Life's Lessons and the Art of Nursing
Wisdom from the Living and Dying
by
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Life’s lessons and the Art of Nursing People comment, “You are such a Special Person”…”You are an Angel of Mercy”…”You must have The Calling”. Not really. In my opinion, I am a bit selfish and narcissistic. Every time I get to ease, fix, medicate, soothe, or calm a patient, I get a very basic need within ME met. It feels good. It feels important. It feels like a privilege to me. How can I take credit for all that I have “given” when I have gotten a million times more back? My patients, their families, their loved ones, have been my life teachers. They have imparted lessons, in the darkness of night, in the midst of extreme physical or emotional pain, during the greatest moments of joy or loss, sorrow or decision….my life’s lessons. My path has been paved with the stories that you will read. You and I will share and learn, teach and gain, laugh and cry, and ultimately, grow so much more than we imagined. Sit back in the recliner in the den, the rocker in the nursery, the futon in the dorm room, and learn. It is my honor to share. It is their stories that will inspire. Shhhhhh..Patients teaching. Listen to the lessons. They come in all shapes and sizes. They come when we least expect it.
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About the Book
Along her 30 year nursing career path, Kathy Mercurio has been privileged to learn some of life's most important lessons. Often, the "teachers" were unsuspecting, unintentional educators in the form of patients, their family members and friends. Join Kathy in learning and sharing some light moments, dark days and hard-learned lessons in the pages of this intimate look at the Art of Nursing and the Life's Lessons that are imparted.
About the Author
Kathy Mercurio is a registered Nurse with over thirty years' experience in Critical Care, Trauma, Emergency and Post-Anesthesia Nursing, as well as Hospice and Infection Control. Her career in Nursing has spanned three decades, in small community hospitals as well as large urban trauma centers. She attributes her success and continued passion for nursing to a "God-given gift". Kathy resides in New England with her husband, Gary and their two rescue mutts, Moose and Bella. She has two adult children, Ryan and Caitlin, for whom this book was originally written. "I wanted to leave a legacy of my life's work for my children and grandchildren", Kathy explains. It is her hope that the lessons inside this intimate look at her patients' living and dying words and wisdom will inspire, teach and remind you how beautiful and precious life is. In her spare time, Kathy enjoys camping, gardening, reading and kayaking. She is an avid outdoor enthusiast and loves the North Woods of Maine.