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Product Description
Review
'Joan has seen it all, and she tells it with compassionate insight and a sense of humour.'
(Choice )'An unforgettable and extremely satisfying read.'
(Good Book Guide )'One can't help but think that the NHS would run a whole lot better if Joan Woodcock was in charge.'
(Scottish Daily Record )Product Description
Joan Woodcock always dreamed of becoming a nurse. And in 1966 the dream came true. From her very first day as a naive sixteen-year-old cadet, standing nervously outside Matron's office, this is Joan's story of an eventful career spanning forty years in the NHS.
Working on hospital wards, casualty units and out in the community, as well as stints in a prison and a police unit dealing with sexual assault, Joan has seen it all. In this moving memoir she gives an honest, revealing account of a challenging, unpredictable and ultimately rewarding life in nursing.
From an early encounter with a horrific axe injury, to the patient who swallowed their suppositories, to daily dealings with difficult patients and all kinds of bodily fluids, Joan shares memories of laughter and tragedy, and of the now defunct matron system that at one time instilled nurses with such high standards of professionalism and patient care.
Working on hospital wards, casualty units and out in the community, as well as stints in a prison and a police unit dealing with sexual assault, Joan has seen it all. In this moving memoir she gives an honest, revealing account of a challenging, unpredictable and ultimately rewarding life in nursing.
From an early encounter with a horrific axe injury, to the patient who swallowed their suppositories, to daily dealings with difficult patients and all kinds of bodily fluids, Joan shares memories of laughter and tragedy, and of the now defunct matron system that at one time instilled nurses with such high standards of professionalism and patient care.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
42 of 42 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I heard Joan Woodcock (the author) talking to Libby Purvis, on Radio 4. I was so taken with the snippets of the book she described, I just had to have a copy. I am facinated by her story, from her desire at a very young age to become a nurse, and how she began - as a nursing cadet (why can't we have that system back?) and the ups and downs of her progress. I could even feel the anxious moment when the finals results popped through the letterbox! and will be sorry to finish the book. Having worked as a health care assistant for some years in the NHS, I could appreciate the humour and situations she so well presents. Nursing how it used to be, good and sometimes not so good. It is so easy to read and descriptive of everyday events. Those who worked under the old Matron system will easily identify with the apprehension at mistakes and misdemeanours! I thoroughly recommend this book, especially for anyone who has worked in hospitals.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
As we are from Blackburn my Mother wanted to read this book as she had seen an article in our local newspaper. I worked at Blackburn Royal Infirmary and can visualise everything she talks about. Its a funny and excellent book to read and would recommend it to anyone.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Kindle Edition
I'm soon going to be starting my own nursing career so books like this are fascinating to me at the moment. I turned to the first page and was amazed to discover that Joan Woodcock is from Blackburn! (my own town). I loved every second of reading this book, maybe partly because I knew very well the places she worked and lived. She had a very interesting career, it just shows how varied nursing is, and you can really tell that she cares about every patient she's ever treated and the respect she has for people she's worked with over the years. I hope to one day become a nurse just like Joan Woodcock. 10 out of 10.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
The Good Old Days
The old days of nursing were a different world. Partly I think that the system ran because this was one area where women could work with the approval of their parents. Read more
Published 13 days ago by Stuart Townsend
Matron knows best
A great read and a great insight to how much the Matrons worked and how much has changed.A good bedtime read.Read it!
Published 27 days ago by J. tunnacliffe
bring back the Matrons..
my wife has just read this book, she couldn't put it down, absolutely loved it. If you want to the truth about how it used to be, and how it should once again, read this book..
Published 3 months ago by scribblersteve
a very good book
This book is funny, but you can indenify with the author. the reader shares her worries about nursing exams,etc and rejoices in her success. Read more
Published 5 months ago by bedeque reader
Matron Knows Best
This book is fantastic and relates to how nurses started their careers as cadets. The insight on their perfections on helping patients and spending time with them was fantastic. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Dee
more like joan thinks se knows best
I really enjoyed reading Joans tales of her nursing career. But was very upset to read the afterword, I am a staff nurse myself and trained the modern way through uni. Read more
Published 8 months ago by ali
about average
I have read a fair amount of nursing books and although has its funny stories it would be more appreciated by someone with connections to that profession rather than the average... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Mr. C. Roberts
Could have been better
Interesting to read how nursing has changed over the years. Many of the stories could have been written in a more interesting punchy way. Read more
Published 8 months ago by dc
Nostalgic read
A great read for ageing middle aged nurses everywhere ! Finished it in almost one sitting - not exactly a challenging read but a lovely bit of nostalgia
Published 9 months ago by S. Lee
Matron knows Best.
As a true story we found it very interesting as well as riveting.
Perhaps we should consider going back to this type of nursing.Excellent Read.
Perhaps we should consider going back to this type of nursing.Excellent Read.
Published 9 months ago by Ron Bainbridge
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