Image of Nursing

Nurses General Nursing

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The nursing profession previously enjoyed a high level of public confidence and trust. The public's perception of nursing has diminshed over the years. How can we, as nurses, gain that trust back?

There isn't a problem with the image of nurses, in my opinion. There is nothing to fix. I've always been treated with the utmost respect as a professional by the public and by the healthcare facilities I've had the pleasure to work for.

Actually nursing is more respected now than before. When my mother was graduating from high school some 40 years ago, the nursing profession was still looked down on by a majority of the public. As time has passed, the nursing profession has gained much respect from the public. In the time I have been a nurse, I have been shown and gotten much respect. I am very fortunate in that my niece wants to go into nursing and that makes me very proud. She thinks it is a profession to be proud of because her anut (me) is a nurse.

Over the years it appears that the image of nursing has drastically changed. At some point nurses were "sex kittens" and we still have a little bit of that when we hear "Helloooooo nurse!" However, I still don't think that nursing has a great image. It is seen as a noble career but not necessarily a profession. What do you all think?

Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

Merging two identical threads

I thought I was seeing double!

Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

I haven't seen a decrease in the publics image around here. Most people when they've been in the hospital remember the little things like "the nurses were so nice", or "the nurses were so mean". So much of public perception is in our own hands and how we communicate, regardless of staffing and and our own burnout, if we present ourselves professionally and compassionately (and I think most of us do) then the public thinks highly of us. Just an opinion, not backed by research though.

Are you expressing an opinion or a fact backed with data? (Not trying to be a smartass, just curious.)

Specializes in Obstetrics, M/S, Psych.

Roxie087

Why do you feel the way you do?

I agree with the posters who believe nursing's image has improved over the years, both internally and externally. We are much more respected and considered a integral part of the healthcare team. Doctors show more respect and consult with nurses as peers more readily than they have in the past.

Lots about nursing is not positve, but the public perception of nursing is not a big problem, IMO.

I believe that we are highly trusted by the public, research has proven this. However, through media, whether it is the news, journals, movies, or tv, the image of nursing takes a bad rep. And when you look at nurses and nursing in the press nurses are least quoted and the least represented. That says something of the image of nursing, whether we would like to admit it or not.

I would have to agree with Roxie087 that the image of nursing does need work. One area in particular that needs work is the stereotype of nursing as a job only for women. Granted, these days there is a higher number of men moving into nursing as a career, but look at how men are portrayed as nurses. You don't have to look any further than the popular movie "Meet the Parents" to see a negative image of males as nurses.

Specializes in ER, ICU, Corrections.

Very much so about the movie Meet the Parents.....all male nurses are gay. I have about 4 men that I have worked with lately and none of them are gay and they do thier share and more work and they are just the best people to work with. That is something that we need to work on is making sure that they all nurses aren't sterotyped into certain things...women being sex kittens and men being gay....why do people start thinking of our profession like that?????

Interesting, those who are leading and bating with the negative remarks are posters who have only posted once... hmmm... bored teenagers? Pot stirers? hmmmm

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