Oprah Show Idea: Celebrating Nurses

[proud2bme]

I had this dream last night that I would like to share with you all. I will try to make it brief to give you the general idea and how it could/should come true.

So, I am at Oprah's house. Yes, Oprah Winfrey (a friend to all). I told her I have show idea that I think she really needs to explore and bring to the public. I told her to have a show completely focused on Nurses. Everyone always talks about how great dr's are, but a great nursing team is what really help MAKE the dr shine.

I explained how the first segment should be on how the nursing shortage affects nurses and their patients. Also how it could and does affect the public.

The second segment should have nurses talking about their profession and how it has changed their lives, for the good. How reaching out to other's fills their spirit and helps many. Bring more True American Heros that work everyday to care for others into the spotlight.

Ok, I said I would be brief. Here are a few things that we "talked" about in this dream. Can any of you think how to approach this subject where Harpo Productions will listen and respond? Is it even a good idea?

I think bringing the realities of the good and the bad in the nursing profession to the public on such a large stage would be beneficial to the nursing industry. Let's give'em something to talk about. What are your thoughts?

[Q.]

I had emailed this very thing to Oprah two years ago - on her website she asked for show ideas. I didn't receive any correspondence back and I haven't seen any shows on the subject.

[-jt]

she did one a few years ago & it was an embarrassment. Think of a staff meeting between the night shift & the day shift & what that dissolves into & there you have it. The show ended up being a gripe session of complaints between nurses. And of the horrors of nursing. Of course Oprah set the tone for it by starting the show off with the question "whats your worst hospital horror story". Right then I knew what course that show was going to take & it wasnt going to be a good one.

There were nurses in the audience & on the stage & all Oprah wanted to talk about was the terrible things that nurses see & the mistakes they and the doctors and the hosptials make. She never really touched on the factors that can lead to these errors - ie: short staffing or any other issue. She didnt allow for discussion about the accomplishments, the political activity that nurses are involved in to improve pt care & safety, or the rewards of the profession. It was a very downbeat show - full of complaints but never getting to the reasons for the problems. Maybe it was the way it was edited but the show did not present nurses in a very good light.

Some staff nurses in the audience tried to respond to comments made by the nurse executives on the stage & talk about the reality of their workload but you can imagine what that turned into. The nurses on both sides ended up looking like bickering fools. It was embarrassing. I remember thinking at the end: Ill bet she tells her staff 'remind me never to do another show with nurses ever again!'

So Im not surprised she didnt respond to your request.

She advertizes that transcripts of shows are available for purchase. I hope she burned that one.

[MishlB]

Send an e-mail to her show...I have done it and got a phone call from producers. They will contact you if interested.

Great idea by the way!!!

[Rottie1]

I think it is a great idea to get nurses in the spotlight. Even Johnson & Johnson has commercial promoting nursing. Some of the Hospitals in town here do a little highlight on a nurse in order to advertise for nursing jobs. If Oprah or another high profile personality were to highlight the good in nursing, it may just make an impact on today's nurses.

[Sleepyeyes]

I read a thread here that really blew me away about the nursing shortage, and I copied it, and emailed it to Oprah's show ideas. That was a couple months ago. Heard nothing. Maybe if we all did??????

It would be a great forum to increase public awareness.

[nightingale, RN]

Oh jt...

That sounds just like a meeting I went to as a student nurse at a facility. It left such a bad taste in my mouth that I NEVER applied to that facility. I hear that same facility is offering a $ 13,000 sign on bonus. I bet they are still bickering llike cats and dogs!