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~Ann Watt ~ |
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An
Unforgettable New Memoir Did
you ever wonder what happens Is being a nurse in a hospital like what you see on TV or on the internet? Besides
taking excellent care of their patients, nurses enjoyed humor
at work before the Covid pandemic. Playing jokes on each other
or finding hilarity in absurd situations, we devised ways to
amuse ourselves while performing our duties. Relive
with me both the frustrations and camaraderie that I encountered
as an RN. Filled with true tales from my life both in and out
of the hospital, "When Being a Nurse Was Fun" will
cause you to laugh, and may also make you cry.
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The Reviews
Are In! “When Being a Nurse Was Fun: Tales From My Life as a Nurse” by Ann Watt is an inspiring, honest memoir about the life and times of the author’s years as a nurse. This accomplished woman started out as a nurse in her twenties and spent over 30 years in critical care nursing. In addition to stories from her nursing career, the author provides a glimpse into her personal life, including her early years as a nursing student when her father passed, and how she helped her mother as best she could, given the stressors of her nursing education. Between these lines, you will discover not just a nurse, but a caring woman who is all too human, and that is just one of the many things I like about this book. Watt explains how even nurses find ways of coping with life and pressure–with a sense of humor that others may not understand or relate to. I also like the before and after comparisons of how life and work were before Covid, and after. I have nurses in my own life, and the care they give can’t be measured. They go above and beyond, sometimes with little regard for themselves. As the title suggests, Watt describes how nursing was once fun, but then her journey brought challenges and trials, both in her professional career and personal life. In all the stressful times, it’s a relief to read that her connections with fellow nurses helped her through–actually, they helped one another through. Right away I noticed the author’s personable style. It’s like she’s talking to you across your kitchen table. Her warm, funny style is what makes this a book you want to finish in one sitting. Her stories will bring your emotions to the surface, both laughter and tears. To laypersons, the life of a nurse, doctor, or others in the medical field can seem like a wonderful mystery, but Watt sheds light on these professionals in a practical, emotional way that will leave you with the feeling that these are ordinary people doing extraordinary things to care for others. Watt is straightforward without bashing, funny without being rude. She shows how to find light and laughs in dark, difficult times. For an extremely enjoyable and informative read, especially for aspiring nursing students, you can’t get any better than “When Being a Nurse Was Fun: Tales From My Life as a Nurse” by Ann Watt. - Reader Views, The Book Review Blog Capturing attention from the start with light-hearted but revealing anecdotes from registered nurse and debut author Watt, When Being a Nurse was Fun is a likable, engaging memoir that demystifies the world of healthcare for the everyday reader. Watt pleases her audience with short, memorably written accounts of her time in the ICU during night shifts in Massachusetts and Rhode Island hospitals, over a career of 30 years. With a clear-eyed prose that is equally digestible and beguiling, stories highlight relationships with co-workers and encounters with patients that run the gamut from shocking to comic to inspiring, especially in instances where patients let Watt know she had made a significant impact on their lives. The highly valued camaraderie between the nursing staff and doctors is demonstrated with stories about teamwork while providing life-preserving care. Watt sketches quick portraits of a host of characters, as Ann's colleagues prank and bond in colorful ways throughout the years. A sense of regret informs some memories, as when she describes the isolation endured by AIDS patients in the early days of that epidemic, before the development of effective treatments. Elsewhere, delightful stories of encounters with patients who were not on their best behavior. “Nurses are tolerant of other people’s behavior and are sympathetic to the range of emotions patients feel,” Watt writes, and her feeling of responsibility for them each night shift powers the book. Watt poignantly requests readers to be appreciative of the care that nurses give and sensitive to the difficult situations they continually face, especially in the pandemic era. In a direct, professional style, she communicates the clear break she achieves from work life and home life. Hiking accomplishments on the East Coast, along with extensive travel, demonstrate Watt’s dedication to her own health. That striving spirit, buoyant humor, and a deep respect for her profession makes Watt a strong ambassador for nurses, imparting her wisdom in a warm and entertaining voice. - Book Life Reviews "When Being a Nurse Was Fun" recounts Ann Watt’s 31-year critical care nursing career, with the aim of encouraging others to enter the field. Before she moved to an off-hospital e-ICU telehealth position, Watt’s career was primarily spent in a cardiovascular thoracic (heart/lungs) unit. She details how the staff of nurses certified in Advanced Cardiac Life Support pulled together when a patient was admitted from the ER or after surgery, dividing their many duties including phlebotomy (blood draws), medications or charting. Humor often helped Watt and her colleagues handle the demands of patient care, from teasing an intern whose patterned boxers were visible under his scrubs to pranking each other with fake phone calls. She recalls a busty nurse leaning over a cardiac patient in need of resuscitation. As the nurse performed emergency CPR, her cleavage bounced with each compression. The patient awoke, and, with big eyes, asked "Am I dreaming?"—eliciting laughter from everyone in the room. More seriously, the author provides helpful information for new or potential nurses about working holidays and night shifts, providing patient hygiene (she's "seen it all"), handling interns, residents and sexist patients, and learning to deal with dying patients and their loved ones. Watt’s style is conversational, as if sharing stories among friends, often for a laugh. Her recollections are vivid, realistic, and instructive as she transforms from a naive young nurse to one determined to fight for her own mental health via job changes while also standing up to other medical providers or her own institution to ensure the best patient care. While general
readers might enjoy some of her stories, the book is principally
for those new to the field or considering a nursing career. This
audience will appreciate learning of the challenges and the triumphs
of providing critical care for vulnerable patients. Also available
as an ebook. - Blue
Ink Review |
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