Bluni R. The Inspired Nurse. Gulf Breeze, FL: Firestarter Publishing; 2009.

Rich Bluni is a registered nurse and a speaker and coach for the Studer Group. He has held numerous clinical and managerial positions in nursing. Quite frankly, I thought this was going to be just one more of those books full of inspirational nursing stories. Nothing wrong with that-just nothing terribly unique.

I read this book on a plane. I do not know if I'd recommend it since I was crying before I even finished the introduction. There is nothing like crying on an airplane to get everyone's attention! A few chapters later, I was laughing. The person next to me started to look around for another seat.

Each chapter of the book begins with an inspirational story from the author's journey as a nurse. It is followed by 1 or 2 suggested exercises designed to help you reenergize yourself and answer the question you may have asked from time to time-"Why am I doing this?" In case you are worried about the exercises, do not worry. You do not have to do them, although I think you'd find it helpful to do so. They consist of activities such as sitting quietly and remembering your most inspirational nursing moment, thanking your most memorable nurse mentor, thinking of a miracle moment in nursing, looking for something good in each person you encounter that day, or performing an anonymous act of kindness for another nurse.

As you can see, these are easy things, and I did feel better after I finished the book. The actual reading will not take long, but the feelings and inspiration gained from the activities will stay with you for a long, long time.

Ruthie Robinson, RN, PhD, CEN, FAEN

Director

Center for Nursing Innovation

CHRISTUS Hospital-St Elizabeth and St May

Beaumont, TX

[email protected]

Dr Robinson serves as a consultant for Dimensions of Critical Care Nursing.