I am thrilled that I got a chance to read Allen Long's memoir, Praying for Restraint. The title says it all as there was no restraint shown to patients and fellow workers at the hospital where Long worked for five years. His memoir tells it all. First, here is a little bit about Praying for Restraint: Allen Long works as a CNA-certified nursing assistant-at that supposed sanctuary of caring, an inner-city general hospital. What an unforgettable parade of bizarre, needy, abusive, menacing, endearing, and poignant humanity passes through its doors. And those are just the staff and administrators! Meanwhile, the patient population spans the affluent and sophisticated to the homeless, the mentally ill, addicts, gang members, and criminals in custody. Praying for Restraint takes the reader on a journey into the absurd and surreal that is ultimately uplifting and harrowing, both funny and heartbreaking. Long's struggle to survive a relentlessly toxic work environment with body, soul, and … [Read more...]