House - Is this what nurses do?

[MT RN]

Did anyone watch House tonight? The reason I'm asking is about halfway through the show I think the MD played by Omar Epps made a rude comment about nurses. The situation was that the MD was preparing to do a spinal tap on a pt., and the pts. sister asked if she could help. He said something to the effect of "Sure, it's easier than getting a nurse" and asked her to reposition his legs and hold them. The girl then asked "Is that all that nurses do?" and the MD replied something to the effect of that being all they were good for.

Now mind you my hearing is somewhat diminished and I wasn't really paying a great deal of attention to the show, but I swear that's what I heard. Just want to confirm before I fire off a nasty email to the show...

[RNOTODAY, BSN, RN]

That show is way out of whack anyway..I like it , I admit, but it is really not reality based. They (the md's) give their own meds, draw their labs, go to that lab and retrieve the results, they do their own imaging, they take their own vitals, perform ekg's, they even perform surgery!!!!

[jb2u, ASN, RN]

Please tell me one tv show that IS realistic.

Even though these shows are not "realistic," they do have a basis in reality. This is why people watch. People tend to believe the role that the actor is playing. Studies show that they do believe that they learn from these shows. These same shows hire experts to ensure that these shows are accurate for a reason. Why would they hire experts if they did not want their shows to appear realistic?

Let's be honest. We live in a country that loves television. A lot of Americans get their "news" from entertainment television, watch sitcoms instead of a presidential debate, and would rather vote for an "Idol" than a Senator.

Nobody is more maligned in TV shows and movies than lawyers. Yet, I don't see lawyers complaining about it.

:typing

I love watching Boston Legal, The Practice, Shark, etc., and I don't see where lawyers would have anything to complain about. They are shown to have a conscious, fight for the little guy, and do all the work. Rarely do you ever see a paralegal on these shows. Paralegals are an integral part of a law firms success just like Nurses, but without the glory of being a Lawyer or Doctor. Besides, Lawyers are still part of the "powerful" professions. People may say they don't like lawyers, but find out your son or daughter wants to become a lawyer and people think "oh that's wonderful." If someone finds out their son or daughter is going to marry a Lawyer,eyes light up, mother-in-law proudly says "he's a lawyer." I really don't think they have much to complain about. As a nursing student, I constantly get "are you going to go on to become a doctor?" People do not realize that Nursing is a profession by itself. It would be like asking a cop if he is going to go on to become a lawyer. They both deal with the law, but they are separate professions; however, when it comes to Nursing and Medicine this distinction is not made. Why? Because of an ignorant public that gets their view of Nurses from t.v.

If you notice, a big driving plot point in all of these shows is solving the medical mystery. And the medical mystery involves docs and diagnosis. That's probably why a lot of these shows focus on docs.

:typing

I agree the plots are normally about Medicine; however, so is the hospital environment. Yet, Nurses are an essential part of the hospital environement. Hospitals are there for the purpose of nursing care! The point is it would not hurt the producers of Grey's Anatomy to show Nurses in a positive light or for a Nurse to push a med while House yells at a patient. The plots would not change, but the perception that the public would have about Nurses would. This is SAD, but very true, and studies prove that this would affect the way that viewers see Nurses!

Everyone needs to be educated on what exactly Nurses do. There are studies that show even Doctors do not really know what all Nurses do and why they need the education that they have. If you just want a job and you don't care about nursing as a profession, well then, I understand an apathetic view of this topic; however, if you love being a Nurse and you care about the future of Nursing then I would hope that you would see the damage that these shows do to the profession and understand those that want to see a change.

[Sheri257]

Everyone needs to be educated on what exactly Nurses do. There are studies that show even Doctors do not really know what all Nurses do and why they need the education that they have. If you just want a job and you don't care about nursing as a profession, well then, I understand an apathetic view of this topic; however, if you love being a Nurse and you care about the future of Nursing then I would hope that you would see the damage that these shows do to the profession and understand those that want to see a change.

