INPUT NEEDED: How media influences nursing

MQ Edna · Nov 14, 2007

Hi! My name's Alejandra and I am currently in my second year in the BSN program. I am currently researching views of other nurses on their perspectives on how media influences nursing ---being a good or bad influence --your opinions and thoughts matter! Please don't hesitate to share your thoughts. Perhaps you can opinionate on matters such as:
-female RNs depicted as sexy nurses (halloween, some movies)
-RNs as undereducated, belittled by doctors
-male RNs as more "feminine" (sitcoms)
-how the news influences the publics perspective of nursing --do you think it provides good and accurate information about our work and skills? Examples?
-Public's position/opinions of the nursing profession (from spouse, family, friends)
*If you have more, feel free to post!
Thank you so much for your time and help! It is greatly appreciated =)

All good Nurses are sexy in my book.

Doctor's education is more expensive... not necessarily better or worse. Doctors practice medicine, nurses practice nursing. Both should be respected.

Male nurses.... eh, some are fem. some aren't. But in the media they are portrayed as such so.... one thing I think people have to understand that the media is 90% fantasy and based on stereotypes of all kinds.

I don't think the media really knows about the profession enough to give an accurate portrayal. .. or if they do they aren't interested in it because they don't see a profit from that information.

abooker · Nov 14, 2007

You might want to check out the Center for Nursing Advocacy at http://www.nursingadvocacy.org . They have Canadian chapters in Hamilton, Kingston, Toronto and Vancouver.

I don't think the profession really knows about the media enough to understand why nurses are portrayed the way they are (PM me and I'll elaborate in waaaaaaay too much detail) but I'm happy if anybody is advocating for me, so I can't complain. Alois Wolf is right; "media is 90% fantasy and based on stereotypes of all kinds."

ncoli123 · Apr 1, 2008

I was watching Scrubs recently and was surprised when during a personal fight with a doctor the nurse stated that he(the MD) thought he was better than her because she didn't go to school. I'm going to be a nurse and I'm in school... I think this gave the impression that nurses are not educated and just work as "helpers."

I think the idea of the sexy nurse is no different then the portrayal of fire-fighters, cops, construction workers.... they are all usually portrayed as being "sexy" and strong.... maybe it's because of all the sexy nurses out there; )

I guess I don't think that the media gives any real interpretation of nurses to viewers at all, but thats not their jobs. Their job is to provide viewers with entertainment.

This probably won't help you at all- guess I'm sick of care-plans so I'm ranting:typing- Good luck. NIC