As a family nurse practitioner, I read Stories from the Tenth-Floor Clinic with great interest. This book accurately represented everything I value about my profession--compassion, service, empathy, and making a positive difference in the lives of the underserved through advocacy.

When Marianne Crane takes charge of the senior clinic in a Chicago subsidized housing building, she faces all sorts of unforeseen challenges, such as planning funerals, chasing our scam artists, protecting her clients from abusive adult children, navigating around strong-willed staff. She steps out on a limb daily to help her clients, signing social security checks, often circumventing the system while providing traditional medical care to the best of her ability. Interwoven into this narrative is the underlying strained relationship she has with her elderly mother.

What comes through so clearly is her dedication to the welfare of her vulnerable clients and her commitment to providing them with the best possible care. Her writing is engaging, witty and descriptive and highlights both the plight of the frail elderly and the difference a nurse practitioner can make through compassionate listening and intervention.

An accurate and engaging portrayal of the role of the nurse practitioner in advocating for the frail elderly. ( )