can you help me to revise this please?
The book focuses on nursing through Sue Bauer's life as a patient, grabbing the reader's attention with her experiences and heartfelt thoughts. That's how this book provides an interesting chance to gain perspective, since the way nurses interact with patients, residents and each other is a dynamic process where every little decision and step may affect, positively or negatively, a person's dignity. Sue is the victim in this case, and the way nurses mistreat her reflects how many patients are wrongly dealt with.
A striking aspect of the book is the way it's vivid both in setting and description: Sue Bauer suddenly realizes she's lost awareness of her legs and hands; after going through fasciculation and pain, one day she gets to the point where she can barely move. Bill, her husband, takes her to Gulf Land Hospital to get her tested. After a discouraging second result, Dr. Lohmann decides to refer her to neurologist Dr Munkel, who orders more testing to be done. The possible diagnosis: Multiple Sclerosis, Myastenia gravis, and Guillain-Barré syndrome, of which the latter is confirmed after she presents more exclusive symptoms that out ruled the other two options. Sue slowly becomes more independent of nurses and is consequently overlooked by them, feeling that to them, she doesn't even exist. Nevertheless, some kindhearted nurses make a very special difference on her life.
Nursing is portrayed throughout the book both positively and negatively: for many, Sue merely is an object; 'something' not worth trying to communicate or interact with. As her means of communication become lesser as well as weaker, some nurses do not even bother to pay attention or treat her as a human being, nor explain to her what they're doing. Nurse Sandra ignores Sue's request for a bedpan and laughs it off while walking away, causing her to be 'a big mess' both physically and emotionally, which is something that could have been prevented by the simple act of listening. Sue tries to signal to Nurse Carol that she bit her tongue. Carol misunderstands Sue when she signals to her thinking that Sue thought she was going to bite her tongue. Later this nurse (ignoring the fact that she shouldn't take too much medicine at once) gives too much Benadryl to Sue which leads her into coma. Then there is Phil the nurse who never speaks or communicates with Sue. He treats her roughly, brutally forcing the IV in her veins while she is in coma. Aurilia's turning Sue side to side abruptly without a care (in front of Sue’s husband) and shoving pillows behind her back also demonstrates this. Roxanne neglects her, ignoring her perspiration and contenting herself with pulling up the covers. Craig doesn't even notice that her face, mouth and pillows are wet, takes her vitals, turns her and leaves. Louise leaves her without back support for two hours. Bruce is nonchalant and dishonest, validating his actions (e.g. refusing to control the machines when they become harmful by saying they're Dr. Birmingham's orders or that it's for her own sake. He also forces a peroxide swab down Sue's mouth to clean her teeth and forces the Ng tube down Sue's nose while telling her to get used to it. Sue's protests (or attempts at protests) are completely ignored by many. Bill reports to Dr Lohmann about the poor treatment from the nurses and his concerns, but the doctor just denies it and claims Sue is getting the best of care. Dr Lohmann always ignores her eye signals and acts as though he has no time for her.
Of course, there are also the ones who took their time to give the best of care: Vicki, Kathleen, Judith, Kay, James and Charles all make Sue’s stay worthwhile. Vicki, in particular, talks to her and acknowledges Sue's feelings, sharing her own in the process. Vicki is very attentive with checking her chart, even giving her an enema when Sue hadn’t gone in a couple of days. Even when Vicki wasn't Sue’s own nurse she would come in and speak to Sue and help her with anything she needed. Of all the respiratory therapists, Charles is very caring, holding her hand, speaking directly to her, smiling warmly, making sure she's not uncomfortable. Kay, by her side, brings a very upbeat and high-spirited aura and explains to Bill the necessary procedures, including how to clean and adjust the respirator. James, who moonlights as a respiratory therapist/nurse, is very devoted, dependable and comforting to Sue and holds her hand to the point of becoming the go-to guy when another nurse had trouble turning her. Kathleen and Judith make her Christmas memorable, working together as a team, giving her the best time possible under the circumstances. They gave Sue their full attention and make a great effort to give her a soothing bath. Later, Judith comforts her and holds Sue in her arms while singing lullabies. The encouraging nurse Marie reassures Sue that she will get better in due time and brings a former, successful ICU patient to visit Sue.
Bill is another big focus within the book, being always supportive and positive from the moment they detected sue of Guillain-Barré. He's always supporting and positive, caring for her, taking all domestic and monetary responsibilities, and stays interested in her progress; his emotional journey includes frustration over not getting answers to his questions and inquiries from the doctors as well as not being strong enough to help Sue go through her own process, especially as the syndrome progresses and attacks of the neuro-muscular system cause paralysis. The paralysis forces her to be connected to various pieces of equipment: tracheotomy, respirator, Foley Cather and IVs that went through the subclaviis. She had lost all feeling except in her eyelids, though eventually Sue regains all her movement at the end of the book as Craig fights and pushes for Sue’s restoration.
