--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The doctors may be mapping out the war…" description: "\"The doctors may be mapping out the war games, but it is the nurses who make the conflict bearable.\" — Jodi Picoult" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2f/jodi-picoult-45_bearable_the-doctors-may-be-mapping-out-the-war-g_209406.jpg" --- # The doctors may be mapping out the war games, but it is… ![“The doctors may be mapping out the war games, but it is the nurses who make the conflict bearable.” quote by Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2f/jodi-picoult-45_bearable_the-doctors-may-be-mapping-out-the-war-g_209406.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2f/jodi-picoult-45_bearable_the-doctors-may-be-mapping-out-the-war-g_209406.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2f/jodi-picoult-45_bearable_the-doctors-may-be-mapping-out-the-war-g_209406.jpg) > “The doctors may be mapping out the war games, but it is the nurses who make the conflict bearable.” [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Nurses provide emotional support that eases the harsh realities of war-like situations in healthcare. **In simple terms:** Nurses make conflict bearable. Key Takeaway Recognize and value caregiving roles. Themes caregiving conflict compassion Mood empathetic reflective Type inspirational humanitarian When to use this quote - hospital wards - disaster relief - military field hospitals - pandemic response Key Concepts empathy resilience humanism Questions to Reflect On - How can healthcare systems better support nurses? - What does “bearable” truly mean for patients? A Different Perspective Nurses also face burnout and limited resources. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conflict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conflict/) [Doctors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctors/) [Doctors and nurses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctors-and-nurses/) [Games](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/games/) [Medicine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/medicine/) [Nurse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nurse/) [Nurses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nurses/) [Nursing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nursing/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [War games](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war-games/) ## Related quotes > [Nursing is great for so many reasons, but there is one reason that means more than any poll results, amount of money, or job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brittney-wilson/nursing-is-great-for-so-many-reasons-but-there-is-one-reason-that/) Brittney Wilson > [“An oncology ward is a battlefield, and there are definite hierarchies of command. The patients, they're the ones doing the tour of duty. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/an-oncology-ward-is-a-battlefield-and-there-are-definite-hierarchies/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“The use of “war games” is a powerful antidote to the lack of thinking about competitors’ reactions to proposed moves. 11.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvard-business-school-press/the-use-of-war-games-is-a-powerful-antidote-to-the-lack-of-thinking/) Harvard Business School Press > [Barack Obama has been stronger on the Ukraine than all the other countries put together, and those other countries right next door to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/barack-obama-has-been-stronger-on-the-ukraine-than-all-the-other/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [“A woman keeps to home and family, and tends to matters inside the home. A man keeps to war games and tends to matters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-fraser-king/a-woman-keeps-to-home-and-family-and-tends-to-matters-inside-the-home/) Susan Fraser King > [Peace teaches us caring and kindness School teaches us math and science Work teaches us considering goals and common sense Life teaches us to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ash-sweeney/peace-teaches-us-caring-and-kindness-school-teaches-us-math-and/) [Ash Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ash-sweeney/) > [The thing I really liked about the early 'God Of War' games was the idea that from the menu screen it felt like you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-barlog/the-thing-i-really-liked-about-the-early-god-of-war-games-was-the/) [Cory Barlog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-barlog/) > [Chess is a more highly symbolic game, but the aggressions are therefore even more frankly represented in the play. It probably began as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-a-menninger/chess-is-a-more-highly-symbolic-game-but-the-aggressions-are/) [Karl A. Menninger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-a-menninger/) > [At Mardi Gras, the different tribes will basically play war games, and so my brother is what you call a Flag Boy, which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-scott/at-mardi-gras-the-different-tribes-will-basically-play-war-games-and/) [Christian Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-scott/) > [Intelligence and war are games, perhaps the only meaningful games left. If any player becomes too proficient, the game is threatened with termination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/intelligence-and-war-are-games-perhaps-the-only-meaningful-games-left/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [There is also the fact that NORAD-Northeast was conducting war game exercises that morning, a fact that has been very little talked about and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-marrs/there-is-also-the-fact-that-norad-northeast-was-conducting-war-game/) [Jim Marrs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-marrs/) > [I really do think that if for one week in the United States we saw the true face of war, we saw people's limbs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-goodman/i-really-do-think-that-if-for-one-week-in-the-united-states-we-saw/) [Amy Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-goodman/) > [“And the naked lovers looked for a place where they could lay together & Aphrodite suggested that her bed was as good as any.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-chong/and-the-naked-lovers-looked-for-a-place-where-they-could-lay-together/) [Nicholas Chong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-chong/) > [When someone asks if you're a god, you say YES!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/when-someone-asks-if-you-re-a-god-you-say-yes/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) > [“is it just me or does it seem like the gods have a vendetta against us?" Hector "They want us dead" Aricles "Ah, good.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/is-it-just-me-or-does-it-seem-like-the-gods-have-a-vendetta-against/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) ## More by Jodi Picoult > [You get through it, you just never get over it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/you-get-through-it-you-just-never-get-over-it/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“Let me guess," Eric says, "You never meant for it to happen." "Hell, yes, I did. I've wanted her since you two started dating."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/let-me-guess-eric-says-you-never-meant-for-it-to-happen-hell-yes-i/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“It’s the difference between dancing along the eggshell crust of acquaintance and diving into the messy center of a relationship.