Women at War: The Story of Fifty Military Nurses Who Served in Vietnam (Studies in Health, Illness, and Caregiving) (Paperback)

~ (Author) "Why would a woman choose to go to war-especially the war in Vietnam?..." (more)
Key Phrases: army nurse corps reserve, nurse corps lieutenant, one navy nurse, South Vietnam, World War, United States (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This is a powerful story about some of nursing's finest contributions. The profession is indebted to this author for her persistence and sensitivity in capturing this important piece of history."--American Journal of Nursing

Product Description

Norman tells the dramatic story of fifty women--members of the Army, Navy, and Air Force Nurse Corps--who went to war, working in military hospitals, aboard ships, and with air evacuation squadrons during the Vietnam War. Here, in a moving narrative, the women talk about why they went to war, the experiences they had while they were there, and how war affected them physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 238 pages
• Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press (August 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812213173
• ISBN-13: 978-0812213171
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #375,640 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Recieved it in the afternoon and completed it before bedtime, July 4, 1999

By	Jacqueline Johnson "cgrnjackie" (Fort Myers, Florida USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This compilation is a strong, touching insight to the pre, intra, and post nursing experiences of some of our country's finest military nurses. I can feel the excitement, the danger, the hopelessness, and the tragedy of the time. I feel almost guilty that I was in junior and senior high school during this war, that I wasn't able to be there to try to keep our guys alive and well. This is a book for ALL nurses, especially for the ones who are getting a little burned and/or jaded. Our bad days at work are miniscule in comparison.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointed..., August 31, 2001

By A Customer

After reading a number of books regarding women who served in the Vietnam War, I was anxious to read this book as well. I expected more personal stories, perhaps a synopsis of the interviews of each of the 50 nurses studied. And the word "studied" is where my main problem with the book lies. It's written like a research paper or dissertation...I was unable to connect with any of the women on a personal or emotional level. I found myself paging ahead, hoping it would get interesting, but unfortunately, it never did. I much prefered "Women in Vietnam" by Ron Steinman or "A Piece of My Heart".

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Gem from Dr. Norman, June 15, 2000

By	Catherine B. Flores (New Orleans) - See all my reviews

Being a veteran of the Navy Hospital Corps during the Viet Nam Era, I couldn't wait to read this account of the Viet Nam Conflict from the perspective of the nurses who served. I have had the honor to work with many nurse veterans over the years, and often marveled at the stories they had to tell. This book presents these stories in a format that holds the reader's interest. To me, the most enlightening section of the book was in the conclusion. The nurses were given an opportunity to reflect on their experiences and asked: knowing what they know now; would they go through the experience again? The second question they were asked: what advise would they give to young nurses who were going off to war? This is a wonderful book for nursing students as it gives an illustration of the values and heritage of nursing as well as a description of how nurses cope when under extreme stress. Nurse veterans will appreciate the photography and the anecdotes of how time away from the hospital units were spent. I highly recommend this book, as well as Dr. Norman's other book, "We Band of Angels".