Ailsa Wild 
Care Factor 
A story of nursing and connection in the time of social distancing

The Care Factor tellsthestoryof one incredible nurse one among many who chose to meetan unprecedentedglobalhealthcrisison thefrontline. Simone Sheridan has one of the most sought-after skills today. As a nurse, her skill is to care. When Covid-19 began to spreadacross the world in 2020, Sim volunteered to retrain to work in Melbourne’sintensive careunits. Andas sheprepared to go back to ICUand case numbers began climbing, Simstarted talking to her friend Ailsa. Through the exhaustion, the confusion, the many tears and the surprising moments of hilarity, Sim kept talking. And Ailsa started writing. In The Care Factor, Ailsa walks behind Sim as she faces the realities ofthe coronavirus.Theresult is a deeply human account of what the pandemic has really meant, not just for Simand her fellow health professionals, but also for theirpatients, theirfamiliesand friends, and the manywhofacedlife inlockdown.Thisis a celebration ofnursing, of friendship, and ofthe layers of connection andcarethat allow us to keep going when it feels impossible.Hardie Grant Books will donate $1 from each copy sold to Drummond Street Services This book has single-handedly restored my faith in humanity. Offering a rare and thrilling glimpse into the life of a frontline healthcare worker during the COVID-19 Pandemic, The Care Factoris full to bursting with spirit, guts, empathy and love. It humbled and moved me in so many ways. I can’t recommend it enough! Emily Bitto, author of Stella Prize winning novel The Strays