I'll try to ignore you're insulting remarks and explain where I'm coming from.

I worked in the TV news business which is pretty much the same as the TV entertainment business, since it's all ratings driven. Education and entertainment are not the same thing. TV producers don't care about education, they care about ratings because that's what pays the bills.

I'm skeptical not because I don't care about nursing ... but only because I've been in these meetings where TV producers decide what shows to do.

I just keep trying to picture what show they could do about nurses. And I'm not talking about a show that nurses would want to see, but a show that could be economically feasible enough to grab some ratings. This is the only reason any show gets on the air.

There's a very good chance it would not turn out to be a show that nurses would want ... but a show that would upset nurses even further with nurses as sex kittens screwing this or that person, etc. because, unfortunately, that's the content most likely to grab ratings.

And, if the show was more serious and had any basis in reality ... you'd still have to show nurses taking orders from docs because that's what nurses do. So ... are the producers going to put the docs in background and show some saintly nurse saving the day? Not likely since the reality is, docs still call the shots.

I just tend to be more practical because I was in the TV business. Be careful what you wish for. They're not in the business of making nurses or, anyone else for that matter, look good. They're in the business of getting ratings.

:typing

[SOREFEETEMPTYSTOMACH]

YOU GO GIRLS!!!(and guys) I WATCH THAT SHOW ONLY BECAUSE MY COMPANION HAS IT ON EVERY TUESDAY. OFTEN I TURN MY BACK AND READ.

I FIND IT COMPLETELY SOCIALLY IRRESPONSIBLE AND SO INACCURATE IT IS RIDICULOUS. THE SCARY THING IS THAT LAY CONSUMERS WATCH IT SO FOR THEM IT'S GOSPEL.THAT SHOW PORTRAYS PHYSICIANS IN THE HOSPITAL PERFORMING ALL SORTS OF PROCEDURES DONE BY NURSES IN REALITY.

I SAY EACH OF US SHOULD WRITE A LETTER TO THE EDITOR OF OUR LOCAL NEWSPAPER WITH OUR LIST OF GRIPES. SECOND SEND A COPY TO THE CREATOR AND PRODUCER OF THE SHOW. IN TODAY'S HEALTHCARE MARKET THAT BOZO WOULD NOT BE AROUND LONG. :smilecoffeeIlovecof

[nrsang97, BSN, RN]

I have to admit I love to watch Grey's Anatomy and ER. I have a HUGE gripe with House though. I have never seen a show where the docs do all their own labs, give their own meds, and run the CT and MRI machines. I do however like the mystery aspect of House. A lot of us wish we could say the things he says to people and not get fired.

My aunt who is a administration assistant to the head of a research department for the VA, pointed out all of House's faults to me yesterday. The same things we all notice. NOT 1 single nurse in the show, the docs running the CT and MRI machines, (we have techs that do that), and running all their labs and biopsies ( we have lab techs and pathologists that do these things).

I do have to say there have been some VERY strong nurse portrayels on ER, including Carol Hathway, Abby (before she became a doc), and Sam, and Halle. All these are very assertive and strong nurses. So I have to say I disagree that ER protrays nurses in a negative light. I have to give it to the producers of ER that they portray a nurse's role very well.

Grey's Anatomy could use some work. They should have more nurses in their show. But as my cousin pointed out they do have Olivia the nurse. But Olivia is a very limited character. They could bring out some more nurses in the show. I still like to watch for the sotry lines anyway.

And yes some docs and the public should be educated on what nurses do. I have to say that I remember the show "Nurses", I watched as a child with my aunt. I have to say that was a good show. They showed nurses taking orders from docs and implementing them. I remember the nurses on the show still wore white uniforms and caps.

Even watching Untold stories of the ER, Truama life in the ER, you still don't get an adequate picture of what nurses do. These shows all focus on the docs.

I would like to see a show all about nurses, just hope they do it right.

[jb2u, ASN, RN]

I'll try to ignore you're insulting remarks and explain where I'm coming from.

