Writing a book about your nursing career...?

[nervousnurse, ASN]

Wondering if any of you have ever thought of this? I think about it often...not only would it be interesting/ funny (especially to my fellow nurses and aides!), but also, I sometimes think it could be a good EDUCATION for lay people who have NO IDEA what we really go through!!!

I have notebooks with stories/ anecdotes going back to when I first started as a nurse aide back in 1992....Then throughout my career as an LPN, then an RN, I would continue to

journal in notebooks about things I was UPSET about, but also some of the FUNNY/ TOUCHING things!

I have fond memories (and the BEST STORIES!!!) from the large hospital where I began as a brand new LPN and stayed for 6 years---we were floated to different floors ALL THE TIME---oh, the stress of being on a floor I knew NOTHING about, how HARD I tried, the HORRIBLE situations, the WONDERFUL situations (sadly, those were rare!), and of course---the FUNNY ones, too!!!

Having those journals is so great, because they take me right back to those "good ole days" (I tend to write with lots of detail). They were also therapeutic, because, even after going out with my coworkers after a BAD shift and ranting/ raving/ gossipping/ LAUGHING, I'd STILL sometimes feel so stressed once I got home, so I'd either exercise AND write, or just write....!!!

Anyhoo, just wondered if any of you have ever thought of writing a book?

[sistrmoon, BSN, RN]

I think it would be awesome but would be very difficult with HIPAA. Even your notebook might violate it if it has too much detail:/

[loriangel14, RN]

Tilda Shalof has written several about her career. They are great books.

[WoosahRN, MSN, RN]

This is a topic i've been curious about too. I've always wondered how nurses and docs can write books and blogs without it coming back on them (especially those that are published with their names and pictures; non-anonymous publishings). I've seen managers come down on people for very minimal things that don't have patient identifiers. Or for being involved in patient events once they are no longer a patient (fund raisers, community awareness events). It seems like changing names and details isn't enough (basically no acknowledgement of any patient care; and it seems to differ greatly between departments and hospitals meaning it is a very subjective judgement) but obviously there are those that have published books (which I enjoy and I myself have considered what would be allowable to be able to write).

[CryssieD]

I have always toyed with the idea of writing a book--this field is so full of fascinating people, amazing situations, bizarre happenings, and just plain drama that I think it would make really good reading. I've worked in multiple settings, but by far the most interesting has been corrections--I've seen and heard some crazy stuff! However, I worry about privacy issues--even with name changes, medical details can be considered identifying, so I'm not sure I'd want to deal with all that. But I've definitely been tempted!