Author: Marianna Crane

After a long career in nursing--I was one of the first certified gerontological nurse practitioners--I am now a writer. My writings center around patients I have had over the years that continue to haunt my memory unless I record their stories. In addition, I write about growing older, confronting ageism, creativity and food.
My memoir, "Stories from the Tenth Floor Clinic: A Nurse Practitioner Remembers" is available where ever books are sold.

Olden Days of Nursing: Coronary Care Unit

  I helped open the first CCU in New Jersey in 1967. New monitoring technology and implementation of coronary-pulmonary resuscitation precipitated the development of CCUs across the country in order to reduce deaths from acute myocardial infarcts (AMI). Bethany Hospital in Kansas had opened the first CCU in the United States on May 20, 1962.…… Continue reading Olden Days of Nursing: Coronary Care Unit

The Story Behind the Message

I first posted “The Story Behind the Message” in 2017 before my memoir was published. Now as I work on my second book, this post remains as relevant to me as ever. Writing for me doesn’t get easier, Molly. ******************************************** Rearranging my bookcase, I came across a book with the following inscription: This is the…… Continue reading The Story Behind the Message

Let me count the ways—to make a home visit.

As a home health nurse, I made visits in Chicago, Washington D.C., and right before I retired, in the areas surrounding Raleigh, North Carolina. I didn’t climb over the roofs in New York City, nor did I ride a horse or a bike. Unlike the nurses in the Visiting Nurse Service of New York City…… Continue reading Let me count the ways—to make a home visit.

Ramblings on Expanding Nursing Practice

    I asked Martha Barry who worked with me at the Erie Family Health Centers in the early 80s, to remind me if the Certified Nurse Midwives delivered babies.  Here’s what she said: The model for the Certified Nurse Midwives (CNM) when I arrived was outpatient care only. The CNM did all of the…… Continue reading Ramblings on Expanding Nursing Practice

Media In-Depth Look at Nurses

Sandy and Harry Summers review in their June 2020 The Truth About Nursing Blog a story that appeared in the Washington Post. I am always happy to see another example of the media covering nurses and nursing issues. And this time the authors talk about “what nurses actually do!” However, it’s sad that it has taken a pandemic…… Continue reading Media In-Depth Look at Nurses

Time to Take a Break

I want to revisit a time that made me happy. I invite you to look back to a moment that brought you joy, too. Find what you can to feed your soul and rejuvenate your body so you can participate in finding the solutions to our current troubles. Take a break in this time of…… Continue reading Time to Take a Break

Home Visits Can Be Fraught With Danger

As I write my second book, which is about the home visits I have made over the years, I am resurrecting memories from my mind and the pages of my journals. Today’s post shows a time when I didn’t use common sense and how home visits can be fraught with danger.  One day in early…… Continue reading Home Visits Can Be Fraught With Danger

Top 100 Nursing Blogs Of 2020 That Matter

My Blog, Nursingstories.org, was selected by Nurse Buff: Nursing Humor & Lifestyle Blog as one of the best 100 Nursing Blogs and/or Websites in 2020. While I am honored with this selection, I am also so impressed that we nurses are now publishing our stories on the internet in impressive numbers. Rather than add an…… Continue reading Top 100 Nursing Blogs Of 2020 That Matter

Heroic Symbol: A Nurse

I first saw the picture of nurse Grace Cindric a month ago in our local newspaper, the News & Observer. In the photo, there’s a swagger in Cindric’s stride, a steely resolve in her sunglasses and respirator mask. In a sleeve of tattoos, there’s a friendly-looking panda staring out from her arm. The Pandemic is…… Continue reading Heroic Symbol: A Nurse