Nursing Images!!!!!!!!

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Please help fellow nurses.

I am doing a presentation for school on nursing image.

Share your thoughs with me, please.

Does television help or hinder our image?

Why are we not as powerful as the AMA?

What can we do to improve our image?

Any other thoughts???????????????

Thank you for your help!!!!!!!!!!!

debbiet:

What can we do to improve our image?

Read "From Silence to Voice" by Bernice Buresh & Suzanne Gordon

The subtitle is "What Nurses Know and Must Communicate to the Public. It's food for thought and then action.

TV -- hurts and helps. Depends on the show. ER has helped in many ways I think.

Why AMA is more powerful? Money talks unfortunately. And if I may be so bold --- most MD's are so "sure of themselves" that they won't listen to nurses and forget that we are in most cases (especially the ltc setting) their eyes and ears!

What can we do to improve --- same as what everyone else said:

unify, respect each other and above all - STOP NIT PICKING AT EACH OTHER!!!

Thanks Washyahands for posting that awesome woodhill study. Also thankyou to everyone else who posted info and links. I hate to think about all the good stuff I would miss without you guys.

critique each other in front of the patients. As I was responding on another thread, a nurse presents an unprofessional image when she/he walks in a patients' room, does not like what he/she sees, and asks the patient, "What did you think of the nurse that took care of you last shift?" When is the last time any of you nurses ever heard a doctor ask a patient, "what did you think of Doctor ______?" It simply isn't done. Nursing is hard work. Every shift I work, whoever follows me will be able to find something to critisize if they are looking for something. Does that mean a nurse should critisize me and tear down my image as a nurse? Nurses are not in popularity contests. I detest it when patients' start this, "I don't want _____ nurse to take care of me." When I ask , "why not?" , the patient simply "likes" another nurse more. I routinely explain to patients that the nurses are not in a "popularity" contest, and our assignments are based on equitable distribution of labor for a 12 hour shift, not to satisfy patients whims and socializing factors. Yes, I really do give them a professional lecture, that nursing is serious business. We are not here to be their "favorites".

I generally agree with all the other posters on this topic. ER I believe has been a definate plus for us-you see the nurses taking initiative, questioning doctor's orders and taking responsibility for their actions (Carol Hathaway we need you!!)

One thing that I haven'e seen mentioned is how nurses generally look. Okay, this might be petty, but I've been to too many professional conferences where nurses look anything but. I'm not saying that you have to wear Liz Claiborn, but c'mon flip flops and cut-off shorts? Or tight sweats, tennis shoes, no socks and greasy hair??? Looking professional is part of being perceived as a professional.

Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

Thanks, Washyahands! Agree with Ormar, Woodhull Study has GREAT ideas for increasing nursings identity...Check it out!

Added to my list of Media resourses!

You're welcome, glad I could contribute something meaningful.

I'm going to order the book that CaronRN mentioned, "From Silence To Voice". Sounds like it could be very beneficial.

Linda

I have been an rn for 3 years and it is my 2nd career. I went in to nursing school not realizing that nursing had an image problem. But now that I'm in, I can why. My first concern is the different educational requirements. BSN should be the only way to go. I think if nursing wants more respect as a profession they need to set their educational goals higher. I know that this will offend people who have an associates degree and are excellent nurses. I also have an associate's degree, which I am quite proud of. (I have a Bachelor's degree in another area) I just don't know of any other profession that allows different degree levels for the same job. Unfortunately, with the shortage, it would be awfully hard to get rid of associate programs. (If it weren't for associate programs, I don't know that I would be a nurse.) My other issue is that I think nurses need to take more pride in themselves and what they do. I hear so much whining. If I had found this web site before deciding on nursing, you guys would have talked me right out of it! I think nurses have to be so intelligent, on top of so many new technologies. Healthcare changes so much everyday. But instead of sharing information, we tend to ***** about our pay, our schedules, our patients, our administration, etc., etc., etc. Maybe if people heard us talk about what we know, people would realize what a challenge nursing really is. Along those lines is also this thought: I went to the AACN conference as a relatively new nurse and was so dissappointed at how unprofessional everyone was. Many nurses wore sweat pants, they were out of shape, overweight, unkempt. I felt ashamed to be associated with them. The hotel staff, conference staff, people working in restaurants that catered to the conference all get impressions from this. It may seem shallow, but it's the fact. I have the utmost respect for nursing as a profession, I look for any opportunity to increase the public's perception.

EllanRN-

Glad to know someone else out there thinks some nurses look like slobs at professional meetings. It's bugged me for years-you can be comfortable, but nicely attired at the same time. You're right about hotel staff forming opinions about us related to appearance.

The education issue also makes us look like a joke of a profession-its been a on-going topic in my 20 years in the profession, and I don't think we're any closer to a decision than we were when I was in my ADN prgram in 1981. I agree that a BSN should be entry level, but I also agree with your rationale about the shortage and the ADN programs. I sincerely think a persons desire to be a good nurse and their skills and personality make them a good nurse, not what letters they have after their name. I currently have a several LVN's that can run circles around my BSN. I've just turned into an admin type with a MSN so just keep me away from patients :) But you still need those people skills as a manager.

I think I've rambled enough-good luck with your career and don't let yourself get drawn into some of the negative trends that occasionally appear on this board -but sometimes it is good to know that you're not the only one in a sinking boat.

CaronRN58:

Thank you for posting the info on the book. At Amazon.com they have 17 pages from the book availabe to view... I will try to post the link (but it may not work as it has my sign on name on the page):

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/detail/-/books/1551199742/reader/2/107-1620636-6671701#reader-link

The book looks great.... thank you for posting...

Great thread! Thank you to all the posters... love the food for thought...

B.:)

Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

"From Silence To Voice" is excellent. Was loaned to me by Widener professor ione week after my nursing rally this past May. Boy, I wish I had known about it prior to the event, I would have aproached Media differently, planted info 2 months ahead of time in local papers and had better follow-up with Media.

At least I was prepared for sound bits from ANA info. See RN=Real News: Media Relations & You

http://nursingworld.org/mods/mod230/cernver.htm

Gearing up now for ANA Convention and hope to be able to influence Media Coverage.

to be sure!

Just dazzle the media the way you do with your posts and it will be a big success....

I wish I could go (to the ANA Convention) ... I hope to have a camp nurse position or have some great project with my kids this summer.... so will, unfortunately, not be able to join you and the gang... sounds like it will be incredible!

I love those types of gatherings... so will make a different one to be sure....

B.:)

+ Add a Comment