House - Is this what nurses do?

Sheri257 · Nov 25, 2006

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."

I don't think these shows are doing docs any favors either. According to Grey's Anatomy ... docs kill patients all the time and do highly unethical things and, they always get away with it.

Alex made a patient a vegetable in one episode because of negligence. I don't remember there being any repercussions for it. In fact, Derek casually mentioned he had killed a patient as an intern. They made it sound like this was routine ... no board investigation, no disciplinary action, no lawsuits, no nothing.

And what Izzy did last season should have gotten her banned from medicine all together. Yet, she's back on "probation." Everybody covered up for her because she's their friend. Nevermind about the patient who probably died because he was denied the transplant due to Izzy's highly unethical actions on behalf of her boyfriend.

Burke's hand tremors are the latest sleazy thing that the docs have been doing on this show ... covering up the problem and endangering patients so Burke can keep his career. And there's Cristina sneaking around, covering on behalf of her boyfriend.

All of this doesn't exactly promote public trust in doctors. But, that's drama and entertainment. If you make the key characters look like saints ... quite frankly, it's boring.

Just like House would become boring if he suddenly became a nice guy who wasn't addicted to Vicodin. He's much more interesting as a pill popping ogre.

That's why I say ... be careful what you wish for. If they did feature nurses more on television ... you probably wouldn't like it because they often make the docs look like drug addicted, sex crazed, sleazy cover up artists.

:typing

allnurses Guide · Nov 25, 2006

I remember the show "Nurses". It was a sitcom and a spinoff of the show "Empty Nest" (which was a spinoff of The Golden Girls... I'm an 80's tv geek). The only thing that sticks out in my mind about the show, besides everyone wearing white... is Park Overall. I found her to be a very funny actress; I also loved her prostitute character in "Biloxi Blues".

Prostitution... another profession that, darn it, just doesn't get the respect it deserves. (I'm KIDDING, I'm KIDDING! :))

Anyway, as far as "House" goes. You guys are trying really hard to ruin a good thing for me. :) "House" is the only FICTIONAL network TV show that I watch with any consistency. I love the show. I personally have actually never noticed nurses portrayed in a negative light in the show. Heck, they hardly portray nurses at ALL, and I'll agree to that. But like others have said, they also forget to include many other hospital staffers in the show such as radiology techs, CNA's, phlebotomists, etc.. The show is about these 4-5 doctors and how they are working together to solve these medical mysteries, and everything centers around them. The show has no basis in reality whatsover. I know this, and yes there are times that I do shake my head at how silly the show is. But again, I've never seen nurses slammed on the show. I probably missed the episode in which Omar Epps' character made the comment about nurses, since I haven't actually gotten to watch it recently because of my hours at work (we still don't have TiVo).

I guess what I love about the show the most is House's character, and his interaction with everyone else on the show. Like already said, he is truly an equal opportunity jerk.

gonzo1, ASN, RN · Nov 25, 2006

There have been some decent portrayals of nurses on TV, Nurses, Mash, ER and Marcus WElby MD (remember that one) or the one with Chad Everett, but for the most part it is all about the docs. Because they are at the top of the food chain and can write orders etc, there is allowance for more intriquing plots.

Lets face it if nurses were portrayed correctly the public would die of boredom. I for one wouldn't want a show about my ER because we would look either boringly honest and hard working ( which would never sell a minute of advertising) or to juice the show up for the salascious public they would have to add the nurses who flock to the incoming traumas to check out the paramedics and cops. The nurses that wear thongs that show above their scrub bottoms no matter how many times they are spoken to. The nurses who are beat up by their husbands and keep going back, the nurses who don't wear scrub tops but rather tight knit tops that show their nipple outlines. The nurses who are pregnant, but not married. that have 3 kids, all by different fathers. The nurses who are mean and nasty to other, newer less experienced nurses. Yeah, I'm not sure that I am ready for reality nursing.

Here's a plot line. New inexperience nurse is greeted by older, experienced preceptor who she follows all day. A couple of juicy traumas come in, new nurse gets to insert NG tube with help, and a lets do a foley too. Dress those wounds and splint that broken leg. Finallly find time to pee after 6 hours, lets not take lunch. Lots of charting, preceptor teaches new nurse how important charting is to "cover your ass". Are we all bored yet. Of course not, but would the public keep coming back to watch this week after week. Sadly, probably not.

Ok, nurse show number 2,

Tonights the first night with our new charge nurse. The tech who usually does as little as possible is working her ass off, especially when in sight of the charge. Some of the nurses are doing the same. A couple of the smokers offer to introduce the smoking charge to the secret smoking places.

Marge the RN comes in alittle late after spending a couple of minutes making out in the ambulance bay with John the paramedic. Her nursing outfit for the night is a very tight knit middy top with nipples showing through. A pink thong that is riding up above the top of her pale green scrub bottoms that seem to have a tendency to ride down to her crack.

Dr bing is pissed off because the 22 y/o nurse keeps calling him by his first name and he thinks it is disrepectful, but he really is a nice sweet guy and wont' tell her not to do it (true story). Beth and Betty the RNS sit around most of the night because their friend Bill is doing the triage and tries to not give them any pts unless absolutely has to. They talk at length about their sex and drinking lives and which paramedic they would like to sleep with next. They take a smoking break every 1.5 hours. A nasty old drunk comes in and they sstart an IV for a banana bag for him with a 16 guage needle and put a foley cath in with no lube (just because they can) and then come out of the room laughing and joking about how he was screaming for mercy.

I could go on and on. But do you want me to.

I wish TLC or discovery channel would do a few documentaries on nurses. THat would be our best hope for an accurate portrayal. Or maybe Johnson and Johnson could do something as part of their Be A Nurse campaign.

I have to go to bed now and sleep up so I can go to work tonight. I am one of the boring nurses that wears regular scrubs, been married a hundred years and just does the same honest, hard working, no fireworks job day after day. No one would make any money off of my life.