Lives in the Balance: Nurses' Stories from the ICU

A collection that provides a compelling and insightful look into the world of ICU nurses.

This is a compelling collection of stories by twenty-five nurses working in the ICU, a fast-paced, highly technological environment where patients’ lives are at stake. From cardiac, medical, surgical, and trauma units, these nurses share their experiences of caring for critically ill patients after major surgery, illnesses, accidents, traumas, and even multiple-organ failure. These skilled professionals impart their knowledge and insights, along with accounts of the many challenges, stresses, joys, and dilemmas they face in the ICU. The intense emotional and psychological issues that patients, families — and the nurses, themselves — undergo are also explored. This fascinating collection allows us to peer over the shoulders of nurses while they provide life-saving care to patients.