Book Title: I Am a Nurse (Korean: 나는 간호사다)

Synopsis:

── A story written with life itself, shaking Korean society ──

Before we are nurses, we are human beings.

We too have moments of despair and helplessness.

But as long as there is a 0.001% chance, I will fight for my patients until the very end.

【A frontline MERS ICU nurse takes you a glimpse into the heart of Nightingale】

In 2003, the outbreak of SARS in Taiwan dealt a powerful blow to the lives of the public. Years ago, MERS, known as the "new SARS," spread across South Korea. This disease is similarly transmitted through respiratory droplets; however, its mortality rate is as high as 40%, roughly three times that of SARS.

With what kind of mindset do medical professionals suppress their fear of an unknown disease and go on to strive in caring for their patients until the end? During the fight against the epidemic, what are the untold hardships and frustrations they face?

« Rated 9.2 by readers on South Korea's Naver website «

« Highest 5-star rating at Kyobo Book Centre «

« Television series adaptation currently in development «

What is recorded in this book is not just a nurse's work log,

but an earnest confession deeply buried in her heart regarding patients, families, and herself.

My name is Kim Hyun-ah. I have worked as an intensive care unit nurse for over twenty years. In a ward where one cannot slack off for even a single second, day after day, I contest with the Grim Reaper for human lives. When Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) broke out in South Korea, I was on the front lines, giving everything to retain patients plagued by this unfamiliar disease, and was subsequently put into cohort quarantine because of it.

I once watched a new nurse, so hungry and exhausted, unconsciously put a patient's meal into her own mouth; I have also been a rookie, at a complete loss before a patient in desperate need of resuscitation, getting thoroughly chewed out by seniors.

Yet, the warmth and trust of patients are my greatest motivations. An earnest look in someone's eyes can fill exhausted feet with power once again. Still, an even greater wave of despair and bitterness comes crashing down: being falsely accused and verbally abused by family members, suffering human rights violations from the hospital, and being ostracized by the entire society despite giving everything to care for MERS patients...

Even so, I still remember the Nightingale Pledge I once made with a candle in hand, swearing with my own lips ── to care for my patients until the very last moment.

Over a career spanning more than twenty years, how did the author carry the heavy burden and conviction of a nurse while walking through the life and death of patients? How did she persevere through flawed systems and frustrations in doctor-patient relationships? The extraordinary daily life of an ordinary nurse is recounted here in the most sincere tone; let us listen together to this story that must be told.

"The author's writing is incredibly vivid. She recounts the chaotic rescue scenes, the fleeting transience of patients' lives, the diverse human interactions, overlooked workplace bullying, covered-up truths, and the bitterness of falling into a lonely battle when an infectious disease hits. It brings readers right onto the scene, leaving a deep echo in their hearts." ── Wang Shiow-hung, President of the Taiwan Nurses Association

"Nurses always care for patients meticulously, but their hardships are beyond the public's imagination. This book portrays the spirit of nurses fighting the Grim Reaper for human lives in simple words. Reading it word by word feels like being inside a hospital, as if the busy figures of nurses running around are right before your eyes; the narrative is deeply moving. I offer my highest respect to every nurse dedicating themselves at their posts. Thank you, it is wonderful to have you!" ── Wu Yu-chin, Member of the Legislative Yuan

"『I Am a Nurse』fully expresses the experiences and vicissitudes of a nursing career. It turns out that we in Taiwan are not alone; Korean nurses undergo the exact same medical environment as we do. The ICU is like a scenery station of life, standing at the crossroads of life, death, and separation, witnessing all facets of life. Whether it is patients, families, or even medical personnel, everyone holds a different role and plays out a different inner drama. This is a book written straight into the hearts of those in this field." ── Lin Yi-cen, Nurse Practitioner at the Acute Care and Trauma Surgery ICU, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital

"This book allows us, through the eyes of a nurse, to stand on the front lines with her, facing the vulnerability and strength of life together. On the surface, it seems the nurse is caring for the patients, but in reality, she also reflects her inner self through every interaction with them. If you have ever felt lost due to over-giving, perhaps this book will accompany you to find strength again through one moving story after another." ── Matcha Bear, Popular Science Psychology Writer

"I finished reading this with immense emotion and a face covered in tears. Each essay unfolds like a movie telling a life story, showing that life is full of love and light through the gentle eyes of this nursing author." ── Dr. Liu Zong-yu (Dr. Lisa), Breast Surgery Physician at Kaohsiung Yuan's General Hospital

About the Author

Kim Hyun-ah

A frontline ICU nurse during the MERS outbreak. She formerly served as a surgical nurse and cared for critically ill patients in the intensive care unit for 21 years and 2 months. She graduated from the Department of Nursing at Jeju Halla University and earned her Master's degree in Clinical Nursing from the Graduate School of Hallym University. Beyond patient care, she hoped to record her nursing career of communication and empathy with patients through writing. She wrote constantly and obtained a degree from the Department of Korean Language and Literature at the Korea National Open University. Since 2011, she chronicled hospital life through serialized columns in the Chosun Ilbo and Dong-A Ilbo, dedicated to sharing authentic information with readers. In 2015, during the MERS outbreak in South Korea, her piece titled "A Letter from a Nurse" touched hearts, shook the nation, and was featured in the JoongAng Ilbo. As a nurse, she has long been committed to improving public perception of medicine and illness, human rights issues, and the treatment of nurses. Due to her contributions to professional care and her hands-on spirit of nursing, she was awarded the "Nurse of the Year" honor in 2016.

About the Translator

Hsieh Li-ling

A veteran academic editor in sociology. She graduated from the Department of Journalism at Shih Hsin University and completed the Level 6 regular course at Seoul National University's Korean Language Education Center. She currently serves as a specially appointed editor and translator for publishing houses.