To Err Is Common

A fascinating if sometimes frightening novel look into the tragedy of hospital medical errors. If you or anyone you know has ever been the victim of such an error, you will become very involved in the dramatic circumstances of life in a modern hospital that result in these mistakes. TO ERR IS COMMON follows the personal and professional life of a young, dedicated nurse as she learns to cope with the consequences to her nursing colleagues and to the patients in her hospital. I

t’s 3AM. Do you know where your nurse is? It is a sad truth that each year around 200,000 people enter American hospitals for one reason and leave on a funeral-home gurney for a completely different reason. And while there have been many TV and movie portrayals of life in a hospital, much of what really happens remains a mystery. And a lot happens! Join Andrea Pastori, R.N., a bright, attractive and gifted young woman on her rounds both in and out of the hospital, as she attempts to deal with the often tragic consequences of medical errors on patients and on those who became nurses and medical professionals to heal others but instead have ended up doing the opposite. Through her eyes, you will take a long, hard but also entertaining and involving look at modern-day nursing. You will be impressed or confounded by the complicated and sometimes maddening procedures nurses must undertake to successfully do their jobs while keeping their personal lives intact. At the same time, you will have a new understanding of how and why things can occasionally go terribly wrong. You will also have a new respect for the challenges of this noble profession and those who work in it. TO ERR IS COMMON is a ‘truvel,’ fiction based on actual incidents that have taken place in hospitals all over the United States. The story is told through the life and times of Andrea, a profoundly concerned and dedicated young nurse who is looking for personal and professional fulfillment in a complex, stressful, sometimes depressing but often exhilarating environment. The names, of course, have been changed, but the truth has not. Andrea’s character is fictional, but the incidents she encounters in her quest to serve as a compassionate and competent nurse are real. Whether you are a nurse or just someone with an interest in American health care as practiced in hospitals, Andrea's story will entertain, enlighten and inspire you. And, very importantly, what you learn about her -- and from her -- will give you insight that may someday help you or someone you love survive a hospital stay.

Margot Terrence, R.N., a native New Yorker, knew early on in life that she wanted to pursue a career in nursing and has fulfilled that noble quest. With a B.A. from the Southern California University of Professional Studies, a Nursing degree from Northern Virginia Community College, she has worked in a wide range of nursing and patient care positions as a Staff Nurse, Charge Nurse, Nurse Manager, Health Department Surveyor, Nurse Manager, Unit Manager, Director (Adult Service Line including Intensive Care and Oncology), Consultant, Risk Manager, Director of Nursing and Chief Nursing Officer at various facilities in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, Ohio and, California. Ms. Terrence is a member of SCAHRM and ASHRM and holds Chemotherapy and Critical Care Certifications. She currently lives in Los Angeles and for the past seven years has been the Director of Risk Management at a 300+-bed Los Angeles hospital. She has two sons, two cats and one husband.