In her story "The Night Nurse- Joyce Oates demonstrates her talent in developing a subjects character with the creation of Grace Burckhardt. Grace is a strong, prideful woman, who is quite judgemental - not just of others, but of herself as well. Grace is also a justifier, and it is this characteristic which plays the most significant role in the story. From beginning to end Oates demonstrates through Grace's thoughts how this state of denial has affected and continues to affect Graces life and relationships. Everyone has faults and flaws, but when someone refuses to look at themselves honestly and evaluate their own behaviour despite the negative consequences it causes, there is little hope for change.
The onset of the story finds Grace lying on a city street in agony by some unknown source, alone, vulnerable, and confused. Her primary concern is not whether or not she will survive but that she is "behaving well, look how calm and civilized- (Oates, 1993, p. 655). She does not cry out, she just focuses on the injustice that is being done to her that she would be in the situation at all. She says to herself, "I am in good health, I can't believe this has happened to me-(p. 655 ). This is only the first of many justifications Grace makes.
Once Grace is taken to the hospital she is taken into emergency surgery for a blood clot in her leg. It is not until she awakens from the anaesthetic that she begins to admit to herself some of the fears she is experiencing. This recognition causes Grace to quickly shift, and focus instead on performing as her public self, "the self that was Grace Burkhardt, and not this woman in a hospital bed hooked to an IV gurney, her left leg raised and immobile swathed in bandages-(p. 656). The initial shock that had set in from the pain of the clot has passed and she is more in touch with the reality of the situation, mainly the fact that she really has control over nothing else other than her own reactions, and so she begins to compensate "on the phone, she was wry, ironic, slightly embarrassed, determined to minimalize her condition.
After reading Joyce Carol Oates story " The Night Nurse" it was obvious that the main plot was that of revenge. ... As the second character nurse Harriet is introduced into the story, the author does a great job of establishing the conflict that was the main focus of the piece. ... Grace's request for assistance was ignored by Harriet the night nurse to show Grace what is was liked to be ignored. ...
The issue of nurses striking is a very troubling one. ... Administrators also point out that strikes discourage people from becoming nurses, and more nurses are desperately needed. ... Also, during the night I would wake up in severe pain, and the nurses would be too busy with a more important case to tend to me. ... If nurses were to strike patients would be denied care. ... The nurses do have a moral right to strike. ...
Registered Nurse Registered Nurses provide direct and indirect nursing care to patients, whether working in a hospital, office, health care facility, public services, or home health care. Nurses have a variety of tasks to attend to while working in these matters. ... This is one of the many benefits in working as a nurse. ... There is a lot to being any kind of nurse. There is the pressure of having to work long hours, whether it's the twelve to fourteen hour night shifts, I have to still be on the ball. ...
In Joyce Carol Oates' story The Night Nurse', the author does a magnificent job incorporating many, if not all, of the plot devices described in Meyer. ... Such as the idea that what would happen if perhaps the night nurse withheld her painkiller (Oates 659). ... Grace's sister even tells her of alarming tales of neglect or even hostile nurses (Oates 659). Even as the characters are finally introduced to one another Grace lays trapped in bed with Harriet the night nurse speaking in her flat, nasal, ironic voice Grace Burkhardt, Grace Burkhardt, Grace Burkhardt (Oates 660-61)...
As I take this assessment, I see three professions that interest me; Pediatrics, Counseling Psychology, and Registered Nurse. ... Pediatricians and Registered Nurses are always on the move, they are more than one-third of time on foot or standing. ... Then when high school came along, my plans for being a nurse was already set. ... When I was about 7 to 8 years old, my mother was enrolled there and one time she brought me to her night class. ... She always had jobs as nurse whether it was being a CNA (Certified Nurse Aide) or a PCA (Patient Care Assistant). ...
Why I Want To Be A Nurse A Reflection Although my motives for becoming a nurse haven't always been as set in place as they are now I have always, ever since I can remember, had the idea that this was the profession for me. ... I was now the patient being cared for by nurses. ... The difference between a good nurse and a bad nurse is just like that of night and day. ... The nurses in the hospital taught me so much about care and compassion. They showed me first hand the characteristics of a good nurse and what being a nurse is all about. ...
My grandma was a nurse who made a difference in peoples care and in their lives. ... As I followed my grandma through the day, I realized that I wanted to be a nurse. ... I wanted to become a nurse so that I to could come home at night knowing that I was helping people. Becoming a nurse is rewarding. ... Why I want to be a nurse? ...
My mom is a former Army medical corps officer, my aunt is a physical therapists, and I have several cousins who are nurses. ... I would like to be a nurse because you can do so much. You can live anywhere, be in any field, work at various places, and there is a high need for nurses. The intentions that I have for when I become a nurse are to aid and care for the sick as well as I am able but also not only to assist doctors and staff as well as I am capable. ... It would not matter whether I had the day or night shift or if I was walking out the door to go home and a patient came in and...
A battle for control begins between McMurphy and Nurse Ratched, which ultimately results in McMurphy's triumph and the Nurse's downfall, while changing the patients caught in the middle for the better. ... When McMurphy enters the nurse's station and tries to turn down the music, Nurse Ratched reprimands him, all the while talking down to him in a slow, patronizing tone. ... Nurse Ratched refuses to change hospital policy unless the majority of the patients agree. ... Nurse Ratched wants her patients to need her like a mommy because that feeds her power. ... The last great rebe...
