Hurry Up Nurse!: Memoirs of nurse training in the 1970'

by Dawn Brookes

Hurry up Nurse is a nurse memoir that follows the ups and downs of a trainee nurse in the 1970's. It follows the experiences of the author as she and her friends come to terms with the non-stop hustle and bustle of hospital life. This book treats the reader to a peep behind the scenes as we enter the hospital wards. As well as an insight into nurse training, hurry up nurse provides a glimpse into the social history of life in the 1970's and early 1980's.

Genres: Nonfiction, Health, Medical, Memoir

331 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 23, 2016

About the author

Dawn Brookes is an award winning cosy mystery and crime writer who also writes memoirs and children's books.
She has an MA in Creative Writing with Distinction.

Dawn writes most days and publishes regularly, to keep up to date visit her website.

Rachel Prince Mysteries:

#1 A Cruise to Murder set during a Mediterranean cruise
#2 Deadly Cruise set during a transatlantic crossing to New York.
#3 Killer Cruise set during a Baltic cruise.
#4 Dying to Cruise set during a cruise around Australia and New Zealand.
#5 A Christmas Cruise Murder set on a Canary Island cruise.
#6 Murderous Cruise Habit set on a Caribbean cruise.
#7 Honeymoon Cruise Murder set on a Mediterranean cruise.
#8 A Murder Mystery Cruise set on a cruise to the Norwegian Ffords.
#9 Hazardous Cruise set on a Mediterranean and Adriatic cruise.
#10 Captain's Dinner Cruise Murder
#11 Corporate Cruise Murder set in India.
#12 Treacherous Cruise Flirtation set in Hawaii.
#13 Toxic Cruise Cocktail set on a SE Asia cruise.
#14 Cruise into Darkness

The Lady Marjorie Snellthorpe Mysteries

#Prequel Novella Death of a Blogger
#1 Murder at the Opera House
#2 Murder in the Highlands
#3 Murder at the Christmas Market
#4 Murder at a Wimbledon Mansion
#5 Murder in a Care Home
#6 Murder at the Regatta
#7 Murder on a Bus Tour

Carlos Jacobi PI

#1 Body in the Woods Award winning novel.
#2 The Bradgate Park Murders
#3 The Museum Murders

Nursing Memoirs

#1 Hurry up Nurse: memoirs of nurse training in the 1970s

#2 Hurry up Nurse 2: London calling
#3 Hurry up Nurse 3: More adventures in the life of a student nurse

Books are available in paperback, hardback, large print, kindle ebook, and audiobook.

Dawn grew up in Leicester, England and trained as a nurse. She later moved to London to undertake further training in the East End. Dawn worked in the NHS in England for the best part of thirty-nine years and during that time gained a wide range of experience as well as academic and professional qualifications. She also holds an MA in Creative Writing.

Dawn's website can be found at: https://www.dawnbrookespublishing.com

Children's Books

Dawn has written a number of children's books including:

Suki Seal and the Plastic Ring

Gerry the One-Eared Cat

Danny the Caterpillar

Ava & Oliver's Bonfire Night Adventure

Ava & Oliver's Christmas Nativity Adventure

Jesus Feeds a Big Crowd

Jesus Heals a Man on a Stretcher

Dawn founded a literature festival in her locality which aims to engage readers and authors with all things literature.

Reviews

[Sandra J Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author, Dawn Brookes, leads the reader through her personal journey as she trains to become a nurse in England during the late 1970s to early 1980s.

I usually read fiction; however, I thought I would try something different. And since this book is about becoming a nurse and I am not a nurse nor ever trained to be one, I thought what could be more different than that?

This is a good read with some funny and some not-so-funny times. It was interesting to learn about a nurse trainee’s experiences and perspectives in various areas of nursing such as geriatrics, psychiatry, and paediatrics to name a few.

There were little, if any, grammatical errors or typos. I did think there was a need for an extra space between paragraphs when the story changed from the account of one patient to another. Much like in a fiction novel when there is a scene change within the same chapter.

While this story would probably not be of interest to many it certainly is to anyone who has trained as a nurse no matter what country they are from. And maybe to those who are curious and enjoy learning about new things.

