More than a half-million U.S. critical-care nurses find themselves taking on the stress and anxiety of their jobs and patients. To comfort, inspire and educate critical-care nurses through such stressful times, the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI) has released A Daybook for Critical Care Nurses, by Eileen Gallen Bademan, RN, BSN.

Endorsed by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses—its 82,572 members make it the largest specialty nursing organization in the world—A Daybook for Critical Care Nurses is the perfect gift for new or veteran nurses.

The book opens with a foreword by Beth Hammer, RN, MSN, APN-BC, and Maria Shirey, RN, PhD, MBA, NEA-BC, FACHE. Hammer, 2009-10 president of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, and Shirey, 2009-11 chair of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses Certification Corporation, the association’s credentialing arm, stress the importance of nurses’ taking a “refreshing pause.”

“Whenever we forgo that short pause to reflect and refocus on the meaning of our work, we deplete our emotional and physical reserves and diminish our indispensable contribution to the life and death of fellow human beings,” write Hammer and Shirey.

In the book, each month begins with an essay that reflects on a particular theme of importance to critical-care nurses. Each day offers an inspirational quote, tip or clinical pearl of wisdom, followed by journaling space to write individual reflections. Past presidents of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses contributed essays and quotes from presidential messages about the most pressing professional issues for critical-care nurses.

Eileen Gallen Bademan, RN, BSN, has been in nursing for more than 20 years, beginning in acute care. She has more than 10 years’ experience in publishing and was recently editorial manager for American Nurse Today, the official journal of the American Nurses Association. She resides in Yardley, Pennsylvania, USA.

A Daybook for Critical Care Nurses is part of STTI’s Daybook series, which includes A Daybook for Nurses, A Daybook for Nurse Leaders and Mentors and A Daybook for Beginning Nurses. The book is available for purchase at www.nursingknowledge.org. RNL

Advance praise for A Daybook for Critical Care Nurses: “A Daybook for Critical Care Nurses nourishes the nurse’s mind and soul by providing reflections, quotes from our colleagues, opportunities for daily journaling and clinical pearls. It’s the perfect gift for you or the special nurse in your life.” —Maureen F. Cooney, DNP, FNP-BC, CCRN, nurse practitioner Westchester Medical Center, Valhalla, New York, USA “Through reflection and renewal, A Daybook for Critical Care Nurses encourages us to celebrate our powerful accomplishments while continually striving for the best in nursing practice.” —Ellen M. Harvey, MN, RN, CCRN, CNS, trauma nurse specialist Carilion Clinic, Roanoke, Virginia, USA