Five Summer Reads for Nursing Instructors and Students

Here are some good reads for the Nurse in all of us:

1. The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Ann Fadiman is an excellent way to broaden your horizons and remind yourself to be sensitive while dealing with all cultures and religions.  The story discusses how a Hmong child collides with her American doctors, reminding us that we can all stand to learn a little more about those unlike ourselves. 

2.  I Wasn't Strong Like This When I Started Out: True Stories of Becoming a Nurse by Lee Gutkind is a collection of short stories written by Nurses. If you're a seasoned Nurse, these are a great way to step into the past. For Nursing students, you can learn from other nurse's experiences and find sympathy in those who have been where you are now. 

3. Notes on Nursing by Florence Nightingale is the quintessential Nursing read. If you haven't read this book yet, now is as good a time as any. 

4. The Nurses: A Year of Secrets, Drama, and Miracles with the Heroes of the Hospital by Alexandra Robbins is a look inside the world of Nursing as written by a literary journalist. This is a wonderfully written exploration of the profession.

5. Shroud for a Nightingale by P.D. James is a fictional thriller with nursing students as the characters. This one is on the list for anyone looking for something more "fluff" and less heavy for a care free summer read.