Survey: Do you think nurses are portrayed positively in the media?

The main characters on hospital based TV shows are docs, the main caregivers in the hospital are nurses.

Docs in entertainment programs reprimand nurses, and say they have the power to fire the RN, this is not true.

When a scene calls for emotion, or a sincere conversation the nurses are outside, while the student doc listens carefully and takes action. I have yet to meet a student doc who knew how to listen let alone what to do with the info they had.

Nurses always call on the docs for help, not fellow nurses. Docs always identify the patient's deterioration, not nurses. (Opposite to my experience)

Recently, on ER, a patient arrested in the operating wound as the docs worked feverishly to save his life. Nurses were in the background handing the surgeon his tools, and looking with concerned admiration as he swore at them for not reading his mind. During the arrest the nurses for some reason all disappeared from the room as the heroic doc and his faithful resident ran the code by themselves. The patient died (of course). Pan out to a wide shot of an operating room empty save for these two docs left to suffer the loss of their beloved patient.

I wrote to ER on that one, told them that if they had written nurses into the scene the patient would have lived. No reply.

Nurses are 30 years behind in the media. Why aren't we all protesting?

The best portrayal of nursing (and others perception of nursing) I've experienced is in a Pulitzer Prize winning play entitled 'Wit'. The playwright is Margaret Edson, who once worked as a nursing unit clerk. It is about a woman's experience with terminal breast cancer- reflection's on her life and her entrance into our foriegn, dehumanizing medical world. It very accurately portrays our hospital culture.

The nurse is knowledgeable, caring, informative and a patient advocate. I could go on about the patient, doctor and resident, but this post would become far too long. It is a very funny, sad play and if you ever have the opportunity to see it- Don't Miss It!! You'll love it on many levels.

Comments from others who have seen it are appreciated!

Hello there! I know it's an old thread but I wanted to give some input. I've been writing an evidence based report about vertical violence, specifically physician to nurse abuse. I have to agree with all other posts before: nurses's portrayal is overwhelmingly negative on TV shows- nurses are either invincible (thank you for that, House!), or kind, but dumb or incompetent. Well, I personally can be kind to my patients, but I will give it back to any physician who insults me, or being condescending to me: that you have a couple of years education more than me, doesn't give you the right to consider me dumb.
I'm a MEPN student (master entry in nursing; have another master degree in another field and have being successful in my previous profession) at a highly rated nursing program, and I'll never comprehend that: how come nurses, who are the most numerous group amongst healthcare professionals, can't defend their right to be treated respectfully as a part of an interdependent team? Yes, historically nurses were women and in subservient role, but that was at least half century ago.
If a physician yells at you, or being disrespectful, talk to him/her, state that is not acceptable, write it up, report him if needed. Abusers abuse because they are allowed to do so. Nursing is a profession with amazing, independent, smart, critical thinking nurses. Don't sell yourself cheap! We didn't become nurses because we failed medical school. Neither to be treated as subservient. I have so much respect for nurses after seeing what they do. Stand up for yourself because you deserve to be treated as a professional.