“If you think your job stinks… try mine.”
Welcome to the world of adult briefs, sarcasm, soul-level exhaustion, and unexpected grace. In Brief Encounters: Memoirs of a CNA, author Z.A. Jene takes readers behind the scenes of long-term care—where the coffee is lukewarm, the residents are feisty, and the staff barely holds it together (with love and a lot of dark humor).
Told with a sharp wit and a big heart, these stories capture the reality of life as a Certified Nursing Assistant: the intimate, the absurd, the heartbreaking, and the hilarious. From sweet goodnights to full-blown dinner drama, from patients who surprise you to coworkers who save your sanity, Brief Encounters doesn’t sugarcoat a thing—and that’s exactly why you’ll love it.
Whether you’re a seasoned caregiver, just entering the field, or someone who’s ever wondered what really happens beyond those locked double doors, this memoir will leave you laughing, nodding, and maybe even tearing up.
This isn’t just a book. It’s a love letter to the people who wipe butts, hold hands, and somehow find the funny in it all.
Brief Encounters: Memoirs of a CNA (Paperback)
About Brief Encounters: Memoirs of a CNA
When I first wrote Brief Encounters, I did it under a pseudonym. At the time, I never planned on putting my real name out there. Writing under another name felt safer—it let me be honest about the reality of long-term care, the heartbreaks, the laughter, and the human moments that most people never see. I wanted to tell the truth, but I also wanted to protect myself.
But a few weeks ago, something shifted. Some things happened that made me stop and think—why am I hiding? These stories are mine. They’re part of my journey, my growth, and my purpose. And I realized that if I want to stand up for change, for the CNAs and nurses who give their all every day, then I can’t hide behind a fake name.
So here I am. No pseudonym. No hiding. Just me, Alicia Anderson Hicks telling the truth about what it’s like behind those doors. The good, the bad, and everything in between.
To hell with fear. This is my story, and I’m owning it.
