Heroic Acts in Humble Shoes: America's Nurses Tell Their Stories

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In this book, photographs of nurses' shoes are illustrative of the stories that follow. The author interviewed nurses from many areas of practice, including oncology, the emergency department, the military, research, and education, and all levels of practice, from students to retirees. Recurring themes in the interviews are caring about people in general and patients in particular, doing the right thing, and a passion for nursing. Stories throughout the book express the theme that nurses are undervalued, but, at the same time, they illuminate the day-to-day rewards that are enough to keep nurses going.

The author created a traveling exhibit of well-worn nursing shoes, which inspired this book. She has more than 20 years of nursing experience in management, education, advocacy, and consulting, and she is involved with nurse recruitment and retention. She believes recognition is key to staff development and nursing as a profession. Her dedication to the betterment of nursing is evident in her writing, the exhibit, and the questions she asks in her interviews with the nurses.

Each chapter starts with a picture of a pair of shoes and a brief introduction of the nurse who wore them. There are stories of people who always knew that they wanted to be nurses, those inspired by others (eg, father and son, mother and daughter pairs), and some who found their way by fate, such as a candy striper who recognized that there was something wrong with a patient.

The author asks

The question that ends most chapters is, “Do you consider what you do heroic?” The nurses' answers address basic issues in nursing, and they offer varying views on entry into nursing. The author asks about salaries for nurses, especially for those in the role of educator, and the nurses' answers indicate that most feel they are inadequate, and that, because of this, our nation is facing the consequences of a nursing shortage. The author also asks questions about a “hospital of the future,” health care reform, and Magnet® status.

All of the nurses in the book express a love for what they do, whether it is holding the hand of a dying patient, supporting family members in the intensive care unit, guiding a nursing student, or finding better ways to serve a patient population. The nurse is always there, always ready to go above and beyond, both personally and professionally.

This book is empowering and humbling, touching and adamant. The book is a synopsis of nursing today. It is probably not for the general public, but nurses, nurses' family members, and patients will be able to relate to it. It is always interesting to learn other nurses' stories.