It broke my heart a bit, and that's ok. It opened my eyes a lot, and that is wonderful but feels horrible; there is no unknowing these things. Bottom line: superb book. ( )

It was solid. Kind of dry at times and jumped around a lot in a confusing way. ( )

Watson writes of her studying to be and her experience as a nurse. She works in different hospitals, various departments describing how challenging, detailed and demanding patient care is. And how a tiny mistake can make a huge difference in outcomes. She writes of the variances in treating babies and children, adults, seniors and the disabled.

The Language of Kindness while a book about a profession is very personal because nursing is personal. Watson shows us how the bond between patient and nurse is critical. Nurses are required to pay attention to details, stay attuned to patients' bodily changes, be ready to act or not when necessary, keep family members updated, and much more.

The Language of Kindness is very graphic, earnestly written; plainly illustrating the continous level of kindness and care nurses provide their patients resulting in significant improvements in health. Nurses become personally vested in their patients and families and why they suffer burn out. In crowded hospitals, they skip meals, have little time to stop to use the bathroom, or take a relaxing break putting their own health at risk.

Do we appreciate them? If so, we must provide better pay and support.

""Christie Watson was a nurse for twenty years. Taking us from birth to death and from A & E to the mortuary, The Language of Kindness is an astonishing account of a profession defined by acts of care, compassion and kindness. We watch Christie as she nurses a premature baby who has miraculously made it through the night, we stand by her side during her patient's agonising heart-lung transplant, and we hold our breath as she washes the hair of a child fatally injured in a fire, attempting to remove the toxic smell of smoke before the grieving family arrive. In our most extreme moments, when life is lived most intensely, Christie is with us. She is a guide, mentor and friend. And in these dark days of division and isolationism, she encourages us all to stretch out a hand."--Page 4 of cover."

The Language of Kindness by Christie Watson

With everything that is going on at the moment with Covid 19 I thought it would be an idealopportunity to read The Language of Kindness. This is unlike any book I have previously read but feel it highlights and emphasises how much nurses go through and how they are underappreciated by our society. It is only now when there is even more pressure put upon their shoulders that they are starting to get the recognition they deserve. This book helps people to have an idea of what it is like to be a nurse. They see the best bits of life but also the worst, often sacrificing parts of themselves for their patients that rely on them so much.

I would highly recommend everyone to read this book especially during the current situation so others can get a deeper understanding of what nurses go through on a daily bases and the increasing pressure they have at the moment with this global pandemic.

Above all, the key message I would take from this book is kindness is a language that everyone can understand and we must love, care and be kind to all those around us. ( )