Jay Leno slams nurses!

foxie_roxie_62 · Oct 23, 2005

I just wanted to add that "House" is the same way as ER - There are NEVER any nurses on that show that actually seem to be doing anything important. My husband will not let me watch the show because I am so vocal about protesting that there are no nurses on that show. I mean, The doctors on house's team draw their own blood, run all their own labs, do most of the surgeries.......
I like House, but the fact that there are no nurses on the show drives me UP THE WALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:angryfire :angryfire

You know what really steams me is that TV, portrays such a high opinion of doctors that in truth, most doctors ( at least where I work ) will sit in front of a computer and ask the nurse to pull up the pt's labs! Without nurses, most doctors would not know what was going on with their patients.

rn/writer, RN · Oct 23, 2005

Hey, he, like everyone else gets away with "slamming" nurses, because nurses don't defend themselves. Women don't defend themselves. How many STUPID women are living with idiots? How many women are dieing to pose nude in Playboy? I've never seen such a bunch of wimpy women in my life. I think women are getting wimpier and wimpier and have come to see themselves as sex objects. Soooooooooooooooooo, people like Jay Leno and others like him will continue to exploit women on TV just like everyone else does. Every other commercial is T&A, supermodels, etc. and in the name of "glamour", women are being pushed right back into the corner. Next they won't let us vote again. Nurse are paid crappy salaries too, because they are toooooooooooooooooooooooo wimpy and don't demand anything more. I've been an RN for years and have made many changes almost single handedly for the nursing profession but I can tell you that most nurses that I see today, are listening to all the hype and think that the salary that we get is "normal". So women, nurses everywhere, you better start getting a little spine and determination. Smell the coffee, defend your profession and start having some pride and going for the bigger salaries. And don't take an LPN wage over the RN wage. RN's DO have a longer schooling and more extensive education and DO deserve the higher wage.

You raise some valid points, but I'm amazed at the intensity of your post. That's not to say you shouldn't feel strongly about these important matters. I'm only saying that your observations and your approach seem more fitting for a political rally or an editorial page than for a reaction to a comic telling a joke. And I guess I do recoil a bit at your derogatory tone toward the very women you're expressing concern about. I don't think you inspire people to respect themselves by telling them how stupid and spineless they are.

Lately, it seems like so many people are walking around wired and primed for conflict. As I said in an earlier post, taking offense appears to have risen to the level of an art form. There's precious little courtesy shown and plenty demanded.

Wouldn't it be nice if we could occasionally take the time to breathe and laugh and be silly without fearing we'll be inviting others to rob us of our dignity. I love the way kids have the freedom to feel a variety of emotions and even wear their soft little hearts on their sleeves and never, for one second, stop to worry about their image.

I'd like to think we can lobby for professional respect and decent working conditions and still be fun and funny and kind and caring and decent and intelligent and wise. And I'd like to think we can laugh at ourselves and not turn every joke (however lame) into an intentional slight that triggers a militant reaction.

sami7972 · Oct 23, 2005

I heard Jay Leno's monolog and he quoted some national study I can't remember it then he slammed it . LOL Anyways if you notice he takes something that actually happens then makes a joke of it. So in one sense what i got from his lines we are the hardest working proffession. Then he made it into a joke. He does that with politics, religion, anything in the headlines. I was a little disappointed he made it into a joke.That's his job to make light of everything and give us a chuckle but at least it got the word out there.

Hopalong · Oct 23, 2005

I'm sure he made that statement in fun. Here's another by him:

"With hurricanes, tornados, flooding, and severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to another; and the problems of global strife and war. ARE WE SURE THIS IS A GOOD TIME TO TAKE GOD OUT OF THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE?":rolleyes:

TStewartfan · Oct 23, 2005

I don't find his humor funny anyways... sorry to have gotten into the tail end of this conversation but the stereotype of nurses goes way back. Some of the first nurses were those who were convicted of crimes to repay their debt to society. Some of them were prostitutes and those who owed debts. Stereotypes continue in all professions. I worked in law enforcement for 17 years and never heard the end of cop jokes... things don't change from one profession to the others. You have to learn to ignore what is unimportant and attempt to change that which is important to you.

Talking about TV shows (I know this is completely off subject) but I hate CSI- all of them. I was a crime scene technician for 10 years and it IS NOT LIKE THAT AT ALL.... I cannot watch that show without tearing up everything they do. Like the lady said earlier about her husband not letting her watch House, mine won't let me watch CSI. Everyone that I know who is a crime scene tech hates that show because although they say its realistic, its not.

So stereotypes abound everywhere, we have to learn to attempt to change what affects us most and if someone was affected by Leno's comment, shoot him an email and let him know what you felt. I have done that many times, it may not make an impact, but it makes me feel a bit better and I move onto something else.

MichaelLooney · Oct 23, 2005

What do you expect when that's the only media image of nurses you see? Have you ever seen ER? The real work is done by doctors - nurses just stand in the wings and wait for when one of the stars need a girlfriend.
But think about this. How many times in how many ways do you 'hide in the wings'. You don't say what you know, you hint until the doctor gets what you are saying. You don't call the doc and say 'Mrs. Smith is going into CHF and needs some lasix and O2' - you say 'Mrs. Smith's sats are dropping and her lungs sound wet' etc. etc. until the doc orders the things you knew she needed when you made the call. Then, the perception of both the doc and the public is that - the doc came in to save the day. Even if you tell the family that actions were taken to save Mrs. Smith, it's normally couched as 'I called the doc and got some orders'. Wow, her doc really saved the day!
~faith,
Timothy.

