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Behind The Nurse's Smile: a novel about burnout, blame, and the truth no wants in the report
Behind the Nurse’s a novel about burnout, blame, and the truth no wants in the report
Ever worked a shift that broke you so hard you stopped recognizing your own face behind the mask?
This isn’t another scrub-scented fairy tale — it’s the story nurses whisper to each other in supply closets because saying it out loud gets you written up.
Behind the Nurse’s Smile drags the truth into the light and dares you to look.
Through Callie — ICU nurse, mother, survivor, and the system’s favorite punching bag — you’ll see the unfiltered reality of “healthcare heroes” expected to care themselves straight into collapse.
Dark humor.
Grit.
Rage that feels like relief.
This is the book every nurse reads and says, “finally — someone fucking said it.”
Inside you’ll
• Moments every nurse has lived through but HR pretends don’t exist.
• The emotional whiplash of saving strangers while losing yourself.
• A raw, honest look at burnout and the cost of compassion in a system built to use you up.
If you’ve ever been told to “just smile,” this book is your permission slip to stop.
If you’re ready to see what’s really behind the smile—welcome home.
[Scroll up and buy your copy. Because the world needs the truth—and nurses need to know they’re not alone.]
Ever worked a shift that broke you so hard you stopped recognizing your own face behind the mask?
This isn’t another scrub-scented fairy tale — it’s the story nurses whisper to each other in supply closets because saying it out loud gets you written up.
Behind the Nurse’s Smile drags the truth into the light and dares you to look.
Through Callie — ICU nurse, mother, survivor, and the system’s favorite punching bag — you’ll see the unfiltered reality of “healthcare heroes” expected to care themselves straight into collapse.
Dark humor.
Grit.
Rage that feels like relief.
This is the book every nurse reads and says, “finally — someone fucking said it.”
Inside you’ll
• Moments every nurse has lived through but HR pretends don’t exist.
• The emotional whiplash of saving strangers while losing yourself.
• A raw, honest look at burnout and the cost of compassion in a system built to use you up.
If you’ve ever been told to “just smile,” this book is your permission slip to stop.
If you’re ready to see what’s really behind the smile—welcome home.
[Scroll up and buy your copy. Because the world needs the truth—and nurses need to know they’re not alone.]
257 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 23, 2025
78 people are currently reading
317 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
November 1, 2025
Thank you Nicole Coughlin
Randomly scrolling through Facebook I saw a post about this book and immediately bought it on kindle. I decided to read the first chapter just to see what it was about. Needless to say 2 hours later I was finished.
As a nurse of 19 years I just want to say THANK YOU.
Randomly scrolling through Facebook I saw a post about this book and immediately bought it on kindle. I decided to read the first chapter just to see what it was about. Needless to say 2 hours later I was finished.
As a nurse of 19 years I just want to say THANK YOU.
November 2, 2025
Read this in one day! I feel seen. As a nurse, this hits so close to home at how rigged hospitals can run. A good reminder to always advocate for yourself and your patients.
December 23, 2025
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Not a huge fan of how this is written; it’s this many pages because there are so many one word paragraphs, like something big is about to happen in every chapter.
•
I’ve lived a toxic work environment and I’m here to say that not every environment is this way. ALSO you can be the change BUT YOU CAN ALSO LEAVE. You never have to stay in a terrible work environment; an organization will never care for you the way you care for you. So don’t stay somewhere just because it may seem like the only option, because you may just end up dead because you hate your life so much.
Not a huge fan of how this is written; it’s this many pages because there are so many one word paragraphs, like something big is about to happen in every chapter.
•
I’ve lived a toxic work environment and I’m here to say that not every environment is this way. ALSO you can be the change BUT YOU CAN ALSO LEAVE. You never have to stay in a terrible work environment; an organization will never care for you the way you care for you. So don’t stay somewhere just because it may seem like the only option, because you may just end up dead because you hate your life so much.
November 15, 2025
A story that spoke to this RN’s soul!
Nicole did an amazing job writing about the things we face everyday in the healthcare field. Things must change and the change starts with us!
Nicole did an amazing job writing about the things we face everyday in the healthcare field. Things must change and the change starts with us!
November 1, 2025
Must read!
Bought & read within a few hours. Stories, emotions, & camaraderie hit home! Proud of you! Keep up the good work!
Bought & read within a few hours. Stories, emotions, & camaraderie hit home! Proud of you! Keep up the good work!
November 9, 2025
Once I picked it up I wasn’t able to put it back down! Finished in less than two hours. So relatable and well written. I wish I had the guts to start a rebellion haha
November 18, 2025
Hits close to home, gives back hope
November 19, 2025
As a nurse this rings very true. A brave woman leads the way for change. A short, easy read.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews