Missing Caps

About the Book

The purpose of this book, Missing Caps, is to indicate the multiple factors leading to the nurse shortage in three different countries and the solutions thereof. The author shows also part of her life story mingled with her nursing career experiences, as well as the experiences of her nursing colleagues. Their experiences revealed the reasons behind the shortage of nurses. It is the product of extensive research and memories of the past. In spite of what had happened, there is the implication that nursing is an interesting and helping profession for extending the lives of the human race. Nurses are the heartbeat of health care. Doctors may dispense prescriptions, but it is nurses who bring about the cure. A good nurse is one who embodies medical expertise, compassion, patience, and such a nurse is hard to find. After being involved in the nursing profession most of her life, Betty Navratil, in her invigorating new book, Missing Caps, details the reasons why there is a dearth of nurses in Hong Kong, United States, and Canada. Telling with a candid perspicuity, Navratil gives us some of the most graphic story of some of the accounts of endless shifts, racism, prejudice, and unprofessionalism that contribute to the high turnover rates in the nursing profession. But Navratil does not leave us in the dire plunge. Rather, through her erudite research and piquant observations, she offers some revolutionary solutions that will elevate such a shortfall of nurses. Navratil writes in such a gripping way that you will find your eyes glued to every word and you will find your heart stirred by her stories. This book deserves wide circulation, and considering the plight of our health system, this book is a must-read, and it deserves to be a textbook for all aspiring nurses. Timothy Yap, PhD

About the Author

Betty Navratil has multiple interests other than nursing. Her nursing career is coupled with her interest in other areas, such as biblical studies (master of divinity), training in voice culture, and piano playing. She is also a fine artist making water-soluble oil paintings. She continues to apply her knowledge of the scriptures, science, and arts in her life. Betty is alert and sensitive to the needs of the people in her environment, enabling her to be considerate of others. Moreover, she is a friendly and caring person. She believes in an old saying, “Happiness is to help people.”