Tag: nurse

SPIT AND POLISH by D.A. Brown

March 5, 2024 / Kyle Wendy Skultety / 0 Comments

Ruth was delighted when she was accepted into the nursing school at Kingston General Hospital. But she didn’t realize how challenging it would be. She quickly finds her skills aren’t up to snuff and is sent to build them up as an aide at the local tuberculosis sanitarium.
It’s 1946, and when Ruth arrives, she is immediately surrounded by crowds of wounded and infected soldiers, women, and children.
Ruth must find her way among the dying, depressed, and too-friendly patients, managing demanding doctors and a jealous mentor, without being sent home or infected. Can she impress her seniors and be readmitted to the nursing program she so wants?

Thanks to LibraryThing , author DA Brown, and Somewhat Grumpy Press for this advanced reviewer’s copy!

SPIT AND POLISH is a captivating historical fiction novel that transports readers to Canada in 1946, where aspiring nurse Ruth dreams of escaping her small-town life and making a difference. Accepted into Kingston General Hospital’s nursing school, her initial excitement crumbles as she struggles with the demanding coursework. Sent to gain experience at a local tuberculosis sanatorium, Ruth is confronted with the harsh realities of illness, death, and prejudice. Surrounded by wounded soldiers, desperate families, and a complex medical environment, she must navigate challenges while honing her skills. Ruth needs to find her strength, compassion, and the resilience to succeed.

The sanatorium, teeming with wounded soldiers and civilians battling the debilitating disease, paints a stark picture of the era’s healthcare realities. The facility fairly overflows with wounded soldiers, women, and children battling the debilitating disease. Ruth grapples with the emotional and physical demands of caring for, and witnessing firsthand, the suffering and resilience of her patients. Ruth must also navigate navigate dormitory life, avoid flirting soldiers, and handle the draining emotional complexities of her family back home. The author skillfully portrays the harsh realities of the medical setting, balancing it with moments of tenderness and compassion. It is easy to empathize with Ruth’s internal struggles as she confronts her own limitations and prejudices. Her journey is one of personal and professional development, and it is satisfying to see her initial naiveté transform into empathy, strength, and self-assuredness as she faces challenges head-on.

Brown immerses the reader in the post-war atmosphere of Canada, capturing the social anxieties, medical advancements (and limitations), and evolving societal roles of women. The struggles of returning soldiers and the stigma surrounding tuberculosis are woven seamlessly into the narrative.

Ruth’s growth is relatable and engaging, and the supporting cast, from other nursing students to her domineering father, adds depth and nuance. The initial chapters do move a bit slowly as the setting and characters are established. I would have liked to see some of the secondary characters (such as Patricia, Mrs. Graham, and Mary) fleshed out some more. This information might have given some more backstory and understanding of their behavioral quirks and motivation.

One thing that was a bit jarring to me were the short paragraphs of medical notes that began each chapter. One was a quote from 1947, quite a few were from Florence Nightingale’s NOTES ON NURSING, and there was one from 2018 quite early on in the book. While I appreciated the “insider information”, I spent a few minutes trying to figure out if the quote was supposed to reflect the tone of the chapter or not. Some were relevant, while others seemed random to me. I did like the idea of headers to each chapter, but I think they would work a lot better if the words tied in with each chapter’s vignette. Another option would be to let the reader know that the paragraphs at the beginning of each chapter are taken from either various authors who are sharing their thoughts on nursing, or excerpts from textbooks that will give the reader background on how TB was treated back then, etc. That would set an expectation for the reader, allowing them to absorb the information, then move seamlessly into the storyline.

SPIT AND POLISH offers a captivating journey through a unique historical setting. Brown’s well-researched narrative sheds light on the challenges and triumphs of mid-century healthcare, while Ruth’s personal growth resonates with themes of ambition and compassion. The novel delves into the emotional toll of caring for the sick and dying, yet the harsh realities of the sanatorium are balanced with moments of tenderness and hope, creating a nuanced portrayal of human resilience. Throughout the book, the importance of human connection in the face of adversity is underscored – a lesson we can all learn from in today’s world.

Readers interested in historical fiction with strong female protagonists and a touch of medical drama will find this book satisfying. One caveat: be aware of the potential for emotional intensity due to the setting and subject matter.

Want your own copy? You can pick it up here.

Gemini by Carol Cassella (plus INTERVIEW)

February 17, 2015 / Kyle Wendy Skultety / 0 Comments

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Many thanks to author Carol Cassella for gifting me this book in exchange for an honest review. At the bottom of the page there will be a link to a Q&A I did with the author–enjoy!

An unidentified woman is hit by a car and abandoned along a rural highway in western Washington. She is life-flighted to a Seattle trauma center, where she’s admitted to the intensive care unit overseen by Dr. Charlotte Reese, who battles to keep her “Jane Doe” patient alive while a police investigation tries to discover who is responsible for this hit and run—a charge that could turn into murder if this gravely injured woman dies. Charlotte also senses a more covert battle brewing with the hospital’s legal department when they assign a professional guardian to stand in lieu of Jane’s unknown family and make critical decisions about her care. In frustration, Charlotte and her boyfriend Eric, a science journalist, begin their own efforts to find Jane’s family, veering across the professional boundary between physician and patient. As their lives become more entangled, the truths Charlotte learns will radically alter her own life more profoundly than they alter her patient’s.

This book made my heart ache with sorrow and joy so much, that I had to put it down at times to let my feelings ebb away, in order to absorb what was happening next. Cassella strikes a chord as she writes about young love, loss, and coming to terms that your life could be so much more, but isn’t. The separate plot of Raney and Bo, who meet as children and move in and out of each other’s lives, is told as flashbacks, interspersed with the present tale of the nurse Charlotte as she navigates her relationship with Eric while she is trying to find out the identity of Jane Doe. Eric has a health issue that prevents him from being able to commit fully to Charlotte, and she is becoming discouraged. As she learns more about Jane and who she is, she becomes forced to make decisions that will affect the rest of her life, while putting Eric at a crossroads he never wanted to reach. Cassella’s writing allowed me to empathize with Charlotte, and captured the stress and wariness of both partners as they face things that could tear them apart.

However, the story of Raney, a young artist from the poor side of Quentin, Washington, and Bo, who spends a few summers in Quentin with his aunt, is where the story really shines. They grow older and develop feelings for each other that never really fade away, no matter how many times life causes them to part. Each emotion is told with heartbreaking texture, first from Raney’s perspective, then from Bo’s. Life gets in their way, as Raney must care for her ailing grandfather while Bo, from a well to do family, attends college and travels the world.

Each of the four characters must make sacrifices and learn how to make the best out of every situation. Raney, by far, is the one that shines brightly throughout, as a girl who guards her heart and nurtures her feelings for Bo over the years. I was overcome with emotion time and time again, turning pages as quickly as I could to see what would happen to Raney next. I was affected by her story so much I still think about her to this day and feel as if I could cry. Not many fictional characters get under my skin, but Raney did.

Cassella is adroit at mixing medical situations with real life problems, and the story comes to a resolution that is plausible and bittersweet. If you can get to the last page and not be affected, perhaps you had better check to see if your heart still beats within you. These characters will stay with you for a long time. GEMINI is a must read. You can pick up your copy [easyazon_link asin=”1451627939″ locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”gimmethatbook-20″ add_to_cart=”yes” cloaking=”default” localization=”yes” popups=”yes”]here[/easyazon_link].

Click here to be taken to the page with the EXCLUSIVE interview I did with Carol!