Some good reading

Nurses General Nursing

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Can anyone recommend some good books about nursing, fiction or non?

All I get from a search on Amazon is "Chicken Soup for the Nurses Soul" and drug reference guides. I'm looking for something that depicts the real lives of nurses.

Specializes in Med-Surg.

I just have to add my input because I feel like I'm seeing my book list in everyone's responses! What I usually do, since I'm still poor, is go to the local Barnes and Noble, go to the Nursing/Medicine section and write down all the books that I want to read. I then head over to my local library and check them out (if available). I just reserved copies of the following (and i'm glad I did based on peoples responses): Complications (Atul Gawande), Stiff (Mary Roach), Life Support (Suzanne Gordon), and the list goes on!!

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For history lovers, peruse the shelves of medical libraries for old and interesting nursing books. I have a small vintage collection of nursing text books from the 1920's, 30's and a picture book on nursing students from the 1950's. It is amazing to see how some practices never change, and some things have changed beyond all recognition.

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Specializes in Trauma ICU,ER,ACLS/BLS instructor.
House of God by Samuel Shem

While not nursing-related, it is healthcare-oriented and humorous.

Wow ,This book was out in the 80's! Today u can still hear people quote from it. It is funny and nice look into what life was like as an intern and resident in those days. Nurses are represented in a different light also. Very funny and light read!

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I've also found books on the history of medicine fascinating. I really like to read about "what it was like before...". I saw a film recently about the first open-heart surgeons ("God's Own Hands"), made me cry like a baby. :lol2:
Was it "Something the Lord Made" ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Something_the_Lord_Made

Mos Def was amazing in that. Awesome movie.

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