Murse, The new scrubs insult to nursing

Published

I had to vent about this,

First I did so on my blog, link to it is at the bottom of the page, http://www.nilepoc.com

I subsequently have done a search on the term, and found that typically it means male purse. Only on the show it equals male nurse.

Here is what I had to say, what do you have to say. I may actually write to the show about it.

anyway, thanks for letting my rant.

I once again am upset with the way Hollywood portrays nursing. (The first occurrence was when I saw "Meet the Parents") Particularly in the way they handle male nursing. Did you catch last week's episode of scrubs? (I know, I shouldn't be watching TV, but hey everyone deserves breaks) If you did, and you are a male nurse, you now know your new title.

MURSE

You read that correctly, as if it weren't bad enough to be in a profession named after the act of feeding an infant, along comes this. I am angry, for many reasons, the least of which is that term, but I digress. I guess in some ways, I should not be surprised. It is hard for me to think of a single show that paints a positive picture of nursing, or gives it some modicum of respect. Usually the only people showing any respect for nurses, are either related to one, or have spent undue amounts of time in or around hospitals as patients, or as family members of patients. More often than not though, you are apt to see the Doctor lauded, and the nurse put down, or ignored all together.

Is Hollywood unaware of the shortage currently threatening the ability of hospitals to even operate? Are they also aware that much funnier things happen in the world of nursing? Granted, poop stories portrayed on the small screen are not going to do nursing a whole lot of good either, but at least they don't denigrate the individuals who actually work as nurses.

Strong character development would not be hard to accomplish, with plots that were not detrimental to nurses would also be easy to write. So far, ER has come the closest to presenting good nurse role models in my mind. However they occasionally tread into the worship the doctor mode, but then you usually get to see the same doctor humbled quite nicely in a later episode.

Why the diatribe? Well, I am realizing that I am entering into a field, where I will gain a much-needed shot of autonomy in my practice, and also a jump in the respect I will receive while practicing. Conversely I also will have to deal with the public's perception of what nurses are, as well as describe what I am. I have every ambition of keeping my head up and proclaiming my nursehood. But I can at the same time see that it would be pretty easy to fall into complacency and just meld into the woodwork, when time came to tell someone what I do. "Oh, I work in Anesthesia", and hope that they assume you are a doctor, and move on to another topic. Currently, I stop and spend the time to educate the person I am talking to. But, what do you say when someone responds with, "Well that must have been quite a compliment to be thought of as a Doctor"? Or some other asinine comment. I usually correct them, and say that "no it is not a compliment", and then go on to tell them why that is. I wonder how many other professions go through this? BTW I know women who have the same thoughts, actually the compliment above was given to a female nurse.

Anyway, I am going to leave this hanging for now, and go write something for a grade, and not an audience.

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nilepoc, I winced a bit at "murse" when watching Scrubs last week as well. I don't really blame you for being offended, even if it was in the context of a half-hour sitcom. I honestly think the intent was to show that the people who were hung up on the "male nurse" thing were being stupid, sexist and projecting from their own hangups, but I'm not sure that was made clear enough, even to a relatively sophisticated viewer.

I would suggest you cut and paste what you've posted above and send to NBC. Couldn't hurt.

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It's bad enough that anyone feels they have to add the "male".

A nurse is a nurse is a nurse.

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Specializes in ER.

Murse?

Just makes me giggle, what a stupid idea. Oh Murse? Murse?

Give this foolish term the attention it deserves, and ignore it. If people haven't figured out yet that men can be damn good nurses, how long do you think it will take them to internalize this stupid term. Forever, that's how long.

canoehead

wishes there were a few more murses (*smirk*) at her hospital.

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Specializes in psych/mental health.

nilepoc and all: ANA president Barbara Blakeney has written a letter to the producer of Scrubs in response to this episode.

http://www.nursingworld.org/pressrel/2003/ltr0131.htm

Patty

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Wow! I liked the letter from the ANA. Good for them!

Speaking of the image of nursing, I still get the feeling that my mother-in-law thinks that I "could be doing something better" with my life. Same goes for my sister-in-law. Moreso for her. I get the questions about why I'm changing careers, and why didn't I work in such and such, etc. It was only after my m-i-l talked to a friend who is a travel nurse that she realized the financial aspects of nursing and it became "respectable"...never mind the fact I'm not crazy enough to go into it for the pay...hahaha! Just add me to the list of nurses working two jobs...!!!

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Great letter from Barbara....

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Thank you researchrabbit. I agree. Once someone found out I was married to a nurse and actually asked me if I was married to a male. The term nurse should say it all without saying one is a male nurse or a female nurse.

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Read the ANA letter. Great!

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Specializes in OR,ER,med/surg,SCU.

thought you were talking about something that would moo:roll

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Nilepoc, Scrubs is one of my favorite shows, but I was really peeved at this episode. The ANA letter was excellent. I realize that it's just comedy, but c'mon, this was offensive.

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1. ANA Responds to TV Show's Portrayal of Male Nurses

----------------------------------------------------------

2/04/03

ANA President Barbara Blakeney has sent a letter to the

producer of NBC's Scrubs television comedy series

regarding the Jan 30 episode's negative portrayal of male

nurses and the nursing profession in general. Nurses are

encouraged to send their comments to the show's producers

via e-mail at http://[email protected]

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