On January 21, 2008, after 26 plus years of service, I was terminated from the Cleveland Clinic, because I wrote a book. I am an RN who was on the open heart/heart transplant team.

The book, 'Notes From the Mothership The Naked Invisibles' is an adult memoir.
Among other non-medical themes (stand up comedy, my speaking profession, my acting, writer, my family)
it contains stories of Nursing and patient advocacy (within HIPPA standards and maintaining employee and patient confidentiality) my experiences with surgeons and nurses, and reflections on my self-evolution as a person and nurse.

My memoir is provocative, straightforward, and in regards to healthcare, questions the professional progress of nurses and nursing.
It is not for everybody. Yet, it is a book! It is free speech. (No,it is not pornographic)

I have no regrets about authoring my book. If you read some of my blogs, I offer a synopsis of my book and more details.

I hope you take the time to read my blogs and offer a comment.
Of course, YOUR voice at this time and your support of the book would be great. In any event, please take time to investigate.
And TALK loudly.
(I have/had a stellar record, good attendance, was great resource person, and whatever else you may think I did, other than write a provocative book to cause my own demise...and yes, Cleveland is in America )

"How many cares one loses when one decides not to be something but to be someone." --Coco Chanel


Adrienne Zurub, RN, MA, CNOR
http://authornation.com/adriennezurub
http://adriennezurub.typepad.com

Wow Adrienne I am so sorry to hear about you losing your job, that seems really harsh and short sighted on their behalf. However, I just wonder if you let them see any of the manuscript that might have related to patient stories particularly those about their patients? I would imagine that they might have wanted their lawyer to have a look. Or do you think that even if you had done that they would still have sacked you?

I'd be interested in hearing other people's thoughts.

__________________
Julie
http://www.lifeinthenhs.wordpress.com

Holy cow, I’m sorry that you lost your job. This sort of crap is just another example of why nurses are leaving the profession. Whatever happened to free speech? I guarantee you that your former employer would have responded differently to the publication of your book had you been a physician at their hospital. I’ll pop over to your blog and check it out. Please update us on any future developments.

MJ

__________________
Sanity is madness put to good use. George Santayana.

http://nurse-ratcheds.blogspot.com

WOW, indeed! I am very sorry for your troubles. Will you please keep us posted on your plans? From what is posted on your blog it seems you have many options to consider.

Joy

Did they give a reason? Because writing a book doesn't seem like a real good reason. You must have hit a nerve there somewhere.

__________________
'Think not of yourself as the architect of your career but as the sculptor. Expect to have to do a lot of hard hammering and chiselingand scraping and polishing. - BC Forbes'

Whoa - I was going to use a few choice words, but being as this is Nursing Voices, I shall maintain my composure!

I've heard of nurses fearing for their jobs because of blogs, but never because of a book!

Has the book been published yet? I know it was coming up soon, if it is out I'd like to get it.

As long as you maintained HIPPA, what objection could they have? Did they give you specific examples? Did they tell you out-and-out that it was the book that was the reason?

I'm floored.

PS - I just ordered the book off Amazon.

__________________
The ER is the only place where you are rewarded for efficiency by getting more patients!

Kim
http://www.emergiblog.com

So sorry that you lost your job! You had a ton of seniority! I'm sure it came as quite a shock.

As Pixel would have us say - "Dude. That sucks."

It really does.

Previous posters have asked some good questions. I'm interested in hearing more about what happened.

__________________
code blog

Thank you very much for your comments and support.

AND, THANK YOU for taking the time to investigate and read my blogs to at least get a semblance of who and what I am.

I know it is hard to believe that in these times, someone could get fired for a book that does not espouse hatred, racism, killing, incite a riot, etc. and so forth.

I stated my opinions. I mined my observations and experiences of twenty-six plus years in nursing and surgery (which is a small part of many interesting elements within my book) and patient advocacy.

My book was stated as the reason for my termination.

Please, do me and yourselves a favor, start a meaningful conversation or discussion about this situation and nursing.
How do we as nurses individually articulate our profession?
How can we make the profession grow professionally better than it ever was?
What are you willing to do to get there?

You see it is and is not about you and me!
It is about what we leave behind to make things better or to change what is not.
This applies not only in nursing but in our lives and the communities in which we live.

What would happen to you with your employer or in your life (it is a HUGE step) if you wrote a book of some of your opinions?
What if you wrote a book of some of your incredible observations and experiences in your practice and your self-evolution over the years?

Countless times I have heard Nurses and Doctors state that they should write a book!

Many do not.

I did.
If you can, please purchase and read the book.

http://amazon.com
ASIN:0979286301

available in stores soon
ISBN:978-0-9792863-0-8

I welcome all of your comments at my blogs and please, at amazon.com

Again, I Thank You for your consideration.

Adrienne Zurub, RN,MA,CNOR
Author/Speaker/Actor/Comedian/pOet
http://adriennezurub.typepad.com
http://amazon.com
http://authornation.com/adriennezurub

Adrienne!

I started the book last night and I'm just now into the first section and I LOVE it!!!!!!

Let's just say I can SMELL the grass and the bacon!!!!

Nuff said - don't wanna give anything away!

__________________
The ER is the only place where you are rewarded for efficiency by getting more patients!

Kim
http://www.emergiblog.com

Grass? Bacon???? Now I HAVE to buy your book.

MJ

__________________
Sanity is madness put to good use. George Santayana.

http://nurse-ratcheds.blogspot.com