15 Books That Every Nurse Should Read

Florence Nightingale is credited with inventing modern nursing, training nurses as healthcare professionals, proving the importance of sanitation and fresh air, and advocating for nursing as a vital profession. Dr. Jenna Liphart Rhoads describes Nightingale’s book, the profession’s first body of knowledge, as “a must-read for any nurse who wishes to truly understand the passion of Florence Nightingale.”

Editor’s note: While Nightingale’s influence and contributions to modern medicine are undeniable, we acknowledge and believe it is important that readers understand other aspects of her legacy, such as Nightingale’s role in colonialism.

Author Theresa Brown is a nurse and columnist for The New York Times. Here, she describes a twelve-hour shift in a teaching hospital’s oncology ward. While the book covers one nurse’s duties in just twelve hours, it also provides broader insights into the nursing profession, the challenges and rewards of nursing, and how healthcare and major hospitals function. This is one of the best nursing books to read for healthcare professionals and laypeople alike.

Best known for its test preparation services, Kaplan also publishes books for professionals. This collection of advice for beginner nurses includes sections on topics such as organization, dealing with challenging patients, and the value of mentors. Each section features short quotes and advice from seasoned nurses. One of the best books for nursing students, it may hold less value for experienced nurses.

This bestseller describes how researchers at a free clinic found extraordinary properties in cancer cells from a Black patient named Henrietta Lacks. Researchers and medical establishments used these cells without notifying or compensating Lacks or her estate. This book delves into the historical context and ethical issues related to this event.

Rhoads notes that this is “an excellent book for nurses or nursing students who wish to think deeply about the ethical implications of science, health care, and humanity.”

This is one of the best books for nursing students, this volume explores study and learning habits, getting and staying organized, managing coursework, maximizing the value of study groups, and getting the most out of clinical rotations. Much of the material covers general study and organization habits, so students who have already attended college may benefit most from the book’s nursing-specific sections.

The first year at any profession presents challenges and opportunities. This book is full of insights into choosing a specialty, working as part of a healthcare team, and avoiding burnout. Rhoads recommends it as “a great read for nursing students or new nurses to help get past some of the stumbling blocks that nurses experience early in their practice.”

This book describes the author’s experiences as a nurse in an oncology ward. Nursing students, those considering a career in oncology nursing, and individuals with a loved one with cancer can also benefit from this engaging look at healthcare’s human side.

Nurse and columnist Donna Cardillo offers advice for new nurses in this daybook. Organized into 365 separate segments, it includes prompts and quotes for reflective writing to help nurses learn more from their experiences and manage stress.

Detailing the author’s career as a nurse in British hospitals, this memoir is one of the best nursing books to stress the importance of kindness in healthcare and the difference that compassionate nursing can make. The New York Times Book Review, The Sunday Times, The Guardian, and The New Yorker praised Watson’s memoir for its depth of humanity and storytelling.

Lee Gutkind interviewed nurses of all kinds to collect stories of their most intense professional experiences. These stories include ethical dilemmas, first births in the maternity ward, facing a patient’s death, and moments of crisis and doubt, reflecting each nurse’s resiliency and passion.

Lisa Sanders’ New York Times column Diagnosis was a major inspiration for the television drama “House M.D.” Her book explores some of the most puzzling cases in medical literature and how they were solved. While it is not specifically about nursing, the book’s insights make it one of the best books for nursing students interested in diagnostics.

Using a lively and engaging style, this book surveys the things nurses need to know that may not be included in clinical textbooks. Prospective nurses can gain insight into the profession, while seasoned nurses may enjoy this book like a chat with an experienced colleague.

Charge nurse Sandra Crawley praises this nursing book for its ability to “remind us that we are human and that humor is the best medicine.”

This quick reference guide is one of the best nursing books for students and new graduates alike, offering helpful illustrations on procedures such as bladder irrigation or opening airways, lists of medicine interactions, and laboratory test result ranges. The book covers topics which have appeared on the NCLEX-RN examination. Its printed format is designed to fit into scrubs pockets.

This bestselling title features heartwarming stories about the nursing profession, reminding readers of the difference that nurses can make. One of the best nursing books for inspiration, Crumpton describes it as “a great book to check out if you are short on time because the stories are short and sweet.”

Mnemonics, or memory tricks, are one of the easiest ways to remember complex lists. This collection is ideal for students or practicing nurses who need to memorize lists such as the causes of pancreatitis, symptoms of shock, types of anemia, or medication classes for irritable bowel disorder.