While reading the book, I could only imagine how hard it could have been for Sue, and I virtually stepped in her shoes while she lost her ability to speak, move and interact. It must have been heartbreaking lying there waiting for help only to get overlooked or passed by. For instance, the night Sue waited thirty minutes to be repositioned and changed in bed shows the extent of this heartbreaking story. Sandra tells Sue to wait a minute and goes to talk to Craig and doesn't come back until thirty minutes later. That's just one of the many cases where Sue feels neglected and put aside. On a personal level I can relate to it because of my own relationship with my father, who always tried to make me perfect, ignoring me when I made mistakes, making me feel bad, crushing me emotionally... so I do know what is like to depend on another person only to suffer rejection. In my future as a nurse, I don't want to ever treat patients with such negligence; I want them to be comfortable with me, feel well, and receive as much care and attention from me as possible. The Christmas sequence actually brought tears to my eyes, though in other parts of the book I was impressed about how much nurses can do to make a person feel loved. I want to be that nurse that makes a difference. All patients should feel comfort and love, and I want to be that nurse that provides both to them.
Who is the author? Isn't it the author who does the focusing and the providing by means of his or her writing, not the book?
One sentence in particular is wordy and too long. You'll need to remove the repetitive parts and find a way to divide it into two or more sentences:
That's how this book provides an interesting chance to gain perspective, since the way nurses interact with patients, residents and each other is a dynamic process where every little decision and step may affect, positively or negatively, a person's dignity.
Please repost when you're ready.
too many commas make it into separate sentences if you can.
Sure, I can help you with revising your text. Here's a revised version:
The book focuses on nursing through Sue Bauer's life as a patient, captivating the reader with her experiences and heartfelt thoughts. It provides an interesting opportunity to gain perspective on the dynamic process of how nurses interact with patients, residents, and each other, where every decision and step can potentially impact a person's dignity positively or negatively. Sue herself is a victim in this case, and the mistreatment she receives from nurses reflects the mistreatment many patients wrongly endure.
One striking aspect of the book is its vivid setting and description. Sue Bauer suddenly realizes she has lost awareness of her legs and hands. After experiencing fasciculation and pain, she reaches a point where she can barely move. Her husband, Bill, takes her to Gulf Land Hospital to get her tested. After a discouraging test result, Dr. Lohmann refers her to neurologist Dr. Munkel, who orders more testing. The possible diagnoses include Multiple Sclerosis, Myasthenia gravis, and Guillain-Barré syndrome, with the latter eventually being confirmed. Sue progressively becomes more independent, but unfortunately, she is overlooked by some nurses who fail to see her as a human being. However, there are also kindhearted nurses who make a significant positive impact on her life.
Throughout the book, nursing is portrayed both positively and negatively. Many nurses treat Sue as an object, disregarding the importance of communication and interaction. As Sue's ability to communicate diminishes, some nurses don't even bother explaining what they are doing or paying attention to her needs. These instances of mistreatment, such as Nurse Sandra's dismissive attitude towards Sue's request for a bedpan or Nurse Carol misunderstanding Sue's attempt to signal that she bit her tongue, highlight the neglect many patients face. Some nurses even endanger Sue's health, like Phil, who treats her roughly while forcing an IV into her veins, and Bruce, who forces medical procedures without considering Sue's comfort or wishes. Despite Bill reporting the poor treatment to Dr. Lohmann, it is dismissed and Sue's concerns are ignored.
However, there are also nurses who provide exceptional care. Vicki, Kathleen, Judith, Kay, James, and Charles make Sue's stay worthwhile. Vicki, in particular, acknowledges Sue's feelings and communicates with her effectively. Even when Vicki is not assigned as Sue's nurse, she takes the time to speak with her and address her needs. Charles, one of the respiratory therapists, offers caring support, holding Sue's hand and ensuring her comfort. Kay provides a positive and uplifting presence, explaining procedures to Bill and supporting Sue. James, a respiratory therapist and nurse, is devoted, dependable, and comforting. Kathleen and Judith make Sue's Christmas memorable, working together to provide her with a soothing bath and emotional support. The caring nurse Marie reassures Sue and brings another patient who has successfully recovered from the ICU to visit her.
Bill, Sue's husband, plays a significant role in the book as well. He is always supportive and positive, taking on all domestic and monetary responsibilities while genuinely caring for her. However, he faces his own emotional journey, feeling frustrated by the lack of answers and support from the doctors as Sue's syndrome progresses. The paralysis Sue experiences forces her to rely on various equipment, such as a tracheotomy, respirator, Foley catheter, and IVs. She loses all feeling except in her eyelids, but eventually regains her movement by the end of the book, thanks to Craig's determination and advocacy for her restoration.
While reading the book, I empathized with Sue's difficult journey as she loses her ability to speak, move, and interact. I could imagine the heartbreak she must have felt, lying there waiting for help only to be overlooked or passed by. Personally, I can relate to situations where dependence on another person leads to rejection and neglect, as I experienced this in my relationship with my father. As I aspire to become a nurse in the future, I am committed to treating my patients with utmost care, ensuring their comfort and well-being. The Christmas sequence in the book moved me to tears, and it impressed upon me the profound impact nurses can have on making someone feel loved and cared for. I aspire to be that nurse who makes a difference in the lives of my patients, providing them with comfort and love. Every patient deserves to feel valued, and it is my goal to provide them with the care and attention they deserve.