Okay, two things (and I'll try to be quick =p).

First off, my experience form watching ER tends to be that the nurses are ignored when they try to say something that would make a very quick positive result, so they end up being angry, feeling worthless, and thus 'hide' becuase it seems the doctor is going to knock then down even when they're right anyway. Of course, its just a show, too.

Secondly, I dunno how many places have what we have, but in my facility we COULD NOT do anything until either their personal doctor, or whatever doctor was on duty, was notified and responded, UNLESS it was a life/death situation. Now, of course, we don't reagularly have a life/death situation, but it was really annoying to page a doctor, wait a half hour, hour, whatever, to have the doctor say what we KNEW the patient needed/had to have done for whatever. BUT, if we DIDN'T wait for the doctor, even if it saved the person's life or whatever, we were immediately booted, no questions asked.

So its not a matter of us 'hiding' on purpose, its more a matter of us hiding b/c if we don't let the doctor do it, its all wrong.

Wellness_LadyRN · Oct 23, 2005

I wasn't that offended by it. It was a part of his monolog ... a context in which he pokes fun at everything. "The Tonight Show" monolog has been a national tradition for over 30 years .... first with Steve Allen, then Jack Parr, then Johnny Carson, now Jay Leno. The monolog pokes fun at national institutions, public figures, etc. -- everybody gets a little teasing equally -- especially the high and mighty.
If we nurses can't take a little gentle ribbing from such a respected and traditional source, then we have a problem. We need to handle such things with grace, dignity, and good humor. Everybody knew it was a joke: there is no chance that anyone in his right mind took it seriously. We need to not take it too seriously, either.
One sign of self-assurance is the ability to make fun of yourself now and then. If we lose that, we will truly make ourselves look silly.
We need to pick our battles carefully.
llg

Wonderfully mature reply!

None of us want to be viewed as sex kittens or anything that degrades us as professionals. But we must ensure our reaction dignifies a repect. We need to react lighter.......it really was poking fun............part of the monolog........part of a misconception that honestly I think few people believe....................there is too much over reaction out there and those that do essentially shoot thmeselves in the foot.

I've worked as a nurse over 31 years and yes, have heard the "sex kitten" remarks, but I have enjoyed a career that have afforded me great respect and dignity.....................

Hey, I tell my friends about my imaginary pool boy........................it's all just for fun, no offense to any pool boys out there. And I don't even have a pool.

I don't think for one minute Jay meant harm to our profession, just play on some of the fantasies out there.

Thanks!

Wellness_LadyRN · Oct 23, 2005

Wonderfully mature reply by llg!

None of us want to be viewed as sex kittens or anything that degrades us as professionals. But we must ensure our reaction dignifies a repect. We need to react lighter.......it really was poking fun............part of the monolog........part of a misconception that honestly I think few people believe....................there is too much over reaction out there and those that do essentially shoot thmeselves in the foot.

I've worked as a nurse over 31 years and yes, have heard the "sex kitten" remarks, but I have enjoyed a career that have afforded me great respect and dignity.....................

Hey, I tell my friends about my imaginary pool boy........................it's all just for fun, no offense to any pool boys out there. And I don't even have a pool.

I don't think for one minute Jay meant harm to our profession, just play on some of the fantasies out there.

Thanks!

Today 12:29 PM

DRIVERRN · Oct 24, 2005

One day, like everyone else, jay leno will need and get up close and real personal with a nurse. If he lives and he has memory left, he will be grateful like David Letterman, will recognize the worth of a nurse, and will say something positive as Letterman did about the Nurses he had. I know he is a comedian and we should take a joke but to be equated with a whore is not too funny. It's about as funny as jay being compared to Arnold in California, who also has a low opinion of nurses. I doubt jay leno would enjoy the comparison. I doubt he would enjoy the CNA showing up at all his speaking functions like they do the Governator's to remind him we are not who or what he says we are. Careful jay, the CNA could be watching your monologues and they might not be amused. You may have to get some travel nurses from out of state for your private duty care. If any of you are wondering what I am talking about click on calnurses.org. If you are tired of mandatory overtime, too may patients to handle per shift and low pay, join NNOC. National Nurse Organizing Committee. Quit complaining and act.

littlelulunurse · Oct 24, 2005

Jay leno feels he is so handsome and always make fun of other people. He doesnt even looks @ himself, he is toooooo ugly to be on TV. His chin is so long,have you noticed that?:chuckle :chuckle :chuckle :chuckle

allnurses Guide · Oct 24, 2005

Jay leno feels he is so handsome and always make fun of other people. He doesnt even looks @ himself, he is toooooo ugly to be on TV. His chin is so long,have you noticed that?:chuckle :chuckle :chuckle :chuckle

Jay makes fun of himself all the time and his chin is quite famous - Jay thinks he looks like a big goofus - he has no illusions about being "so" handsome.

I actually think he looks nice - I like his down-to-earth, everyday kind of guy, your average joe. He would be fun to go out to pizza and beer with.

steph

kurtzmobile · Oct 24, 2005

Hello all!!!

This is a little bit off the topic of Jay Leno, However, I saw a few comments made about the program House. I am usually quite laid back when it comes to jokes/comments, feel pretty secure in who I am as a person and a nurse.

Anyways I saw an advertisement for House about a week ago, went like this...Something happened to a pt, like he had an emesis or something like that, Dr House goes, "That is exactly why I created nurses.", then he turned and left the pts room:angryfire I just found myself angered after that commercial. I couldn't help but feel resentment for being portrayed in that light. Anyways, I got over it, but this thread opened up that can of worms again.

Thanks for letting me vent that to you all.