the stories shift to a more quietly competent nurse who is learning to provide both the healthcare she is trained to provide and the soul care she has come to love.
Learn about the difference between healthcare and healthy care, the power of connection with others, and the beauty of life when it's close to the end. These stories highlight some of her triumphs and traumas. Come along for the journey as she looks back and reflects on whether it has all been worth it.
