“Nurses don’t have a monopoly on compassion,” writes Kim over at Emergiblog in a thought-provoking post about—among other things (including vintage nurses’ uniforms)—some words of wisdom from a doctor colleague on why people visit the ER over seemingly minor problems.
-Jacob M., AJN senior editor
Here’s a selection of sites and publications that AJN readers interested in narrative and poetry (particularly as it relates to health care) and in well-crafted writing might find worth a visit.
The Nieman Narrative Digest, a biweekly “compendium of narrative journalism” moderated by the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University, presents often unusual, always riveting stories. Health care–related pieces are regularly featured. One recent selection, “Fixing Mr. Fix-It” from the Cleveland Plain Dealer, describes the rehabilitation of a truck mechanic whose arms were severed in a terrible accident. […]
Nurses leaving for lunch break at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston.
I get in a really bad mood when I’m hungry and can’t eat. According to the NY Times, I’m not alone. Before coming to AJN, I worked in a direct patient care setting and never seemed to find the time to eat, whether in the inpatient or outpatient areas. There was always something that needed to be done that couldn’t wait. […]
A hopeful sign? The Voice of America reports that a group of former auto workers in Michigan, where the nursing shortage is acute, are training to be nurses. Says one, “I don’t have to come home smelling like oil.” The story doesn’t tell us what percentage of these former auto workers are men and what percentage women, but it might be interesting to know. –Jacob M., AJN senior editor
This post is a bit of a departure for the Word Curmudgeon (in that it’s neither very curmudgeonly nor about some arcane word usage question), but I think it’s a worthy departure and of particular relevance to both military nurses (abroad and stateside) and nonmilitary nurses—anyone, in fact, who treats women who’ve served in the U.S. military. […]
