Celebrating Nurses

Nurses Week begins on May 6th and runs through Florence Nightingale’s birthday on May 12th. These fiction and non-fiction works provide a wealth of insight into the lives of nurses.

The Call of Nursing : Stories from the Front Lines of Health CareThe call of nursing : voices from the front lines of health care / William B. Patrick. – Written for anyone curious about what it really takes to become a nurse, The Call of Nursing is unlike any other book about the profession. In it, twenty-three experienced nurses discuss in their own words how and why they do what they do.

I wasn’t strong like this when I started out : true stories of becoming a nurse / edited by Lee Gutkind ; foreword by Karen Wolk FeinsteinThis volume collects the stories of nurses at all stages of their careers: passionate, terrified, sometimes simply exhausted, as they discuss their experiences and the nursing profession, one of the most challenging and underappreciated jobs in the world. Often, nursing demands technical expertise; sometimes, as these stories reveal, patients also need something more basic: a hand to hold, or someone to listen closely. Being on the front lines of medicine requires empathy, fortitude, knowledge, and grace. Nurses, now, more than ever, are the backbone of the healthcare system, the first line in providing the best possible care for all patients.

Chicken soup for the nurse’s soul : 101 stories to celebrate, honor, and inspire the nursing profession / Jack Canfield … [and others]. – This collection of true stories champions the daily contributions, commitments and sacrifices of nurses and portrays the compassion, intellect and wit necessary to meet the challenging demands of the profession. Stories from student nurses recall why they entered the profession; stories from seasoned nurses reveal why they stay, and some stories reflect on the good old days. Most important, as every fan of the series knows, each story shares hope for the future. Regardless of age or area of practice, health-care workers the world over will find their own hearts and souls in these stories as they discover the universality of what they do-and the power of their skillful hands and devoted hearts.

Nightingales : The Extraordinary Upbringing and Curious Life of Miss Florence NightingaleNightingales : the extraordinary upbringing and curious life of Miss Florence Nightingale / Gillian Gill.
A portrait of Florence Nightingale and her family describes life growing up in a prosperous Victorian English family, her determination to follow her own path in life, and the personal cost for her and her family.

A rose revealed / Gayle Roper – When cancer-stricken Sophie Hostetter is murdered, nurse Rose Martin begins asking questions, and soon, she is drawn into a maze of family secrets that endanger her own life.

More fiction books that include nurses can be found by clicking here.

Books for Juvenile readers:

Clara Barton : Founder of the American Red CrossClara Barton : founder of the American Red Cross / Barbara A. Somervill. – This book recounts the life of Clara Barton, who nursed wounded soldiers during the Civil War and later founded the American Red Cross.

Florence Nightingale / Susan Bivin Aller. – True or False? Florence Nightingale was the first woman nurse. False! Women had worked as nurses for years, but it was considered a miserable job. Few nurses in England had any medical training. Florence helped make nursing a respectable profession for women. She was in charge of nurses at British military hospitals in the Crimean War (1853-1856). She set up the Nightingale Training School for Nurses in London. She wrote more than 13,000 letters and 200 books and pamphlets during her life.

Florence Nightingale : the courageous life of the legendary nurse / Catherine Reef. – A biography for young adult readers on Florence Nightingale, the pioneering nurse best known for her work during the Crimean War, where she rectified horrifying conditions and made nightly rounds to check on patients, saving hundreds of lives and sparking worldwide healthcare reform.

A Day in the Life of a NurseA day in the life of a nurse First facts. Fluet, Connie. – This book follows a nurse through the work day, and describes the occupation and what the job requires.

Nurse 21st-century skills library. Cool STEAM careers. Cunningham, Kevin – Introduces the field of nursing, explaining the necessary educational steps, useful character traits, potential hazards, and daily job tasks related to this occupation.

Online Resources:

Resources for Sending a Thank You Message to Nurses

30 Things to Say to a Nurse and All Our Health Care Heroes Right Now – (Parade Magazine, 6 Jan 2021)

How to Become a Registered Nurse: RN Programs and Careers