[Melanie Lewis · Rating 3 out of 5]

How fascinating nurse training in the 1970s was. I wonder what our current nurses-in-training would think. Of course, the job remains vocational in the extreme and that hasn't changed. But new medicines, hospital born diseases, health and safety legislation must make it a very different prospect today. I have undying admiration for anyone who goes into a caring profession and Ms Brookes account only reinforces how wonderful our nurses are - absolute angels. Having not long ago listened to another medical memoir, narrated by the author himself, I think that this absorbing and interesting book would be well served being narrated by Ms Brookes herself. It's such a beautiful and personal account I would love to hear it from the mouth of the author. At times funny, sad, poignant and emotional this is a moving and engrossing record that stands the test of time. An awe-inspiring tale that will stay with me for some time to come. Ms Brookes, I salute you.

[Nico Genes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read that will most probably make me go for the sequel too.

Although this is a memoir it is written in a conversational style that made it easy to read. I found the writing style of the author relaxing and to this the humor at times surely helped. We are presented with the life of a nurse in the 1970’s. I applaud the author’s honestly saying that she didn't feel the call when she first enrolled in the training for becoming a nurse but she surely find it later. I also applaud her integrity that she seemed to have kept over the years. It takes hard work, tough nerves, good physical condition, a great empathy and much more to make a great nurse. Surely doctors have their big role in curing a person and saving their lives, but nurses’ role should not go ignored. I would compare it with the neck and the head expression. During my high school years, I had a wish to continue my studies either as a nurse or further on as a doctor but life circumstances played their role. Maybe this was an additional reason why I have enjoyed reading this memoir, as I was offered to a detailed insight of how my life may have been, should I have chosen that path and I can say that I wouldn't have regretted.
Type of reader: Fans of memoirs but also for those wishing to have an insight into the life of a nurse and what was like to work in a hospital in the 1970s.

Few quotes from this book:

“I want to know why you were shouting at me.’ ‘Oh.’ Finally the penny dropped. It had been the first time she had ever used a telephone, and as she was fourteen miles away, she had thought she needed to make up the distance and had shouted at the top of her voice to Matron, who had been almost deafened on the other end of the phone. We were in stitches at this story, imagining the scene and imagining poor Matron with the phone in her hand. She explained this to Matron who saw the funny side of it, reprimanded her and let her go; I expect she chuckled afterwards.”

“‘Thanks,’ she said as she drifted off, and that was a reminder of what the job was all about; helping people at their most vulnerable times when all the guards are down. What a privilege and an honour it was to be a nurse, I thought, and somehow I was re-invigorated.”

More book reviews on: https://www.nicojgenes.com/book-reviews.

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

An easy, entertaining read, with generosity given to the author because she's writing to share her experiences, not to wow the reader with her literary prose. It's clear, understandable, and mostly enjoyable. She stays (mostly) on task sharing her experiences as a nurse trainee in various posts in England. I'm not into the medical world at all, but I found her anecdotes interesting and sincere. She did a good job of blending the tedious, shocking, humorous, and heart-warming experiences that made up her time as a nurse.
I liked this book enough to want to read the follow up. You'll likely find it especially enjoyable if you're in the medical field.

[Clayton Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Carry On ‘Hurry Up Nurse!'
The nursing profession in the UK Midlands in the 1970s, and an everyday working girl finding her feet in the NHS. This was a neat potted history of 20th century nursing in England and one I can relate to as I spent my early and university years in Manchester around this time. Horlicks and real Spaghetti Bolognaise! Remaining friends with some patients was a nice contrast to today’s scenario where I feel that may be frowned upon. Rather innocent ways in those days! Anyone in the medical profession would get enjoyment [and a laugh or two] from this read.

[Anne Crow · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read it because she trained at Charles Freers a blast from the past - I still remember the bunnies on the lawns

[Cassandra MADEUP BookBlog · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved both of these books, the story is true to the situation thats being recreated within the pages. Having spent years working in care and a family if people working within nursing, we often talk about how things have changed and how they need to continue changing, but also about our own experiences.

It was wonderful to read books that took these situations and looked at them in an honest and often humorous way, we sat reading and giggling, and chattering about our own experienced that were similar.

There aren’t many books that so wonderfully recreate the health care arena from a nursing perspective, but I adored how these books have been honest while also remaining light hearted.

These weren’t the first books I had read from the author, but the more I read from her the more I am hooked by her individual flair! Honest and open humour about very real scenarios, written in a way that hooks you in and warms your heart, i doubt i will ever get bored of reading her work!

[Jite · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay.

Unlike many people who would choose to read a memoir like this, I’m not a nurse nor am I in any way related to the profession, other than having been multiple times a recipient of nursing care. I chose this book because of my deep love for Betty Neels romance novels, many of which are set in this era of nursing, with nurses or student nurses or early career nurses as the protagonists. A lot of this reads like a Betty Neels novel except grittier and without the mooning over the brooding doctors.

