Healthcare professionals play an important role in direct patient care, which ensures the well-being of their patients. These roles are often associated with doctors or nurses, even though the healthcare sector encompasses a wide range of workers. These individuals support not only physical health, but also the mental well-being of their patients. Representation of these professions are commonly encountered through media such as television and literature. Books are one of the most common forms of this representation. The following list highlights books that feature healthcare professionals as main characters, demonstrating the diversity of the field.
1. Never Lie by Freida McFadden
Never Lie is a psychological thriller that follows a newlywed couple, Tricia and Ethan, who are forced to spend the night in the home of Dr. Adrienne Hale, a missing psychiatrist, due to a blizzard. While living in the house, the couple discovers a room with cassette tapes containing recordings of all of Dr. Hale’s patients. As the story unfolds, the book reveals the different types of patients Dr. Hale treats and offers insight into her professional life as a psychiatrist.
2. Just For The Summer by Abby Jimenez
Just For The Summer is part of a collection of series that includes the books Part of Your World and Yours Truly. Although the books exist within the same universe, each can be read independently. The story follows Justin and Emma, who meet in hopes of breaking a “dating curse.” Emma is a travelling nurse who moves frequently, gaining professional experience while avoiding the idea of settling down due to her childhood experiences. Justin is a software engineer who has to take care of his three younger siblings. The book reveals Justin and Emma’s personal struggles and responsibilities that prevent them from being together.
3. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
The Silent Patient is a psychological thriller and follows the story of Alicia Berenson, a woman who murdered her husband for reasons unknown to the reader, stopped speaking entirely, and was placed in a psychiatric unit. Theo Faber, a psychotherapist determined to uncover the truth behind the murder, decides to treat Alicia himself. As the story unfolds, Theo’s obsession is revealed, not only with talk therapy, but with solving the mystery surrounding the unknown reason for the crime.
4. Ward D by Freida McFadden
Ward D is a novel that follows Amy Brenner, a medical student, who is assigned a night shift in the psychiatric ward of the hospital where she works. As the night progresses, Amy chooses to interview several patients to learn more about them, but when patients begin to disappear from the ward without a trace, the situation becomes unsettling. The novel highlights the wide range of patients encountered as well as the intriguing aspects and potential dangers of working in a psychiatric ward.
The books listed above demonstrate the wide range of careers within the healthcare field through characters such as psychiatrists, psychotherapists, travel nurses and medical students. Although fictional, these books reveal responsibilities and challenges faced by healthcare professionals. These novels provide readers with insight into healthcare professionals who support the physical and mental well-being of patients. The authors and books are especially admirable for their portrayal of healthcare workers not as just caregivers but humans with personal struggles and emotions.