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S u m m e r i s n o t always leisurely, so if you have time to read only one book, put From Silence to Voice: What Nurses Know and Must Communicate to the Public at the top of your list. This semi- nal work, first published in 2000 and revised and refor- matted in 2006, immediately pulls readers in through an urgent and passionate call for nurses to communicate what we know to the public and then, through the use of exer- cises, helps us practice the skills needed to build self-con- fidence in such public commu- nication. The benefits are threefold: Nurses can better promote and protect their pro- fession; the public's health will improve by better understand- ing what role nurses play in their care; and nurses can be more powerful agents for the reforms we need of the health- care system. Authors Bernice Buresh and Suzanne Gordon demon- strate a deep respect for the worth of nursing work (As Gordon says, "The work of nurses knocks me out.") and ask nurses to speak out clearly about their practice, providing step -by-step guides to help them achieve visibility and voice. Despite the trauma of redesign and the recent threat of technological restructuring of nursing practice, nurses are generally not willing to talk about their work and bypass, downplay, or, worse, devalue that work. Why? The authors believe that most RNs project an inaccurate picture of nursing because they have adopted a "virtue-based" instead of a "knowledge-based" archetype of themselves. This "virtue archetype," which developed over centuries, conceptualizes nursing work as an instinctual, natural, and moral expres- sion of women's self-sacri- ficing and caregiving abili- ties. This persona leads to deference, obedience, and anonymity, devalues the nurse's clinical judgment, and implies that educa- tion, knowledge, and pro- fessional skills are less important. Many nurses still feel it is self- aggrandizing to claim credit for their profes- sional work and accomplishments and will say, "I'm just doing my job." The authors stress that it is not undignified hubris but, rather, appropriate professional behavior to convey the importance of what nurses do. The chapter titled "Creating a Voice for Agency" expands on the limitations of con- tinuing to believe that nursing is about just "being who we are"—caring but anonymous workers who are not highly-skilled profes- sionals. If this concept of nursing is accepted, then the public may ask, "Why can't nurses be replaced by other caring but less costly staff ?" or "Why should we support the costs of RN education?" I had a chance to speak to Suzanne Gordon about the book, and she emphasized how essential the practice of nursing was. She is con- cerned about the develop- ment of elitism in nursing and believes that nurses need to work together and "see each other through the lens of different, not deficit." Gordon said that just as air- plane passengers must first put emergency oxygen masks on themselves in order to help others, nurses must first be self-aware of the work they do and its value, and then explain, pro- mote, and defend that prac- tice— or there won't be any nurses left to provide skilled care. "Agency," then, is recog- nizing the importance of nursing work and nurses' importance in carrying out that work by promoting the "Three R's": professional recognition, respect, and reward. The voice of agency begins with how we present our- selves as nurses and can be as basic as nam- ing practice. Since patients are not always sure of staff members' identity, the authors suggest starting with a firm handshake, introducing oneself by full name and title, and then giving an explanation of the care to be provided. This professional self-presentation allows nurses to establish parity with other professionals and promotes professional identity. For example, when nurses call a doctor to consult about a patient care issue, they can say: "Hello Dr. Low, this is Jane Smith, R-N (or Nurse Smith)," rather than: 6 R E G I S T E R E D N U R S E W W W . C A L N U R S E S . O R G A U G U S T 2 0 0 6 NewsBriefs Finding Your Voice From Silence to Voice: What Nurses Know and Must Communicate to the Public, by Bernice Buresh and Suzanne Gordon, 320 pp., $19.95.