This memoir is very simply narrated. Whilst it tries to stay in chronological order, it does jump about quite a bit and there is a significant amount of foreshadowing. It’s not a particularly stylish or contrived work of writing where you know an editor has gone in to make it artsy-fartsy. This memoir reads like if you had an Aunty who always has really interesting stories about her youth and you say “Aunty, you really should write those down,” and she does. It’s very simple but also very interesting. If you’ve read vintage medical romance and you were always more interested in the technicalities of the medical side of those novels and nursing life, I recommend this book. It’s a pretty interesting read.

[Nicole O'Connor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Suitability of book cover: Suitable and fitting for the story content.
The content type is based on personal experience and thoughtful memoirs that are retold in an easy reading narrator’s voice but with little direct speech.
The language used is clean and wholesome.
The level of violence is minimal if any, but this collection includes some sad stories.
Readability is fairly easy.
The length is moderate.
The setting is accurate and believable in accordance with life and nursing studies in the 1970s in England. The style of training was also emulated by South Africans up until the early 1990s.
The use of vocabulary is good and includes a few, but not too many, medical terms.
The standard of punctuation is good and satisfactory.
The originality and outcome of the storyline were true to life and appears to be based on a lifetime's commitment to study and career.
The characters are based on realistic memoirs as told by the author.
The most likeable part was seeing a relatively, young educated girl blossom into a caring person with an intellectual future.
The least likeable part was that the author’s youth seemed to disappear in a whirlwind of fruitless dating, but at least she had fun.
I would recommend this to readers who are interested in nursing and who enjoy hospital stories.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this nursing memoir by Dawn Brookes, it follows Dawn and her fellow students and colleagues as she begins life as a trainee nurse in the 1970’s and early 1980’s. The blurb says, “It is written with humour and candour but also a great deal of compassion”, and indeed it is.
As a nurse myself I found myself reminiscing about my own nurse training and although I began my training in 2000, it seems that not a lot has really changed! I remember fondly as Dawn does practising giving injections into an orange, learning how to feed patients by using my fellow students as guinea pigs and was even told the same thing that Dawn was in 1970, about the number of fellow class mates who would either leave of their own accord or be asked to leave.
I loved all of Dawn’s ward based stories but also the glimpses into her own family background and life. As the blurb says the biography “treats us to a glimpse into the social history of life in the 1970s and early 1980s”.
A great read, enjoyable with laugh out loud moments, with funny antics from patients or other trainees but also parts where you feel yourself welling up, as Dawn deals with illness and death.
This is a well written and honest account of Dawn’s memories about her nurse training and life during the 1970’s. Dawns love of nursing and her commitment to her patients and chosen profession shines through as does the compassion and dignity she obviously had for and showed her patients.
.

[Talia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful!

As a fairly new, younger nurse, having just recently (in the last 5 years) finished my schooling and began working, it’s incredible to read how different the nurses training was prior to now. Some things have changed for the better, others not so much. I do appreciate that greater care is taken to protect against disease, and having ‘fancy equipment’ is nice, but just from reading this it seems new nurses were so much more prepared for work life after school then than now. I have a greater understanding and appreciation for the previous generation of nurses!! Can’t wait to read the 2nd book!

[Tracie Barton-Barrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ms. Brookes' book entitled HURRY UP NURSE! was quite an interesting read, taking you along for her ride as she begins school, through her time in various wards. Her stories were fascinating, ranging from the various sisters and nurses with whom she worked to the always interesting and inspiring patients. Although I'm younger than the author and hail from the States, Ms. Brookes did a wonderful job of placing us in the different scenes and her compassion and love for the professional is quite evident. Lastly, I do so enjoy the title! Well-done!

[Lin · Rating 5 out of 5]

My father was a nurse, and my mother a nursing auxiliary, and I've never really had more than a vague knowledge of what they actually did for a living! So I found this book fascinating as an insight to nurse training and work on the wards.
The pace is gentle, more like a series of stories from a friend or relative. Many of the stories are touching in one way or another, and the love of the author for her job shines through.
The narrative did jump around a bit, but that was part of the charm of the book.

[Asimah Akhtar · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a regular user of the NHS due to chronic illness, memoirs about the NHS always interest me. I have previously read memoirs from the point of view of doctors, so this was the first I read by a nurse.

An interesting read about the life of a nurse during the 1970s. Dawn Brookes takes us through her life at the time she was training, full of anecdotes and all sorts of differences from nursing today. Great read.

