About The Book
Birth!
Dairy of a Montana Nurse
This book invites readers into the intimate, unpredictable world of a labor and delivery nurse working in rural Montana. Told in candid, journal-style chapters, this memoir captures the raw beauty and heartbreak of real hospital life, where birth and loss often walk hand in hand, and a nurse's compassion is tested shift after shift. Each story—whether it’s a miraculous delivery during a snowstorm or a quiet goodbye to a newborn—offers a powerful glimpse into the emotional weight nurses carry and the quiet strength they embody.
More than just a collection of memories, BIRTH! is a tribute to the everyday heroes who show up no matter the odds. With honesty, humor, and a deep sense of humanity, the author reveals what it truly means to care for patients, families, and fellow nurses when the stakes are at their highest. Diary of a Montana Nurse is a love letter to nursing and a reminder of the extraordinary lives in ordinary hospital rooms.
Meet The Author
Susan Shumway Connell
Susan Connell is a devoted mother, experienced nurse leader, and compelling storyteller whose voice rises from the quiet corridors of rural hospitals to the vivid pages of her debut memoir. Born and raised in Cheyenne, Wyoming, she was the second of eight children in a warm, musical household. Her passion for care began early and carried her through rigorous nursing education at BYU, where she became a student leader and later a Student Health Nurse Practitioner.
For thirty years, Susan served on the frontlines of maternal health in Montana, first as a night-shift nurse and then as a transformational manager of a growing, high-performing labor and delivery department. Through tireless advocacy, community outreach, and process Innovation, she and her team earned national and statewide recognition in patient care, leadership and safety. and statewide recognition for excellence in patient care and leadership.
What sets Susan apart is her heart. Her tender, often raw reflections are more than journal entries; they are windows into the world of medicine. With empathy, insight, and grit, she shares stories that illuminate the often Unseen heroics of nursing. where every patient feels like family, and every shift could change a life.
Chapters
Unpacking the Chapter Themes
“Am I ready to meet people at their most vulnerable?”
Theme: Trial by fire—stepping into chaos, finding grace under pressure, and learning to listen deeply.
Does it really have to hurt this bad?
Theme: Learning from simulations—on campus, as a pretend patient in a bed in a mocked-up hospital room.
Who’s the victim when a student nurse needs to practice new skills?
Theme: You may be surprised. Or, maybe not.
Book Availability Online
Reviews
Words from Readers
"Reading: BIRTH! Diary of a Montana Nurse was a deeply moving experience. The author’s ability to capture the emotional highs and lows of nursing in such a raw, relatable way made me feel like I was right there in those hospital rooms. It’s a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the heart and soul of healthcare professionals."
"As parents who’ve been through the delivery room and experienced the emotional rollercoaster of childbirth, this book resonated with us on so many levels. The author’s stories are heartfelt and powerful, and we gained a newfound appreciation for the nurses who care for us during such life-changing moments."
"We bought this book as a gift for our daughter, who’s aspiring to become a nurse, and she absolutely loved it. It opened her eyes to the realities of the profession, showing both the tough moments and the rewarding ones. It’s a great read for anyone considering a career in healthcare."
Prepare yourself for a non-stop, exhilarating rollercoaster ride in this compelling compilation of factual events which capture the drama and harsh realities of rural childbirth. Susan Connell opens new insights of the current practice of “frontier medicine.” Every page is filled with memorable stories depicting joys, sorrow, stunning triumphs and profound grief. BIRTH! Diary of a Montana Nurse is a book that is written from the hospital trenches–a true portrayal of life and the practice of medicine in the hinterlands of Montana, USA.
My neighbor friend Nurse Susan shared her stories as she originally wrote them. They elicited a gambit of my emotions: compassion, laughter, surprise, pride. Always, I looked forward to reading her next episodes. Dealing with home life, patient, doctor, staff, hierarchy issues with aplomb was fascinating reading. Her published book is sure to be a success.
