<i>Taking Care: The Story of Nursing and Its Power to Change Our World</i> , by Sarah DiGregorio

In Taking Care: The Story of Nursing and Its Power to Change Our World, Sarah DiGregorio aims to chronicle the history, significance, and potential of nursing to shape health and society. Drawing from newspapers, autobiographies, interviews, and selected historical scholarship, DiGregorio weaves together brief profiles of contemporary nurses with those of nurses throughout history to illustrate the continuity of values, challenges, and the impact of the profession across time and place. A freelance journalist and critically acclaimed author, DiGregorio uses this blend of modern storytelling and historical survey to “argue for the inherent power of ethical nursing to recognize and address problems, create a better and more just world, and to alleviate suffering” (xxx).To achieve this ambitious goal, Taking Care covers an extensive timeframe and a wide array of topics and practice settings. Organized thematically, each chapter centers on a primary subject that frames a collection of historical and contemporary narratives: “Origins,” “Hierarchy,” “Identity,” “Community,” “Endings,” “Autonomy,” “Environment,” “Addiction,” “Collective,” and “Power.” The chapters begin with vivid and poignant vignettes of patient care in action, from Adele Gordon providing family-planning instructions in 1935 to California Nurses Association members advocating for staffing ratios in 2004, that serve to contextualize a broader historical discussion of the identified theme. This structure effectively bridges the past and present, highlighting enduring issues in nursing such as gender and racial discrimination, disparities in public health outcomes, professionalism and social image, hierarchies within the health care system, end-of-life care, and political activism.The greatest strength of Taking Care lies in DiGregorio’s storytelling. Her journalistic eye for detail and evident respect for the human experience translate into a powerful narrative about nursing, health, and the healing process. Through clear and accessible prose, DiGregorio layers historical content with personal stories that add emotional depth and convey the intimacy of nursing care with sensitivity and precision. The book is also well researched, grounded in “the deep and scholarly research of nursing historians,” such as Patricia D’Antonio, Darlene Clark Hine, Lavinia Dock, Mary Adelaide Nutting, Susan Reverby, Kylie Smith, Mabel Keaton Staupers, and Jean Whelan, whose work is cited throughout the extensive endnotes and selected bibliography (x). However, since sources are not explicitly referenced in the body of the manuscript, they may only be noticed by diligent readers and experienced scholars.Despite this solid historical foundation, Taking Care remains limited in its analytic depth. Targeting a general audience, the book prioritizes narrative cohesion and emotional impact over nuanced debate. DiGregorio synthesizes existing scholarship alongside firsthand accounts, using historical sources for factual grounding and confirmatory examples rather than engaging in rigorous analysis that advances academic discourse. Furthermore, the book’s broad timeline and narrow focus on nursing in the United States mean that complex debates are condensed into general themes and regional variations in the nursing experience are overlooked. While clear and compelling, the book glosses over nuance and conflict in favor of an uplifting, straightforward narrative of nurses as agents of positive change. For example, in the chapter on labor politics, DiGregorio acknowledges the significance of nurses’ collective action but does not engage with internal professional debates over unionization and labor strikes or situate nursing within the broader context of women’s labor history. As a result, the analysis remains largely expository, potentially leaving academic readers wishing for a deeper, more critical exploration.Overall, Taking Care stands out as a highly readable and engaging introduction to the history and evolution of nursing practice. While it may not satisfy those seeking in-depth scholarly analysis, it provides a well written and thoroughly researched overview that highlights the vital role of nurses in shaping individual and community health.