I am not sure which words were insulting....

The public does need to be educated on the role of the Nurse.(not insulting)

Studies do show that Doctors do not even know what exactly the role of the Nurse is (not insulting)...and...

I can understand an apathetic view on this topic if someone does not care about nursing as a PROFESSION. That is not an insult. That is me saying that if someone does not care about the profession then I understand that they do not care if nurses are portrayed in a poor light.

I fully understand that t.v. is about ratings because ratings brings in the cash, and CASH is what it is really all about. The question is...can they portray a nurse MORE accurately and still have high ratings without changing their plots? The answer is YES. And by the way...No, Nurses do not just take Doctor's orders. Nurses can initiate smoking cessation counseling, consult nurse specialist, assess, and even refuse doctor's orders that endanger the patient. I think showing a Nurse standing up to a Doctor would not only be accurate, but an integral part of the role of the Nurse as a patient advocate. These shows DO try to be as accurate as possible with their doc characters. If they didn't care at all about reality...why don't they just have a RN writing orders, performing surgery, or working as chief of surgery. The answer is because to them that would not be realistic. However, they are ok with Doctors running MRI's, drawing blood, emptying a foley, and hanging around to watch after a patient. That's not too far away from reality for them. Again, I am not trying to insult anyone. I understand and it is a fact that some people just wanted a job and nursing was it, so, they do not care about how the profession is perceived. Some people love nursing, but do not understand the damage that is done by these shows or does not agree with the studies(like I said, studies show that these shows do affect the way the public views nursing). And some people love nursing and don't really care about how nursing is portrayed. I don't know why that would be, but some people just feel this way. I don't know which group you or anyone else here would fall into, but everyone would fall into one of these groups. You either love it/don't care, love it/don't believe, love it/care about it, don't love it/ don't care about it. Again, I never put down those that do not care. If someone chose nursing because they needed a secure job and do not really care about the profession or promoting it, that doesn't bother me at all as long as they take care of their patients in a professional manner. If someone disagrees with the studies, that's ok, too. I know someone will always take the opposing viewpoint on every issue, but as a whole, I'd hope that nurses who really care about the profession WILL see the damage that these shows do. I never even asked anyone to protest the shows, just know that these shows affect the way that the public views nursing. This way, we can educate the public one on one. And, there is nothing wrong with wanting to see nurses in these shows portrayed more accurately, right?

[Sheri257]

First, I think I know what a nurse does ...

Have you ever written a TV script professionally? Because I have.

This particular show is built around four doctors. The whole premise of the show is medical mystery diagnosis so, by it's very definition ... this show is going to be about doctors. Not nurses, not lab techs, not x-ray techs, etc. From a pure storytelling standpoint, anything to do with nurses and other healthcare workers is really irrelevant to the core premise of this show.

Because this show is built around these four MD characters trying to figure out the diagnosis ... they're going to give them all of this other stuff to do because they are the stars and focus of the show.

If they try to be politically correct and appease every healthcare worker from the lab techs to the nurses ... they're going to introduce so many characters that it will easily distract from the actual core story that they're trying to tell ... which is: what mystery diagnosis/disease does this patient have this week.

The fact that House is so dangerous is also a key part of this show's entertainment. This show is about a brilliant, unconventional doc who goes to great, often controversial lengths to figure out what the disease is. And, of course, he's a jerk but, he's always right.

So ... what's gonna happen if they write a script where a nurse holds the drug because it's unsafe. House is going to give it to the patient anyway ... and the controversial treatment is going to work, or lead to clues that will ultimately tell him what the real diagnosis is ... like it always does on this show ... and the nurse is ultimately going to made to look like an idiot for holding the drug. Just like they've made the other docs on the show look like idiots for disagreeing with House.

Then, of course, nurses will be up in arms complaining about how the nurse was made to look bad on the show.

The fact is, purely from an entertainment point of view: things like medical diagnosis and surgery are much more interesting and entertaining than what nurses do. And while some of these shows may have docs doing some of the things that nurses do, the core plot points still mainly focus on what docs do ... surgery, diagnosis, etc.

