Josephine Ensign is a professor at the University of Washington, Seattle, where she teaches community health, health policy, and narrative medicine. With over thirty years of experience as a nurse, she has dedicated her career to providing healthcare for homeless and marginalized populations. Her essays have appeared in numerous prestigious publications, and her debut book was honored as the American Journal of Nursing's creative work of the year. Ensign brings a unique front-line perspective to healthcare, exploring the intersection of systems and human lives.
Set in Seattle-King County, this narrative nonfiction delves into the pressing issue of homelessness, highlighting the unique challenges faced by the community. It focuses on innovative local solutions that aim to address and alleviate the crisis, providing a deeper understanding of the social dynamics at play. Through a detailed exploration of the contemporary landscape, the book sheds light on both the struggles and the proactive measures being implemented to create positive change.
A timely story in light of the ongoing health care reform debate, the affordable housing crisis, and the COVID-19 pandemic, the stories from Skid Road illuminate issues surrounding poverty and homelessness throughout America.
Focusing on the intersection of narrative and health, this work delves into trauma and homelessness through a multidisciplinary lens. Drawing from the author's extensive nursing experience and her personal history with homelessness, it examines themes of resilience, gender-based violence, and the transformative power of storytelling in health care. The book advocates for humanizing approaches in health services, emphasizing the importance of community engagement and reflective practice in the health humanities.
The narrative explores the profound transformation of Josephine Ensign, who transitioned from a stable life as a nurse to experiencing homelessness herself. Her initial role in a clinic for the homeless challenged her beliefs and opened her eyes to the complexities of the homelessness crisis and the inadequacies of the healthcare system. Through personal reflection, she examines the impact of her experiences on her understanding of both homelessness and the healthcare industry, offering a critical perspective on societal structures and the human condition.