[ayla2004]

Originally Posted by Noahm

I'm an American living in the UK. The stereotypes and ignorance that some Brits have regarding America are absolutely crazy. I think the British stereotypes of Americans are much more ridiculous than vice versa i.e. American stereotypes of the British.

Do expand since we have such a high inport of usa films and television what do they not portray about the usa that creats such sterotypes in UK.

[ayla2004]

i suppose in comparison with the USA the UK is a small place, however so densly populated that we have wide rantging accents and even nationalities(sp). For instance i'm irish, good chance i speak to fast for most americans might need subtitles. However i'm a student nurse in manchester and spend fair amounts of w/e in the south, london in particular and have an idea about what a london compared to an RP or BBC english accent is. Glad no one has seen caps even in the privat sector no chance i keep on my head.

[cariad]

I dont think that it helps that bbc america consists of everyday programmes such as benny hill, whose line is it anyway. if americans were by chance to watch these, what else are they supposed to think?
caps have been outdated for years, and the biggest reason for getting rid of them------money. what a surprise, not the fact that anyone who had to wear one looked an idiot, although maybe there are one or two who liked them.
as for living in the uk and watching us movies, my vision is that evry other word begins with f... and that everyone has a gun.
now that I am here I realise that not everyone is like that.

[cariad]

P.S. I forgot to mention, that zooming down the freeway drinking starbucks and talking on the cellphone while overtaking on both sides is very stereotypical of the americans.
thats why there are so many car crashes where we live, and near misses.
the uk law about cell phone usage whilst driving should be brought over here.

[David's Harp]

Originally Posted by ayla2004

i was watching an old episode of er which had some shots in london very typical R.P accents etc however it was how nurses were protrayed that intrested me the dress and cap. Does any nhs or private hospital in the last ten years still use caps? and why is americans sterotypes all british as posh english.

I move for mandatory viewing of "The Catherine Tate Show" at all U.S. institutions! Just kidding...

My fellow citizens have some rather unreasonable stereotypes of all peoples, even of each other. Having made that rather pompous statement, I can only imagine the stereotypes I have that I haven't noticed yet (cringe!)

[madwife2002]

Where I live everybody drives down the highways on their cell phones at 90 miles an hour, reading a map, zipping in and out of lanes so I guess that is typical for my state.

[english_nurse]

Originally Posted by cariad

P.S. I forgot to mention, that zooming down the freeway drinking starbucks and talking on the cellphone while overtaking on both sides is very stereotypical of the americans.
thats why there are so many car crashes where we live, and near misses.
the uk law about cell phone usage whilst driving should be brought over here.

yes, the law has been recently updated, now its 3 points on the licence along with the £60 fine, so the police are having a crackdown at the moment, rightly so.
i have never seen a nurse in a cap or cape, and i started my nurse training 7 years ago, i imagine they were long gone before i started!

[cheshirecat]

The hospital I work in (NHS) has a private hospital attached to it. We wear tunics and trousers, they wear dresses, belts and frilly caps. I wore caps/belt when I first qualified - 1985, also had a cape with nice red lining to keep me warm in the winter.

Much more comfortable and safe in my ill fitting tunic and trousers though.

[Alexk49]

I have watched a show on BBC America, No Angels. Do the nurses get issued the same uniform like the show?
The show also shows open wards, which for the most part have been eliminated in the US.
Last question...... when passing medications the nurses push an open medication cart. I am assuming that this is all made up.

[ZippyGBR]

Originally Posted by Alexk49

I have watched a show on BBC America, No Angels. Do the nurses get issued the same uniform like the show?

generally yes, where uniform is worn it is issued by the employer

some is good , some is bad some is indifferent ...

The show also shows open wards, which for the most part have been eliminated in the US.

generally on the way out if not gone, although 4 - 6 bed bays are still quite common

new build is often 50 % single rooms and 50 % 4 bed bays - i know our new hospital will be assuming the funding all falls into place.

Last question...... when passing medications the nurses push an open medication cart. I am assuming that this is all made up.

some places do still use medicine trollies - particularly assessment units where most of the drugs are given from stock rather than from patient specific packs ( if people are admitted for more than a day or two they will generally have patient specific packs sent up from pharmacy for all their meds )

a lot of places now use individual lockups on the bedside lockers or fastened to the wall by the bed - as you have the flexibility for patients to self medicate if approrpaite or you don't give the patient the key and use your master key to get in for their drugs ...