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/it-s-the-difference-between-dancing-along-the-eggshell-crust-of/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [Because hate's just the flip side of love. Like heads and tails on a dime. If you don't know what it feels like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/because-hate-s-just-the-flip-side-of-love-like-heads-and-tails-on-a/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [Some women are meant to change the world, while others are meant to hold it together. And then there are those of us who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/some-women-are-meant-to-change-the-world-while-others-are-meant-to/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [I love feeling loved. I don't love knowing that I will always come in second place. I love the fact that at least sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/i-love-feeling-loved-i-don-t-love-knowing-that-i-will-always-come-in/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“Music is the language of memory”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/music-is-the-language-of-memory/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [But there is a different between mending someone who's broken and finding someone who makes you complete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/but-there-is-a-different-between-mending-someone-who-s-broken-and/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“sometimes words are not big enough to contain all the feelings you are trying to pour into them. My”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/sometimes-words-are-not-big-enough-to-contain-all-the-feelings-you/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“The age wasn't as important as the milestones.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/the-age-wasn-t-as-important-as-the-milestones/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [The night is falling down around us. Meteors rain like fireworks, quick rips in the seam of the dark... Every second, another streak of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/the-night-is-falling-down-around-us-meteors-rain-like-fireworks-quick/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“When she had packed all the artifacts that made up their personal history into liquor store boxes, the house became strictly a feminine place.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/when-she-had-packed-all-the-artifacts-that-made-up-their-personal/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“Maybe who we are isn't so much about what we do, but rather what we're capable of when we least expect it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/maybe-who-we-are-isn-t-so-much-about-what-we-do-but-rather-what-we-re/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“Here's what I hadn't realized : the mother you haven't seen for almost 36 years isn't your mother. She is a stranger. Sharing DNA…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/here-s-what-i-hadn-t-realized-the-mother-you-haven-t-seen-for-almost/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [My brother believed in all sorts of mythical creatures: pixies, dragons, werewolves, honest men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/my-brother-believed-in-all-sorts-of-mythical-creatures-pixies-dragons/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) [Explore all 2,062 Jodi Picoult quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) ## More Bearable quotes > [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. Not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-prophet-who-fails-to-present-a-bearable-alternative-and-yet/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [Perhapsthemost sublimeinsights oftheJewishprophets and the Christian gospel is the knowledge that since perfection is love, the apprehension of perfection is at once the means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/perhapsthemost-sublimeinsights-ofthejewishprophets-and-the-christian/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [How will it ever be bearable, Priestess?” His voice was rough. He sounded completely broken. “You’ll see her again. She’s with Nyx now. She’ll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/how-will-it-ever-be-bearable-priestess-his-voice-was-rough-he-sounded/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Intense, unexpected suffering passes more quickly than suffering that is apparently bearable; the latter goes on for years and, without our noticing, eats away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/intense-unexpected-suffering-passes-more-quickly-than-suffering-that/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“shared pain is more bearable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabel-allende/shared-pain-is-more-bearable/) [Isabel Allende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabel-allende/) > [For me, friendship has always been the most accessible of relationships - certainly far more so than romantic love. Friendship, I learned, provided a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-sullivan/for-me-friendship-has-always-been-the-most-accessible-of/) [Andrew Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-sullivan/) > [Divorce is my generation's coming of age ceremony - a ritual scarring that makes anything that happens afterward seem bearable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/divorce-is-my-generation-s-coming-of-age-ceremony-a-ritual-scarring/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [You can’t change the tale so that you turned left one day instead of right, or didn’t make the mistake that might have saved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-caldwell/you-can-t-change-the-tale-so-that-you-turned-left-one-day-instead-of/) [Gail Caldwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-caldwell/) > [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-prophet-who-fails-to-present-a-bearable-alternative-and-yet-2/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [Prayer can come in only when fasting has done its work. It can make fasting easy and bearable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/prayer-can-come-in-only-when-fasting-has-done-its-work-it-can-make/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Well, it seems like a miracle to be able to look forward-to-to see all the minutes in front of one come hopping along with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/well-it-seems-like-a-miracle-to-be-able-to-look-forward-to-to-see-all/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [When pain is unbearable it destroys us; when it does not it is bearable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/when-pain-is-unbearable-it-destroys-us-when-it-does-not-it-is-bearable/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [If Jesus gives us a task or assigns us to a difficult season, every ounce of our experience is meant for our instruction and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/if-jesus-gives-us-a-task-or-assigns-us-to-a-difficult-season-every/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [The arts are not a way to make a living. They are a very human way of making life more bearable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/the-arts-are-not-a-way-to-make-a-living-they-are-a-very-human-way-of/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [You must never so much think as whether you like it or not, whether it is bearable or not; you must never think of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-barton/you-must-never-so-much-think-as-whether-you-like-it-or-not-whether-it/) [Clara Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-barton/) Browse all 174 Bearable quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The doctors may be mapping out the war games, but it is the nurses who make the conflict bearable.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jodi Picoult" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/the-doctors-may-be-mapping-out-the-war-games-but-it-is-the-nurses-who/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bearable" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/the-doctors-may-be-mapping-out-the-war-games-but-it-is-the-nurses-who/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2f/jodi-picoult-45_bearable_the-doctors-may-be-mapping-out-the-war-g_209406.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2f/jodi-picoult-45_bearable_the-doctors-may-be-mapping-out-the-war-g_209406.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2f/jodi-picoult-45_bearable_the-doctors-may-be-mapping-out-the-war-g_209406.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The doctors may be mapping out the war games, but it is the nurses who make the conflict bearable.” — Jodi Picoult", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jodi Picoult", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The doctors may be mapping out...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/the-doctors-may-be-mapping-out-the-war-games-but-it-is-the-nurses-who/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/the-doctors-may-be-mapping-out-the-war-games-but-it-is-the-nurses-who/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```