"In terms of actual evidence-based practice, nurses top doctors every time, and they should be given the respect they so rightly deserve."
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Nursing Jambalaya with Gumbo on the Side by Jacqueline Spencer, RN, Lynell Whittington-Brignac, RN,
and Beverly S. Ward, RN Outskirts Press
book review by C.D.
With a combined total of sixty years of nursing experience between them, RN colleagues Spencer, Whittington-Brignac, and Ward offer a rare collaboration that profiles history, practical knowledge, and an insider's view of the nursing profession. The unique design of their work is twofold: It offers straight-forward and factual information, and, foremost, it shed a brilliant light on the contributions of the Black Pioneer nurses who left a cornerstone mark on the history of nursing. The latter aspect provides invaluable personal perspectives.
The women smartly entertain a variety of topics, including reasons for entering the profession, schooling options, the importance of med-surg training for all nurses, men in nursing, "lateral violence" occurrence (i.e. a term used to describe co-worker hostility), managed care mandates, bureaucracy, and the lessening appeal of nursing careers to younger generations. While this compact collective is not a clinical text by any means, the authors' shared vision, wisdom, and individual experiences would prove a useful resource for anyone seeking insight into the nursing profession. Since many chapters provide a follow-up question page and notation area, the book represents an ideal study aid, touching on subjects that would surely ignite a dialogue between instructors and students.
The story behind this group writing effort represents a quality example of paying it forward. Not only is it a thankful homage to the Black women who left a legacy to modern day nurses, but it also signifies a generous dose of shared experience that sends an important message to future generations of potential nurses. For those individuals, Nursing Jambalaya is a must read. Fundamentally, nurse Spencer prescribes a key to success: "the patient must come first." While crisp white uniforms and starched banded caps may have fallen by the wayside, the sentiments of hard work, compassion, and dedication remain at the heart of both this book and the noble profession it expounds.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review