[RNstudentBrian]

On tonights "ER" episode they have hired a new nurse into the unit. He is a "MURSE" or so he is referred to by the "Doc's".

He very confidently subdued a pt out of control and attacking a female intern. Upon witnessing this the several male residents/attendings were remarking how they were just shown up by a "murse". Oh, "but isn't he macho" observes one of them. They just stare at this persons comment and walk away.

Grrr.... aren't there any nurse consultants on this show?
I'll bet that that ANA doesn't touch this one with one of their famous letter writing campaigns.

[iceyspots]

[psalm]

...have you seen the MASH 4077 boxer shorts at JC Penney's? They say on the front

M*A*S*H 4077 Canteen...serving nurses since 1972

I may have the # wrong and the word canteen might have been Saloon, but you get the message.

I appreciate seeing male nurses on the TV, this Ben is gonna be a major role, and hopefully not just as Sam's new love interest.

[mingez]

Atleast they have a male nurse on the show.

I agree, at first I was put off by the term "Murse"...which I hate.

But then, the writers went out of their way to point out how professional, capable, tough and masculine he is. This is indeed a baby step toward breaking stereotypes about men in the profession.

The more I think about it, the more I think it was positive exposure.

And as the above poster mentioned, if he becomes a major character on the show, perhaps they will address our issues. (and continue to dispell some of the negative stereotypes)

[SandraJean]

I think they portray a better image of nurses in general on ER than in some of the other TV medical shows on, but I do cringe when I hear demeaning comments made by the docs about them.
Not related to this episode, but how did Carrie Weaver end up walking without her cain? I must have missed something somewhere.....

[MT RN]

I was also upset at first when the docs used the "murse" term, which I hate also! They did end up portraying him in a very positive light though, so hopefully he will end up portraying nurses in a good way.

[SteveRN21]

lets see.... he's a male RN, not the gay-male-nurse-stereotype, he's tough, not nasty/ugly, more visible than 'ol Malik... I think this is a step in the right direction for all of us. I do hope they use his role for more than Sam's love interest... I do have the feeling he'll somehow get killed off real soon.......

[mingez]

You know, I was thinking about it, and the character "Malik" was a nurse. He wasn't the stereotype. Kind of had some street cred, due to his having grown up in the ghetto. He was a tough guy too, having wrestled down many people during conflict. But they never specified that he was a MALE nurse back then.

[Murseintraining78]

The reason Weaver doesn't have her cane is because she had hip surgery last season to finally correct her condition so she wouldn't need it anymore. I do have to say having a murse on there is definitely refreshing!

[P_RN]

A MURSE you say? Could that be because the program Scrubs opened this mursy can of worms. Do guys really prefer this nickname?
If so how about Gyurse, or maybe NursMan, or maybe NurFella.

Boys I hate to tell you but you will be a Nurse. Nurse-non gender specific-and not something you will want to joke about.

Oh and I've just about quit with ER, I think the turning points were Abby's premie all of a sudden becoming a 10# baby, and Sam shooting her sob ex in cold blood (even though I cheered for her at the time.) JMHO