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The Flying Nurse
Prue Wheelwright is still in her thirties but she's already had a fascinating, action-packed career. As a nurse and midwife she has worked in remote Australia as well as parts of the world that are remote to Australia, thanks to her work with Médécins sans Frontières. From treating patients at the most basic bush hospital in Ethiopia to looking after members of the Saudi royal family in Riyadh to the work she has just begun with the Royal Flying Doctor Service, Prue has seen the extremes of humanity and has the stories to prove it.
Above all this is the story of a woman who is passionate about her work - that work just happens to be in a profession that means she puts her heart on the line, every single day. And she wouldn't change a thing.
Above all this is the story of a woman who is passionate about her work - that work just happens to be in a profession that means she puts her heart on the line, every single day. And she wouldn't change a thing.
293 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 29, 2023
18 people are currently reading
115 people want to read
About the author
Prudence Wheelwright
2 books6 followersBrought up on a rural property in NSW, Prue Wheelwright has been a qualified nurse since 2009 and a midwife since 2012. In Australia she has worked in Sydney, Alice Springs and remote Indigenous communities; and internationally in the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia and with Medecins sans Frontiere (MSF) in Tajikistan and Ethiopia, combining her nursing and midwifery skills.
She has travelled extensively in over 70 countries and while her home base is in Crookwell in NSW, she has recently trained in emergency care nursing and joined the Royal Flying Doctor Service, based in Alice Springs. The Flying Nurse is her first book.
She has travelled extensively in over 70 countries and while her home base is in Crookwell in NSW, she has recently trained in emergency care nursing and joined the Royal Flying Doctor Service, based in Alice Springs. The Flying Nurse is her first book.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
March 23, 2023
Prudence Wheelwright - Prue - is an amazing woman who originates from a small town in NSW. Crookwell is somewhere between Goulburn and Canberra, and Prue grew up there with her family, working the farm with her dad, helping her mother out and being a wild child with her brother. Prue didn't know what she wanted to do and had a gap year between finishing school and going to university. As many do. Her course at uni saw Prue's gradual belief that she wanted to help people, come to fruition.
Working in the Red Centre of Australia - around Alice Springs - was the beginning for Prue, her eventual craving to join Médécins sans Frontières finally happening. Her career as a nurse and midwife saw her working in Ethiopia, Riyadh, Tierkidi, Nguenyyiel and many other places. She also took some time to travel while overseas, seeing and doing more than most would do in their lifetimes. Finally she returned to Australia, looking to fulfil her dream of joining the RFDS (Royal Flying Doctor Service), continuing to work in a profession she loves, putting in her all, and is still close to her family (within the same country anyway!)
The Flying Nurse is Prudence Wheelwright's debut, an excellent memoir which tells of her career, her travel through over 70 countries, her time working in Saudi Arabia and the nitty gritty of some of the crises she faced, both overseas and in Northern Australia. I really enjoyed the book, the photos in the middle, and the little bit of Prue's life that she's told us. Highly recommended.
With thanks to Hachette AU for my ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
Working in the Red Centre of Australia - around Alice Springs - was the beginning for Prue, her eventual craving to join Médécins sans Frontières finally happening. Her career as a nurse and midwife saw her working in Ethiopia, Riyadh, Tierkidi, Nguenyyiel and many other places. She also took some time to travel while overseas, seeing and doing more than most would do in their lifetimes. Finally she returned to Australia, looking to fulfil her dream of joining the RFDS (Royal Flying Doctor Service), continuing to work in a profession she loves, putting in her all, and is still close to her family (within the same country anyway!)
The Flying Nurse is Prudence Wheelwright's debut, an excellent memoir which tells of her career, her travel through over 70 countries, her time working in Saudi Arabia and the nitty gritty of some of the crises she faced, both overseas and in Northern Australia. I really enjoyed the book, the photos in the middle, and the little bit of Prue's life that she's told us. Highly recommended.
