Nursing against the Odds is a brilliant and long-overdue assessment of nursing at a time of crisis in health care-what has gone wrong and what can be done to restore this once-esteemed profession to a position of equality with doctors. It should be read by anyone interested in the hierarchy of medicine, and the reasons why the nurse is becoming an endangered species.

Suzanne Gordon provides new and important insights into the complexities involved in the current nursing shortage. Nursing against the Odds contains the right mixture of patient/nurse anecdotes and scientific evidence for the conclusions reached and finishes with constructive suggestions for steps that can be taken to correct the situation.

Nursing is one of the most honorable professions I know. I'm proud of the service I provided during my nursing days. I learned so much about my beliefs, values, and passions as well as learning about others. Anyone who has spent time in a hospital knows that nurses are the true caregivers, the backbone of our health care system. Most doctors spend only a few minutes with their patients while nurses are there around the clock. This is an important book and needs to be required reading in all our medical schools.

Suzanne Gordon's book contains a wealth of ideas for legislators and policymakers who want to protect patients from the consequences of managed care and hospital restructuring. Gordon shows that real health care reform requires strong coalitions between nurses and the communities they serve.

The nursing profession lacks many things, like decent working conditions, recognition, and respect on the job. But, with Suzanne Gordon, it has something other professions can only envy—a skilled reporter, brilliant analyst, and steadfast advocate.

The shocking real-life stories Gordon describes in Nursing against the Odds echo what our members experience every day. Readers will not only learn how the nursing profession has suffered over the years due to the many pressures of the nation's evolving health care system-they'll understand exactly what needs to be done to meet the challenges nurses and patients continue to face today. Gordon takes a candid look at the current nursing shortage and paints a vivid picture of how nurses are uniting throughout the profession to raise patient-care standards. This book is a must-read for anyone involved in the healthcare industry.