Grey's Anatomy Premier!!! + How to Contact Show Creators

sparkyRN · Apr 14, 2005

I've sent ABC my email.

Peachy720 · Apr 15, 2005

This is my letter to ABC and friends:
Dear Ms. Rhimes, Mr. Gordon, Mr. Parriott, Ms. Beers, Dr. Klein, Ms. Tobin and Mr. Thompson:
I am deeply disturbed and disheartened by the absence and abuse of nurses on your show, Grey's Anatomy. I am a Puerto Rican male completing a bachelor of science in nursing at the University of San Francisco. From what I take from the show, nurses are to be regarded as mere handmaidens that should be put in their respective places when questioning (what we call "advocating for our patient") the orders of a physician.
Are you not aware that most, if not all of the vital work physicians perform for patients each day rides on the backs of nurses? There is a nursing shortage and your portrayal of nursing as a servant's job is sad and is a negative message to send out to the public.
Just as you, Shonda Rhimes, feel that "the way people look at people on television is the way they perceive the world" and that "we can change the assumptions that people have simply by the images they see in the background of the show," as you pointedly explained on March 25, 2005, on an NPR broadcast, so too should you have concern over the public image of a health profession seriously on the decline due to perpetuated stereotypes about the value of work historically provided by females.
Please paint nurses in a brighter light as we are also valuable members of the surgical team and the overall healthcare of this and every country in the world.
Thank you.
_________________________________________________________________
Go to The Center for Nursing Advocacy wesite to send one! :wink2:

Wow, GREAT letter, USFGuy!!!:balloons: :Melody:

I'm definitely going to write a letter. I may not be anywhere's NEAR a BSN, but I definitely want to talk about how I remained ignorant about nursing for so many years, partly due to what I saw in the media.

nicuRN2007 · Apr 15, 2005

but I didn't take the time to read every post to make sure it hasn't been said...anyway -

what a bunch of idiots. Okay, who did they think one of their big target audiences would be??? Perhaps people in the medical profession???? And what are there quite a few of in the medical profession??? Nurses maybe??? I sure won't be watching it. To tell you the truth, I've never even heard of the show. Heard of the book, but not the show. That shows how "in the dark" I am I guess.

baby&mommynurse · Apr 15, 2005

If you don't want to get upset about it don't, but please don't minimize the concerns of others who are trying to better our profession. Public perception is shaped largely by media influences... who continue to portray professional nurses as bimbos, idiots, or simply nonexistant in the healthcare arena.
Many of us feel this plays heavily into the general lack of respect encountered by nurses today. If we say nothing, the general public is likely to assume the TV portrayals are correct, and the cycle of misinformation and sterotyping continues.
JMHO.

I agree. The media repeatedly "misses the boat" in portraying nursing as it is, a PROFESSION worthy of some measure of respect. It's time to change that, as the shortage in some areas deepens to critical levels. Whether we like it or not, our young people, in particular, DO watch a LOT of TV and it's shown media influence is a major factor in how nurses/nursing is perceived. I have to agree 100% with mattsmom here.

I was mainly addressing those who have been posting every little thing they have seen wrong with the show. By watching it, ratings will continue to allow the show to remain on. I've already stated in one of my other previous posts that I'm all for nurses rights. Who wouldn't be more for it than me?? After all, I'm "just an LVN"... as some people might put it. I have experienced a lot of disrespect in my career because I'm not an RN... some of it from doctors, but sadly, some of it comes from RNs. But that's not the point I'm trying to make here.

I've already written to the producers about my view of the show in how they portray nurses in a bad light and that maybe there ought to be more shows on about nurses showing that NURSING IS A REAL PROFESSION and NURSES SHOULD BE RESPECTED. There would be a more positive outcome by doing something like that rather than sitting there, watching the show and letting the ratings rise... thus letting the show remain on the air for all the world to see.

JMHO.

mattsmom81 · Apr 15, 2005

So... write a letter yourself then put down the observations of other nurses???Doesn't make sense to me but ah well....whatever.

I agree letter writing is more effective than griping amongst ourselves, but first of all the observations must be made and recognized for what they are:stereotyping and misinformation.

I hope everyone here wrote a letter and joins the Center for Nursing Advocacy in their education of the media. I think its a great organization myself ...and sorely needed.

witnurse · Apr 15, 2005

[email protected] If anyone cares to :angryfire vent.

This is the note I emailed:

From ???@??? 15 Apr 2005 14:55:29 EDT

Date: 15 Apr 2005 14:55:29 EDT

Subject: Grey's anatomy

To: [email protected]

While the standards of "entertainment " continue to sink to the lowest levels imagineable I wonder when it will end? I wonder how the writers of this AWFUL stereotypical diatribe will feel when they are ill and lying in feces and sweating and nauseous and just feel and smell as repulsively as possible and their nurse comes into the room ready to cleanse their body, dry it, powder them lightly, change the tangled soiled linen and give the medication that takes the pain and nausea away. Will they look up and say," No. I don't want you caring for me. You are jsut a NURSE." Do they think their doctor, who may spend 10 minutes with them on a good day is going to roll up his/her sleeves and "dig in?" Highly unlikely with the female residents angry attitude, "ARE YOU CALLING ME A NURSE?"

What were you thinking?

witnurse · Apr 15, 2005

Well, at least your criticizing the show for the fun of it... I do that sometimes, too. :chuckle
Everyone else here seems so angry about it. As I've said before, it's just a television show and if you don't like it, don't watch it.

It is just a television show, reaching millions of viewers. I can choose not to watch it and I will. However our future generations of nurses and patients are watching it. Doesn't do much for our professional image. :angryfire

SarasotaRN2b · Apr 17, 2005

While I agree the first show had problems regarding the negative connotations for the nursing profession, I have been watching the show and to me, it has gotten better. Besides, I watch it for Patrick Dempsey....yum!

Kris

indigo · Apr 18, 2005

I am a nurse, but above that I am a woman. I couldn't stand the way one female character was repeatedly sexually harrassed by various men. A supervisor hits on her, a patient kisses her and one of her peers comes up behind her at her locker and puts his arms around her. All of these encounters were pushed on her and she became "angry" in each one, then, oh well, she went on to get assaulted again. How long are we women going to stand by and let this crap get into the mainstream media? The treatment of nurses was indeed offensive, the treatment of women was heinous. How do we reach the producer?

Peachy720 · Apr 18, 2005

did you guys see it was bought for another season..:angryfire

**sorry, there was no vomit emoticon, but perhaps that's a good thing! :coollook: **

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Apr 18, 2005

Outrage gets attention, unfortunately in think some people started watching to see what the fuss was about.

Dorito, ASN, RN · Apr 18, 2005

I saw Grey's anatomy for the first time last night. (4/17) I heard the comment the Chief resident/intern said to the new interns...."You're the first one the patient sees in the morning!". (or pretty similar....evidentally that hospital doesn't use ANY nurses....only Interns for staffing. I was disappointed as well and knew I'd see something on this site about the show.