With thanks to Hachette AU for my ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
March 29, 2023
The Flying Nurse
The Flying Nurse
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
First of all, I would like to thank @hachetteaus for sending me a copy of The Flying Nurse in exchange for my honest review. As always, I really appreciate it.
I love reading books about real people in real professions so The Flying Nurse was the perfect fit for me. What an amazing woman Prudence Wheelwright is. Not only is Prudence a brilliant nurse but she is very well travelled, from Saudi Arabia to Ethiopia to the Top End- no where is off limits. A fascinating account of life on the frontline for a nurse thrown into the highest of highs and the lowest of lows.
The Flying Nurse does have its fair share of heartbreak and you can feel that through the pages. I really enjoyed the photos but also really loved that each chapter was set in a different location. Highly recommend
The Flying Nurse
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
First of all, I would like to thank @hachetteaus for sending me a copy of The Flying Nurse in exchange for my honest review. As always, I really appreciate it.
I love reading books about real people in real professions so The Flying Nurse was the perfect fit for me. What an amazing woman Prudence Wheelwright is. Not only is Prudence a brilliant nurse but she is very well travelled, from Saudi Arabia to Ethiopia to the Top End- no where is off limits. A fascinating account of life on the frontline for a nurse thrown into the highest of highs and the lowest of lows.
The Flying Nurse does have its fair share of heartbreak and you can feel that through the pages. I really enjoyed the photos but also really loved that each chapter was set in a different location. Highly recommend
April 2, 2025
Unfortunately the writing was too simplistic for my liking and the story had potential to go very deep, but seemed to only scratch the surface. In my opinion, covered too many topics
June 15, 2023
I really loved this book from the get go. It’s a very honest and raw account of one persons experiences as a nurse in so many different places. I loved reading the encounters that she faced. It was a really humbling story that made you look at yourself and re evaluate what’s important in life. There was great descriptions of the countries and remote areas she worked at. It’s just a great story!
April 8, 2023
Thank you for all of the insight into your marvellous nursing career so far, Prue. You are an inspiration to a lot of young & upcoming nurses who are unsure of what path to take in nursing and you’ve covered just about 95% of them and portrayed the good & not so good elements. I think you’ll find that you might also pursue a lot of nurses who feel “stuck” in their current situation to venture out & see all the other aspects of nursing in different countries/continents 👩🏼⚕️
November 2, 2024
A truly incredible woman. A must read for nurses and midwives.
June 25, 2025
This by far is my favourite read of 2025!
What a phenomenal woman Prue is as a Registered Nurse and Midwife and the work she has done for patients in the Australian outback to Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, Ethiopia & now to the RFDS.
As a fellow healthcare worker, I could not put this book down. It followed stories of pure terror, heartbreak, compassion, and ground breaking changes to supply people with healthcare needs to help them birth babies, MVA’s, other health care crisis’s, to deal with overcoming trauma and just being there to offer support during the most terrifying hours of someone’s life.
Healthcare workers like Prue are angels sent from above! The things they experience and the compassion and care that is put into helping others is something that can only be done by very special people. So Prue, thank you for all you have contributed & continue to contribute to the communities.
On page 254, where Prue wrote: “It is not my job to tell my patients what to do, I am here to give them information and support so that they can make the right choice for themselves. I am also here to hold their hand when they are scared. My patient is so much more than a statistic.”
This sums it up, being in healthcare is about being there for your patients in the scariest hours and offering that compassion/support in hopes that is what gets them through what they are going through. A patient is never a number - they are always cared about!
If you are a fellow healthcare worker or enjoy these kinds of books give it a read 🙂
What a phenomenal woman Prue is as a Registered Nurse and Midwife and the work she has done for patients in the Australian outback to Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, Ethiopia & now to the RFDS.
As a fellow healthcare worker, I could not put this book down. It followed stories of pure terror, heartbreak, compassion, and ground breaking changes to supply people with healthcare needs to help them birth babies, MVA’s, other health care crisis’s, to deal with overcoming trauma and just being there to offer support during the most terrifying hours of someone’s life.
