Throughout the years nurses have inspired other nurses and other healthcare members by various mediums. One of them is books for nurses. Nursing is one of those professions where you need extreme motivation to keep you going. I mean who else would work 12 hours+ shift every day! Due to unimaginable workload and immense pressure, nurses often suffer from physical and mental burnout.
To relieve such stress, nurses often tend to rely on books. Books are one of the best ways to alleviate mental fatigue and distract people from reality. Thus, nurses have taken the initiative upon themselves to write books, journals, or guides to survive in the nursing profession. Some of these books are truly inspirational as the books depict real-life stories and take real lives into account. While on the other hand, other books are a form of fiction.
Here are some of the best inspirational books for nurses that will and have impacted their lives (in no order):
1. Critical Care: A New Nurse Faces Death, Life, and Everything in Between by Theresa Brown
“Critical Care” portrays the story of the author and her struggles in the chemo department. She tried to tell her readers what she and other nurses have faced in the past. Also what they are still facing in the present time. The physical and mental challenges are because of the hospital bureaucracy. The author of the book is Theresa Brown. She is still a functional RN in one of the states in the US. She also writes in the New York Times blog.
2. We Band of Angels by Elizabeth Norman
“We Band of Angels” recalls the stories from WWII. The untold stories of American nurses trapped on Bataan by the Japanese. These frightening and chilling tales of these American nurses on the battlefield will make anyone dive into the book and read it till the end. This book is written by Elizabeth Norman who at that time was a registered nurse. After the war, she indulged herself in the literature career before leaving the nursing profession.
3. Intensive Care: The Story of a Nurse by Echo Heron
“Intensive care” portrays the life story and journey of the author from her nursing student life to her nursing profession. The author, Echo Heron has spent years working as a nurse in intensive care units and emergency rooms. In the book, she tried to explore the harsh reality of working in an unharmonious hospital in an uncomfortable environment. She was fired for publishing this book; she later indulged herself in the literature career. The book also portrayed her chapters in life from being a student to being a professional.
4. Cooked: An Inner City Nursing Memoirs by Carol Karels
“Cooked” depicts the stories from back in the ’70s when towns were infested with drugs. Moreover, how the crime rate was over the level and how nursing brought revolution upon the towns. The book portrays struggling stories of her and the whole profession itself.
The book also shows how despite poverty, drugs, famine, and racism the nursing profession helped the nurses overcome it all. That also through love, hope and cooperation. The author of the book, Carol Karels was a registered nurse who graduated from Chicago’s Cook County School of Nursing.
5. The Shift: One Nurse, Twelve Hours, Four Patients’ Lives by Theresa Brown.
Another Therese Brown book on the list, she is just a wonderful writer, isn’t she? Her previous book in the list which dealt with her struggles and challenges in her nursing career. This book focuses mostly on how a nurse reflects on her job. The protagonist of the book is a single nurse and the story portrays her long shifts in a cancer ward. The story revolves around one nurse.
However, the book is able to reflect a lot of experiences almost all nurses can relate to. The book deals with a lot of aspects and elements of nursing including staffing, shifts, rotation, and protocols. It also tells the way nurses are compassionate about their patients.
The book talks about how one single shift can change your views, your morals, and every other aspect of being a human being by witnessing so many lives and their misery. It is one of those books which show what goes around in the life of a nurse. When they’re working and shifting.
6. Chicken Soup for the Soul: Inspiration for Nurses.
Unlike the other books on the list, this book doesn’t depict struggling or extreme stories. This book contains more than 100 heartwarming stories that will make you feel inspired and better about yourself. The stories from these books are packed with emotions and experiences that every nurse has faced in their career.
This book is relatable for every nurse. This book will make you feel like the stories are about you and your career as a nurse. This book has the capability to move you emotionally and spiritually. The author of this book is LeAnn Thiemann, who has been a registered nurse for about 36 years.
7. Nurse Life: A Snarky Adult Coloring Book.
This book is the odd man out of the list. Instead of portraying inspirational stories or personal experiences, this book is filled with quotes and designs that will help you de-stress. The quotes are extremely funny and inspirational. Every nurse will be able to relate. You can also color in this book.
The mandala frames are uniquely designed and you can color them with any shade you prefer. The paper in this book is of high quality. No matter how you color it, it will not bleed through. The size of the pages is 8.5” x 11”. The publishers of this book are Nurse Gifts & Parterre Bleu.
8. Saving Lives: Why the Media’s Portrayal of Nurses Puts Us All at Risk by Sandy Summers
“Saving Lives” explores the harsh reality of how the media portrays the nurses and the general public. This book tells how it affects them in their personal life and professional lives. This book also emphasizes the roles of nurses in the US healthcare system.
This book can be an inspiration to everyone who is still in the dark about what nursing is. If they are still interested in joining the healthcare industry or not. The author of this book is Sandy Summers, a nurse who has a master’s degree in Nursing and public health.
We have another list of Forensic Nursing books and books for Flight Nurses. Check out if you need it!
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