And that's why these shows feature docs, not nurses.

:typing

[Diahni]

Everybody,

I find the provocative way Cuddy dresses to defy reality. Has anybody ever seen an MD administrator dress in high heels and low-cut blouses? It would be nice to have some positive images of nurses out there, but it's not going to happen on these dumb, but amusing, tv shows. Just remember that the nursing profession is one of the most respected in real life. The medical mystery aspect of House is pretty interesting, even if real life MDs aren't the ones to draw blood. And even my 16 year old daughter finds Hugh Laurie pretty cute. Definitely cuter than Borat, aka Sascha Cohen, who is far more offensive.

Diahni

[Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN]

Everybody,

I find the provocative way Cuddy dresses to defy reality. Has anybody ever seen an MD administrator dress in high heels and low-cut blouses? It would be nice to have some positive images of nurses out there, but it's not going to happen on these dumb, but amusing, tv shows. Just remember that the nursing profession is one of the most respected in real life. The medical mystery aspect of House is pretty interesting, even if real life MDs aren't the ones to draw blood. And even my 16 year old daughter finds Hugh Laurie pretty cute. Definitely cuter than Borat, aka Sascha Cohen, who is far more offensive.

Diahni

Actually, I have seen a nursing administrator dress like that. Just one though. :nuke:

I watch "House" occasionally. I've been an ER addict since day one and also watch Grey's Anatomy.

I guess for me there are more important issues going on in the world to get involved in a letter writing campaign around some tv shows. Not saying the "nursing image" is not important but for me it doesn't rank up at the top of my list of important things that need changing in our world.

steph

[P_RN, ADN, RN]

Yes unfortunately some people no matter what their job/position don't have the good sense to dress the part.

[Jay-Jay, RN]

I will never forget my first visit with my gynecologist. Underneath her whilte lab coat, she was wearing a purple chiffon party-type dress, with matching shoes.

She was also chewing gum.

She seemed like a good doctor, so I let it pass. I never saw her dressed that way again (maybe she was leaving right after work for a special function?? She shared the office with her husband.)

Heck she was a GREAT doctor! When I had to have a hysterectomy, she walked into the OR with her arm around my shoulders! :) (This is a new policy: ambulatory patients are allowed to WALK into the OR. It gives them more of a sense of control. I like the policy.)

So, don't judge a book by its cover. My old GP often visits his hospital patients on weekends, wearing his golf togs. He used to be head of family practise at his hospital, and is the BEST GP you could find anywhere!

[jb2u, ASN, RN]

First, I think I know what a nurse does ...

I have no doubt that you know exactly what nurses do. However, when I say "everybody" needs to know what nurses do....I was talking about everyone that is unaware of what nurses do. According to surveys that's about 81% of the population. I am sorry I was not clear about who exactly I was talking about. Again, Lizz, I did NOT mean to offend you or question YOUR knowledge on nursing. However, as someone that loves this profession, I want to see the profession grow to a point where our profession is understood. People trust us, but they do not know what we do exactly. I actually find that kind of odd, but maybe that's just me.

Have you ever written a TV script professionally? Because I have.

No, I have never written a tv script...professionally or otherwise. That being said, I understand why the docs are the main focus and I understand why nursing is often an overlooked profession. I stated that I watch all of these shows. In fact, I love them, but I am AWARE that people, because of these shows, get the wrong view about what nursing is about. I don't really like that, but I am not asking anyone to write these shows, so what is the problem? I responded directly to those that stated..."it's just a tv show." Well, yes it is a tv show, but to say JUST a tv show is incorrect. It is a tv show that people say "oh, I know it's not real," but when they are surveyed by the CDC...the majority of viewers say "I learn about diseases and how to prevent them" from these entertainment tv shows. Doctors report patients asking about various illnesses after they are featured on "er." Again, I don't know why you are offended, and I am sorry that you are.