Healthcare workers like Prue are angels sent from above! The things they experience and the compassion and care that is put into helping others is something that can only be done by very special people. So Prue, thank you for all you have contributed & continue to contribute to the communities.
On page 254, where Prue wrote: “It is not my job to tell my patients what to do, I am here to give them information and support so that they can make the right choice for themselves. I am also here to hold their hand when they are scared. My patient is so much more than a statistic.”
This sums it up, being in healthcare is about being there for your patients in the scariest hours and offering that compassion/support in hopes that is what gets them through what they are going through. A patient is never a number - they are always cared about!
If you are a fellow healthcare worker or enjoy these kinds of books give it a read 🙂
January 17, 2024
I have absolutely fallen in love with Prue’s story. As an aspiring nurse, midwife, and teacher I hope to one day be as worldly as Prue. I really related to her struggles of wanting to be remote but missing family and having a career-orientated life. Funny thing is I’m currently on a camping trip and happened to drive through Crookwell, Prue’s home town. I loved her journey with MSF and her current journey with the RFDS, it is very inspiring. I can assure you this book will be re-read many times. Thankyou for sharing your story.
January 15, 2024
What an incredible book!
Inspiring, incredible, informative and wonderful.
I’ve learnt so much and become more interested and intrigued in the world of medicine overseas and rural nursing.
Thank you Prue for you honesty, your stories, your memories and your sadness that as a reader we shared with you.
The loss of work colleagues and the loss of your beautiful Grandmother Mardi. As a reader I felt your heartache and the pain of losing someone close to you.
Inspiring, incredible, informative and wonderful.
I’ve learnt so much and become more interested and intrigued in the world of medicine overseas and rural nursing.
Thank you Prue for you honesty, your stories, your memories and your sadness that as a reader we shared with you.
The loss of work colleagues and the loss of your beautiful Grandmother Mardi. As a reader I felt your heartache and the pain of losing someone close to you.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 29, 2024
Wow. What a fantastic true story. I'm always in awe of nurses, but Prue was simply incredible. The truma she endured was beyond anything I could imagine. Her adventures were also awesome in the most surreal places. I'd recommend this book to anyone who appreciates biographies or has a background in medicine.
May 4, 2023
Just wow! The stories from the author has ignited something in me. I’m a student nurse and was confused on what area I wanted to work in. Reading this has made me change my mind and horn in what I want to do after uni. Thank you Prue
May 14, 2023
A beautiful story about the breadth and depth of a nursing career. A fantastic example of the decision career-driven women must face when choosing between motherhood and career satisfaction. A very relatable read and inspiring story.
June 22, 2023
Great read Pru really enjoyed hearing your stories
July 27, 2023
A fascinating insight into remote nursing in Australia and MSF nursing in communities in Areas MSF workers go. I admire Prues work ethics and desire to help other whilst achieving her own goals.
November 1, 2023
Really enjoyed this book, was fascinating to read, would of loved it to be longer.
April 29, 2025
What an interesting life this lady has already had in such a short time! Loved reading all the medical stories from different cultures
April 7, 2024
An exciting and realistic book by a brave and adventurous Australian...
Prudence has lived an extraordinary life as nurse, who has worked all over the world. The writer commits to telling her story, confiding in the reader, all elements from her exciting career to her journey for love. The result is a beautiful and unusual biography that uncovers what it is like to work in the medical profession.
Some parts are a little hard to hear about it but overall a terrific book.
Highly recommended...
Prudence has lived an extraordinary life as nurse, who has worked all over the world. The writer commits to telling her story, confiding in the reader, all elements from her exciting career to her journey for love. The result is a beautiful and unusual biography that uncovers what it is like to work in the medical profession.
Some parts are a little hard to hear about it but overall a terrific book.
Highly recommended...
June 22, 2025
An interesting life, giving help to others. Nursing in all parts of the world.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews