The Power and Pain of Nursing: Self-Care Practices to Protect and Replenish Compassion

The last two years have wreaked havoc on pretty much every aspect of my life, and while I’ve learned to embrace change, far too much of my coping mechanisms have been by trial and error. Full disclosure — I’m not a nurse, but I found this book to be wildly helpful and inspirational when it comes to getting through the day.Late last year I began to get sick (and am thankfully well again). There’s a line in Cavenaugh’s book I wish everyone around me could have read:

“Demonstrating therapeutic presence to a patient by really listening to them, even for just a minute, has been found to facilitate the healing process in patients and gives them emotional energy to deal with their illness.” —> This small act makes such a difference. During my illness, all I wanted was for people to hear my concerns and listen, they didn’t need to offer a solution. This small mindset shift would have made a world of difference, and just reading it and knowing that I need to do it when the time comes will make me a better and more supportive person.“The Power and Pain of Nursing: Self-Care Practices to Protect and Replenish Compassion” is a fantastic book - appropriate for anyone who has to fill the role of healer, whether they’re paid for it or not.

As the mother of two daughters training for careers as health care professionals, I read Beth Cavenaugh's book The Power and Pain of Nursing: Self-Care Practices to Protect and Replenish Compassion with great interest. I found it packed with useful tips and insights about how nurses and other health care providers can and must protect their health, nurture their compassion, and maintain their own well-being. The focus on self-care is so important for people who spend their days and nights taking care of others. Though the book is written for nurses, the advice it offers on ways to practice self-compassion is applicable to everyone. Upon reading it, I immediately starting using some of the breathing and mindfulness practices outlined in the book. Cavenaugh writes with kindness, wisdom, honesty, and humor. Her gratitude to her colleagues and appreciation for the deep humanity of nursing shine bright on these pages. I am thrilled that my daughters have the opportunity to benefit from the insights and advice in this book. Highly recommended.

This self care book by Beth Cavenaugh is a must read for bedside nurses. Beth hits on many problems that plague nurses, exhaustion both physical and emotional, poor nurse to patient ratios, and minimal time to spend with patients. She also hits on the good things the relationships, teamwork, and difference made in people's lives. Beth provides daily meditations and exercises to help the nurse through the trial and tribulations to continue to be a caring and compassionate nurse.

As a retired nurse I found this book to be a deeply moving and inspiring exploration of how to practice meaningful and empathetic care under the extraordinary demands of modern hospice nursing . Throughout the book, the main author’s honest reflections surrounding her own struggles to provide compassionate care to dying patients are filled with profound and healing wisdom The therapeutic exercises described in the chapters offer a variety of truly compelling strategies to help nurses (and all caregivers) struggling to remain present and emotionally available to their dying patients. Moving through the book I felt myself experiencing a sense of hope and inspiration about the power nursing I have not felt in years.Philip R Stanton MNS, FNP

This meditative soul-searching book couldn't come at a better time. Our medical professionals are overworked and desperate for means of inner reflection and a chance to unwind. I found the material easy to read/follow and a simple way to make a big impact on daily stress. I bought my first copy to read for myself and now plan to buy more for all of the friends I know working tirelessly in the medical field. This is a gift to the medical profession.

As I read this book by nurse Beth Cavenaugh, I heard my own experience as a nurse gracefully articulated and validated. Sometimes I chuckled. Sometimes I shed tears. It is sure to help rekindle your heart if you are struggling, and offers meaningful self-care practices. I hope everyone providing nursing care to patients finds or is gifted this little book. I have since bought several copies to share.

This is a beautiful book ! Truly a guide to "healing the healer" and building compassion practice into the daily lives of nurses, offering valuable self-care exercises to protect, recharge & heal the spirit.The Power and Pain of Nursing captures the demands and complexity of hospice nursing and end of life care- giving from the front lines. Beth writes with reverence, humility, honesty, humor, compassion & hope.

The book is an excellent resource for nurses for their self-care practices. Beth wrote to be compassionate with yourself, and practice the Team Approach. Beth writes with great compassion.I loved her humor in her writing.Another statement by Beth was patients “should be treated with reverence, respect, and kindness.”I am not a nurse but thoroughly enjoyed reading the book.