Read Online Island Nurses Stories of Birth Life and Death on Remote Great Barrier Island Leonie Howie Adele Robertson 9781877505843 Books

Product details Paperback 300 pages Publisher Allen & Unwin; Main edition (August 1, 2017) Language English ISBN-10 1877505846

Island Nurses Stories of Birth Life and Death on Remote Great Barrier Island Leonie Howie Adele Robertson 9781877505843 Books Reviews

• f i thoroghly enjoyed this book and could easily relate to the daily situations they coped with
• When they published their memoir, Leonie and Adele for more than thirty years had lived and breathed their ‘jobs’—‘vocations’ may be a more accurate term—as full-time rural nurse specialists and midwives on Great Barrier Island, 100 km off the coast of north-eastern New Zealand. Great Barrier Island is ‘Off-Grid’ and thirty years ago it was not only off-grid but for a sigificant proportion of the inhabitants, off-road, off-phone, and off-beat. But the locals still had babies, cut their fingers—or worse—off with axes or chain-saws, got fish hooks stuck in difficult places, concussed themselves by falling over banks in the middle of a dark and stormy night miles from anywhere—usually less then sober on their way back to their boat, and of course at the bottom of the bank was the rocky shore with the tide fast rising— and on top of all that the locals suffered the usual illnesses like cardiac arrests, strokes, and all manner of mental health problems. And everyone has to die sometime, and islanders tend to want to stay on the island until their last breath, however remotely they live—for example, in a bay or small island that is only accessible by rowing there and then hiking through the bush.
  
  Adele or Leonie, one in a small house/clinic at the rugged north end of the island and the other in the centre, were usually the first responders, as well as the primary health carers. Back then, if the situation called for an emergency flight to Auckland Hospital, add at least two hours on for the helicopter to get the message (if the phones were working), fly to the Barrier and back to Auckland with the patient on board (if the weather allowed).
  
  This is their story and the story of the eccentric islanders and community they served and loved, and today with more modern amenities and more staff continue to serve. A positive and warming true story to read in these dark times.
• As an RN myself, I really enjoyed reading about these two inspiring nurses and their struggles and amazing accomplishments, while living and working in the beautiful Aotea community! A great read and highly recommend!