[Ursula · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot is packed into these pages; coming of age, finding a vocation, fun and friendship, hard work, compassion and difficult tasks. Once I got used to the very episodic style I found it similar to getting to know a new friend over a series of coffee breaks.

I'm not involved in nursing but found it very interesting so I imagine the ex-nurses I recommend it to will find it brings back all sorts of memories and anecdotes of their own.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book, a great insight into nurse training in the 1970's. I too was a teenager in the 70's so can relate to a lot of what Dawn said. I also liked the fact that she stuck mainly to the nursing side of things rather then her social life as after all that is the theme of the book. Thank you Dawn for a trip down memory lane.

[Simon Leonard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book of Dawn's I have read and it is a brilliant laugh out loud book. The book follows Dawn from when she started interviewing to be a nurse all through the 70s as she is learning about nursing. It is a brilliant book which is very funny and sad in equal measures, it also shows how hard nursing was and how far it has come in 50 years.

[Hazel G Hammond · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Trained as RGN in 1962-1963
This book was exactly as I remember it ---it brought back so many memories good and bad
Enrolled nurses were wonderful they did most of the basic nursing care and as they were assigned to a ward permanently were a great help to student nurses quivering in their shoes or not they could make life hell
Wonderful book great read

[Pamela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not a nurse, although I did want to be one many years ago, so I thought this book would be an interesting read, and it was. It is a memoir, something I dont usually read, but I enjoyed it. It was well written and had a great sense of humor to it. I enjoyed it alot, and it enlighten my eyes to what nurses go through. A great book .

[John Greenwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Dawn for this Goodreads Giveaway.

I have rally enjoyed this peek into nurse training, finding aspects of the culture and conditions absolutely fascinating.

The way in which the stories were told felt like chatting with an old friend, who really enjoys sharing her experiences.

[jacqui turnbull · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous

A fabulous book and the only memoir I have ever read that mentions pyloric stenosis, fabulously written and made me both laugh and cry at times, I can’t wait to read the second book

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was going to go into nursing when I left school many years ago so I found this really interesting. Took me back to the 70s & 80s. Anyone involved in nursing will relate to this book & will bring back lots of memories of their training days.

[Chris Tunnicliffe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book follows Dawn as she begins her training to be a nurse in the 1970's. At times amusing, at others emotional it shows what it takes to become a nurse. This book also tells how things have changed over the years. This also shows the changes in Dawn herself as she becomes an adult.

[Sue Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nurse book 1 by Dawn Brooke's.
This was a brilliant read. We see dawn go through her nurse training. It must have been hard back then. I love Dawn's books. I have read a few. Very funny in places too. A brilliant read. 5*.

[Susan E Nordstrom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nursing

Nurses are the best. This book brought back memories of my training to become an RN and it truly is a rewarding profession!

[Lyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Delightful

Nice to read about the differences in nurses training in England v US for same time period-my experiences v authors

[Paul Hyman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Read

What a great read, I have worked in a couple of hospitals myself. And this book brought many things back to me.hope to find if theres a follow up

[Suzanne E. Chisum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very Good

Enjoyed reading about nursing trading in England. Very readable. Was surprised that nurses could not do iv lines. Good read.

[Sara Fischer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy read. I’m a nurse, so i wish it would have included more medical details, more patient histories. The story she tells of her time in school is interesting still.

[Another Chronically ill Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are someone who likes medical biographies like Call the midwife then you might enjoy this book. I am someone who has always had an interest in becoming a nurse plus I have spent a lot of time in hospital so I have always wondered what nurse training would be like which meant this book was right up my street. The author gives us a good insight into what it was like to be training to become an enrolled nurse while trying to maintain a social life. Even though the book is only 238 pages there is a lot packed into it, her coming of age, explaining all the difficulties in her family, telling us about the jobs she tried before nursing, finding her vocation, fun, friendships and relationships, how hard work becoming a nurse was, compassion and difficult tasks. In some chapters Dawn gives us an in depth view on what it was like to work in orthopedics, surgical, geriatrics, psychiatry, paediatrics, accident and emergency. Some of the experiences she tells us about can be funny but other times they can be sad. For me the saddest story is of a man dying and he had no relatives which meant there was no one to attend his funeral. Sadly I do have one issue with this book and that is sometimes it can be a bit confusing, because it jumps from her past to her future and then back to her past in the same paragraph so that is why I cannot give the book a 5 star rating.