Medical shows vs the real thing?

vashtee, RN · Jan 15, 2008

I love police dramas and forsensic shows, but I can't stand the M.E. on CSI:Miami. She's always standing over a murdered person and saying things like "Poor baby boy. His mama didn't mean for it to end like this." It's awful but I watch it every week.

I hate to break it to you, but my husband is a forensic chemist (real life CSI guy), and those shows are about as realistic as the medical shows.

kmoonshine, RN · Jan 15, 2008

Well organized chaos is a reality say in the ER or ICU, as far a there being a million people in a room doing a hundred different things but all the drama is fake, (well not always, at least in some hospitals I've been in:chair:but anyway, the show ER kills me how the family is in the room screaming at everyone while the medical team is trying to revive the patient, that doesnt happen in real life, the family has to stay outside the ER!

Actually, we do code patients with the family at the bedside. Yesterday we coded an infant and 5 family members were present. Yes, the family will be emotional and there is always the potential for things to get out of control - which is why we have security present. Most of the time the family is screaming at the patient and not the staff (ie "please mom, don't leave us, wake up"). Many people need to see that "everything" was done and feel comforted that they didn't leave their family member to die alone.

Katie82, RN · Jan 15, 2008

I think ER is very realistic. I had a friend who worked at Cook Co General, supposedly where ER is set, and she says the show is extremely accurate. Every big city has an ER that is as crazy as or crazier than ER. Grays Anatomy, however, is close to comedy, it's almost insulting. The biggest mistake is that interns "specialize" (they rotate throughout the hospital). And it goes downhill from there. I still watch it, though, some of the characters are quirky. But it is the same as my husband, who is a retired airline pilot, watching airplane movies...... Pure fiction.

ERRNTraveler, RN · Jan 15, 2008

Also, I found it funny on Grey's Anatomy when one of the main characters (I don't remember who at this point) was found pretty much dead, and they resusitated her, and she was up and talking and looking good again immediately.

Yeah, on Gray's Anatomy, Meredith had a near-drowning experience, but still managed to look all hot, even when she was cyanotic & half-dead! :icon_roll

sharlynn · Jan 15, 2008

I really like Mariska Hargitay's character .. . and I like Criminal Intent too.
steph

I like her too. In general, I find most of the medical shows so far off base that I can't watch them. I get hoorifice from screaming at the TV!

jnrsmommy · Jan 15, 2008

I hate to break it to you, but my husband is a forensic chemist (real life CSI guy), and those shows are about as realistic as the medical shows.

LOL

I was just reading through this thread and wondering if real life cops and csi's watched their tv counterparts and picked them apart like we do.

Makes me wonder if they have a board like this as well.

allnurses Guide · Jan 15, 2008

Is it like hospice or something?

No, they go to people's homes - house calls.

We do have a Hospice doc, who makes hospice calls AND regular house calls.

When a good friend of mine was on bedrest - a nurse and the doc would visit her once a week so she didn't have to come in to the office.

steph

vashtee, RN · Jan 17, 2008

Makes me wonder if they have a board like this as well.

Not that I am aware of...

november17, ASN, RN · Jan 17, 2008

Yeah, on Gray's Anatomy, Meredith had a near-drowning experience, but still managed to look all hot, even when she was cyanotic & half-dead! :icon_roll

actually, she's kinda cute and would probably look good even if she WAS half dead.

To be honest; I watched one episode of Grey's Anatomy, total. I turned it off when I saw one of the main characters (an MD student) wheeling a patient down the hall in a wheelchair going to the XRay room. Yea, right...hahahah

facetiousgoddess · Jan 17, 2008

okie dokie

I can't stand Grey's Anatomy....way too much romance/sex....yawn....

House I dig but I'm a huge Hugh Laurie fan going back to the Black Adder days.

It does drive me nuts that I can't recall ever even seeing a nurse on the show. Who knows maybe that is the writers' dark hommage to the nursing shortage. And the fact the docs are always present when a patient codes, seizes or crumps....yeah right!

Favorite was JoBeth Williams as a nurse responsible for transferring the entire patient population out of the hospital due to a weather emergency. Doc approaches her insisting his 180 y/o patient be transferred first because he has every system failure imaginable.

She turns to him and says "He's not a priority, he's a slow code." Now that I thought was honest.....

Tres

Toquay · Jan 17, 2008

I think it's funny as one poster said how they will shock for aystole LOL, I guess it makes for good drama. How about the tiny air bubble in the tubing that automatically causes death from an air bolus. The funny thing is how many people actually believe this will happen. How come they never show someone emptying the urinal or bedpan? I guess they are too busy having affairs and keeping up with the gossip. I suppose it's decent entertainment but after working all night the last thing I want to do watch Hospital Stuff.

Toq

ERRNTraveler, RN · Jan 17, 2008

I think it's funny as one poster said how they will shock for aystole LOL, I guess it makes for good drama. How about the tiny air bubble in the tubing that automatically causes death from an air bolus. The funny thing is how many people actually believe this will happen. How come they never show someone emptying the urinal or bedpan? I guess they are too busy having affairs and keeping up with the gossip. I suppose it's decent entertainment but after working all night the last thing I want to do watch Hospital Stuff.
Toq

This is probably why patients will frequently look at their IV line & then freak out when they see an air bubble the size of a pin head......:icon_roll