Two Nurses, Smoking

Two nurses meet for cigarette breaks on their hospital rooftop, sharing stories and observations from their work in palliative care. Their conversations span multiple decades, touching on their patients, personal lives, and the changing landscape of healthcare in America. The narrative moves between their rooftop encounters and detailed accounts of specific cases that have marked their careers. Through their experiences caring for the dying, the two women develop a bond that transcends their professional relationship. This book explores mortality, caregiving, and human connection through the lens of medical professionals who inhabit the space between life and death. The story raises questions about how we face illness and mortality, and examines the unique perspective of those who guide others through their final moments.

Readers found the short stories unique in their medical focus and portrayal of trauma from healthcare workers' perspectives. Readers appreciated: - Raw depictions of hospital life and medical professionals' experiences - Complex character studies, especially of individuals dealing with loss - Precise, detailed writing style - Exploration of memory and time through interconnected narratives Common criticisms: - Stories can feel too fragmented and hard to follow - Some plots lack resolution - Dense writing requires multiple readings to grasp meaning - Medical terminology can be overwhelming for general readers Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (128 ratings) Amazon: 4.2/5 (47 ratings) "The stories hit harder because they feel authentic to real medical experiences," noted one healthcare worker reviewer on Goodreads. An Amazon reviewer wrote: "Beautiful writing but the fragments and timeline jumps made it difficult to stay engaged with any single character or plotline."

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🏥 David Means spent extended time interviewing nurses and observing hospital life to capture authentic details for the story collection, particularly focusing on night shift experiences. 📚 The book's title story was first published in The New Yorker and was selected for "The Best American Short Stories 2021." 🗣️ Many of the characters' conversations in the book take place during smoke breaks - a nod to how hospital workers historically used these brief moments as essential periods of connection and stress relief. ⏰ The stories span various decades of American healthcare, from the 1960s through modern times, reflecting evolving medical practices and social attitudes. 🎓 Means teaches creative writing at Vassar College and drew inspiration for several stories from his students who worked as nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic.