Making a Difference: Stories from the Point of Care

AORN Journal,  Feb, 2007  by Rosemarie Wheeler

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Making a Difference: Stories from the Point of Care volume II Sharon Hudacek 2004, 325 pages $29.95 softcover

This charming, insightful collection of short stories is written by nurses for nurses. As nurses, we often wonder whether we affect the lives of the patients for whom we care. We may ask ourselves, "What do nurses think about nurses, and what do patients and their family members think about nurses?" As the author listened to a lecture regarding the need to let the public know what nurses do every day, she developed the idea for this book. Her goal was to find out what nurses do in their quiet, unassuming way to make a difference for the patients and family members in their care.

It was refreshing to see that nurses from all over the world contributed to this book. Nurses from 21 US states and nurses from three other countries (ie, Japan, Australia, the Czech Republic) contributed stories; I am very happy to say that six stories came from my home state of Texas. All of the stories in this book were remarkable--from the first, "Being a good listener," to the last, "Taking the time to see subtle changes." One of the stories that had the greatest impact on me was "Showing dedication," in which a nurse from Massachusetts writes about a dying father who wanted to see his son celebrate his second Christmas. Another moving story is one from Vermont, "Receiving gifts from a dying boy," which shows the courage and love of a mother and her newborn child.

This is a great, inspirational book for all health care professionals who struggle with the day-to-day frustrations of caring for chronically ill patients and helping patients' family members cope with medical problems and decisions. Through tears and the feeling of kinship with others, this book will inspire readers who are questioning their decision to work in health care to continue their journey of caring for patients and family members. I could see this book in the locker of an intensive care unit nurse, on the desk of a perioperative administrator, and in the pocket of a night shift nurse.

This book is available from Sigma Theta Tau International, 550 W North St, Indianapolis, IN 46202.

ROSEMARIE WHEELER

RN, CNOR

STAFF NURSE

DOCTORS' SURGICAL CENTER

HOUSTON

COPYRIGHT 2007 Association of Operating Room Nurses, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning