7 Summits: A Nurse's Quest to Conquer Mountaineering and Life tells the story of how hard work, persistence, a belief in oneself, and the support of family and friends can get one to the top of the world. This book is the story of Patrick Hickey's journey as an insecure youth dealing with the challenges of rural life, meager financial resources, and awkward peer interactions. Despite his challenges, he harbored dreams of adventure, faraway places, and success in life. A support network of family, friends, and eventually co-workers played key roles in his direction to a successful career as a university nursing professor, an adventure traveler, and the first nurse in the world to successfully summit the highest mountain on each of the 7 continents of the world. This book explores the broader perspectives of goal setting, motivation, dedication, and the pursuit of challenge in the face of extreme adversity. This book is a captivating story and a must-have for every practicing or student nurse.

Clinical Assistant Professor, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina