cleg11's review
4.0
Thanks to netgalley for the chance to read this book.
As a nurse myself I could relate to Christie and some of the situations she has been in throughout her career.
A great book about the NHS and the patients they care for.
As a nurse myself I could relate to Christie and some of the situations she has been in throughout her career.
A great book about the NHS and the patients they care for.
thesebookdelights's review
4.0
Thank you to Christie Watson, Random House UK and NetGalley for providing an e-ARC of this book. All views are my own. Any quotes taken from the book are subject to change.
This book is the second healthcare-related book written by retired nurse, Christie Watson, her first one being, "The Language of Kindness". As a student nurse myself, it was amazing to see Watson's own experiences as a student nurse and the thoughts that came with that. Watson touched upon failures within her studies and how she bounced back and continued - not letting anything hold her back.
The first chapter was heart-breaking and made me want to read on, it was promising and it did not disappoint. There was one quote in the second chapter that really stood out to me and that was "the single most important thing is that it is critical to care" - this goes without saying but it's always a nice reminder.
The book takes you on a journey through not only Watson's professional life and career but her home life too which made it personal and makes you feel more connected to the book and the stories.
At the end of the book, Watson touches on the COVID-19 situation and how she signed up to the temporary register to help out when the NHS were in desperate need of extra help more than ever. It was really insightful to read first hand what it was like and the effects the pandemic has had on the NHS and NHS workers.
Whilst the writing style is messy and goes back and forth between different events with some digression, I quite liked it. I perceived it at representing the chaos and uncertainty that comes with being a nurse.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone, particularly current student nurses or those wanting to go into the nursing profession.
(Review to go live on my blog on 15th Sept at 5pm - https://chlosbookshelf.weebly.com)
This book is the second healthcare-related book written by retired nurse, Christie Watson, her first one being, "The Language of Kindness". As a student nurse myself, it was amazing to see Watson's own experiences as a student nurse and the thoughts that came with that. Watson touched upon failures within her studies and how she bounced back and continued - not letting anything hold her back.
The first chapter was heart-breaking and made me want to read on, it was promising and it did not disappoint. There was one quote in the second chapter that really stood out to me and that was "the single most important thing is that it is critical to care" - this goes without saying but it's always a nice reminder.
The book takes you on a journey through not only Watson's professional life and career but her home life too which made it personal and makes you feel more connected to the book and the stories.
At the end of the book, Watson touches on the COVID-19 situation and how she signed up to the temporary register to help out when the NHS were in desperate need of extra help more than ever. It was really insightful to read first hand what it was like and the effects the pandemic has had on the NHS and NHS workers.
Whilst the writing style is messy and goes back and forth between different events with some digression, I quite liked it. I perceived it at representing the chaos and uncertainty that comes with being a nurse.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone, particularly current student nurses or those wanting to go into the nursing profession.
(Review to go live on my blog on 15th Sept at 5pm - https://chlosbookshelf.weebly.com)
beccaarwen's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.75
Fascinating account of a nurse, who’s worked in a&e, paediatric care, worked with families and their loved ones. Dealing with mental health, suicide, eating disorders, miscarriage and death.
It’s a beautiful account of the most painful and difficult moments in life and how we deal with them. Also the honestly hard situations, how do you treat patients who are prisoners?
It’s a beautiful account of the most painful and difficult moments in life and how we deal with them. Also the honestly hard situations, how do you treat patients who are prisoners?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Eating disorder, Miscarriage, and Mental illness
_mylittlebookshelf's review
4.0
Christie Watson is the author of The Language of Kindness where she discussed her career as a nurse, which she also does in this book. The Courage to Care looks at how important care is in the nursing career and how vital the nurse/patient/family member relationships are. The stories in this book remind us just how important nurses are in the health system and how they are often overlooked.
Christie also reflects on the process she went through to adopt her young teenage son and how this changed her life.
Once again, this is another medical book that I just loved. I love the way Watson writes about her patients in such a caring, considerate way. I also enjoyed the look into her personal life where she discusses life away from the hospital and her brave decision to come back as a volunteer nurse to help with the Covid pandemic.
Christie also reflects on the process she went through to adopt her young teenage son and how this changed her life.
Once again, this is another medical book that I just loved. I love the way Watson writes about her patients in such a caring, considerate way. I also enjoyed the look into her personal life where she discusses life away from the hospital and her brave decision to come back as a volunteer nurse to help with the Covid pandemic.
salreads's review
5.0
Wow, I finished reading this and wept - such an amazingly powerful read. This year, like many readers, I have worked my way, laughing and crying, through many of the medical biographies/accounts that feature in the bestseller lists and The Courage to Care sits at the top. I loved The Language of Kindness and was excited to more of Christie Watson. The Courage to Care is similar in combining nursing case studies with reflection and some personal stories. Watson reveals and discusses areas of nursing I had never imagined - nursing in prisons, care homes and residential settings, working with children with complex needs, anorexics and with the homeless. Watson writes beautifully and from the heart, reflecting on a service which is overwhelmed yet ever compassionate, of social change which is impacting so terribly on health. Her reflection is informed by her own wider reading and study and by her extensive professional experience. The writing about nursing is interspersed with personal stories about her beloved parents and in particular about her children and the family’s journey to adopt a sibling for her daughter. The love Watson has for her children is like a warm undercurrent which flows through the book - so powerful, so caring, so absolute. The Language of Lindness was remarkable but the Courage to Care takes the writing to another level. We should all read this and reflect. With thanks to Netgalley, Random House U.K. and Vintage Books for a digital copy of this book
autumnflorence's review
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
5.0
freyawhite_x's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
5.0