"Angels In The ER," by Robert D. Lesslie

The book, "Angels In The ER," by Robert D. Lesslie, was suggested
by Joan Adams, Squidoo Lens maker and author of "Banish The Blahs"
and "10 X 10."

Joan recently chose Dr. Lesslie to be her doctor because of
his willingness to listen, his kindness and compassion.

These attributes also shine through in his new book.

Heroes in the medical field are many, but often the sheer pace of
health care delivery and the inability for health care workers to
pause and process whatever tragedy they just witnessed, can cause
flat out burn-out.

Robert Lesslie does a beautiful job capturing the fast pace of the ER
and in his stories, you know that he has fine tuned his perception
and intuition over many years of service and experience.

We all know that it takes a very special person to blend Science and
the Art of Medicine, which is exactly what Dr. Lesslie does, and
does very well.

The nurses and doctors and everyone else who work with Dr. Lesslie
must be so happy to have his influence in their lives.

I worked with a now retired physician whom we called and still call
"The Pediatric Guru." 

In fact, we plan to have dinner with him tonight!

Pediatric Guru was my mentor, now friend, who believed in serving his
patients and the community.

He brought physical and sexual child abuse out of the closet in the York
Pennsylvania community and single-handedly made lawyers and judges aware
of this unfortunate reality in our cities, townships and boros.

I will always remember the effect he had on our patients. He drew them out.
He patiently sat with each family and listened to their story.

They invariably told him the truth of their lives.

And he remembers to this day the saga of every one of these patients.

He played Santa Clause every year in our clinic and because the children
were his patients, he called everyone of them by name.

This had to have a profound effect on the psyche of these children, many now grown.

Imagine, Santa knowing your name and you carry this aura of specialness
with you through out your life.

In these times, it's a rare doctor who takes the time to know his patients.
I mean to Really know them. The Guru knew them all including the homeless and
those alienated from their social networks.

Dr Lesslie and The pediatric Guru come from the school where medicine is
a calling and a service and is the key to--angelic intervention? to other
worldly synchronicity? to the beauty of nature? to the blue birds who visit
and remind Dr. Lesslie that his father still communicates his love for
his son, even though he no longer inhabits the physical body.

Dr. Lesslie works the night shift throughout his book. This is my shift, as well,
the shift where angels dare to tread.

More and more I work in the Triage area of my hospital as a staff RN, which is
an Emergency room, of sorts, mostly for pregnant patients.

This is where the action is in our hospital.

Some nurses hate working there. Others thrive on it.

My many years working as a Nurse Practitioner in a fast paced clinic setting,
has made me feel comfortable working in this busy environment, where
you never know what will walk through the door.

Dr Lesslie sites the difficult, dangerous and sometimes drug seeking patients
and discusses the necessity of not lecturing these patients about how to live,
or speaking to them with any sense of moral authority regarding the plights
these people find themselves in: walk a mile in your patient's moccasins, in
other words.

He speaks of how his experiences as an ER doc have helped him grow as a human being.
I dare say, his experiences have also helped him grow spiritually, as well.

Patience, love and compassion all flow from the pages of this book.

The Pediatric Guru would love this book.

Dr. Lesslie and the Guru are cut from the same cloth.

We never know how the many patient encounters will effect not only us but our patients.

Recently, one of my former patients sought me out and "found me," she said,
after googling my name.

She then emailed me and told me how much I meant to her. She cited examples
of the time we spent together, working through multiple pregnancies, and
problems at home.

She told me her mother had a severe motor vehicle accident in 2000, and her
memory is almost gone.

But she still remembers me.

This is indeed a gift and taught me, especially while reading Dr Lesslie's book:
never under estimate the power of these encounters where we selflessly serve and give
of ourselves.

These moments are larger than life.

They serve to heal the world.

Kate Loving Shenk

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Kate Loving Shenk is a writer, healer, musician and the creator
of the e-book called "Transform Your Nursing Career and Discover
Your Calling and Destiny." The book is designed to stimulate
nurses to love their work and to prevent on-the-job-burnout.
Click here to find out how to order the e-book:
http://www.katelovingshenk.com/blog
http://http://www.katelovingshenk.com/nursingcareertransformation
Check out Kate's Blog: http://nursehealers.typepad.com
And the Lens: http://www.squidoo.com/katelovingshenk
http://www.squidoo.com/thinkriches
http://doganddolphin.ning.com
http://nursehealers.typepad.com/dog_lovers_unite
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Comments

[Karen Kay]

Kate you have such a beautiful way of expressing yourself. Whatever the topic, I am always mesmerized by your writing. Please keep it up! I wish, when I used to work in the psych ward, I could have had a nurse manager as wonderful as you. Your co-workers and patients are truly blessed!

[kate loving shenk]

Dear KK--Thank you for your kind words!!

Love,

Kate

[Joan Adams]

Oh, Kate! I agree with KK! When you write, your very soul speaks! Thank you for this beautiful review of Dr. Lesslie's book! I loved the book - but it is wonderful to see that someone as medically experienced as you are can appreciate it also. I wish there was a way to make this one and your own Secrets of the Nurse Healers required reading at every nursing station across the USA! You are a genuine blessing in my life! I am thankful!