Freakonomics: A rogue economist explores the hidden side of everything.
LEVITT, S. D., & DUBNER, STEPHEN, J. (2005). NEW YORK: HARPERCOLLINS.
The second book's title may be familiar to you because it was on all the talk shows and the news circuits when it first appeared. I read it because I have an interest in economics, and it seemed to be a relatively painless way to learn more economic principles. I was correct in that assumption, but realized as I read that in most of the examples given I could find a parallel in nursing or healthcare. Because it does offer these insights, even if you are not interested in economics, I suggest you read this book. In addition, the book is a fun, easy read.
The lead author, Levitt, is an award winning economist at the University of Chicago, who paired up with Dubner, a writer for the New York Times Magazine and The New Yorker, to write this book. They met when Dubner wrote an article about Levitt, and Levitt told him that "economics is a science with excellent tools for gaining answers but a serious shortage of interesting questions." Levitt's particular gift is the ability to ask such questions. This immediately resonated with me because I think nursing and healthcare can be furthered by asking interesting and pertinent questions.
As you read the chapter titles you will see that Levitt asks questions unlike those of other economists. There are only six chapters; all with titles such as "What Do Schoolteachers and Sumo Wrestlers Have in Common?" and "Why Do Drug Dealers Still Live With Their Mothers?" Framing questions in a manner not commonly used allows Levitt to see economic issues in an uncommon manner. This approach to asking the question is an excellent way for nurses to frame questions that have always been asked in the same way and to which the same answers have been obtained. In the chapter "What Do Schoolteachers and Sumo Wrestlers Have in Common?" the question of the intersection of morality and economics is presented with a surprising twist on the issue of stealing.
The chapter, "Where Have All the Criminals Gone?" looks at correlations and how using a correlation can give misleading information. I have observed that similar misleading correlations are presented in healthcare on a regular basis, not because of nefarious intent but as a result of asking incorrect questions. As I read "Why Do Drug Dealers Still Live With Their Mothers?" the information made me realize the questions and assumptions we make when working with patients can lead us to incorrect and harmful conclusions about their care.