In a gripping, behind-the-scenes look filled with drama, miracles, heartbreak, humor and unsung heroism, an award-winning journalist chronicles a year in the lives of four real-life hospital nurses, in a book that doubles as a shocking, unedited examination of our healthcare system.

What it's really like to be a nurse : the joy and heartbreak of the "secret club" -- Crossing doctor-nurse lines : how the sexy-nurse stereotype affects relationships with doctors and patients -- Who protects the nurses? Taking care of people who punch you in the face -- When nurses bully nurses : hierarchies, hazing, and why they eat their young -- Burnt to a crisp : how nurses cope-and why some crack -- The stepford nurse : how hospitals game the system for patient "satisfaction" -- The code of silence : painkillers, gossip, and other temptations -- Don't get sick in July : nurses' secrets-what patients need to know about their hospitals and their health -- What makes a hero : why nurses do what they do -- What you can do : advice and inspiration for the public, patients, families, nurses, aspiring nurses, managers, and others.