I just saw this Johnson & Johnson commercial on TV tonight. I think it is part of their Nurses Heal campaign.
Some believe that it is a "touching" commercial. I however, am not even remotely touched by it; but rather found it unsettling to suggest that a hospice nurse would presume to know whether a patient was going to die that night or not.
Is it just me or do other nurses also think that there is a certain "ick" factor to it?
Ok so at first when I watched the video my computer just showed Berta and the nurse holding hands and the nurse talking. And I was like ok whatever touching but I do not get the ick factor.
Then I watched it again and the nurse closed the freaking window. I can get where J&J was going with it, but end it with the window open. That shows that the nurse is respecting Berta's wishes to pass with the window open, even if she is not close to letting go.
I am happy that I was not the only nurse that found this commercial upsetting. "Not on my watch"...does this mean she does not want to do the paperwork?
Maybe Berta was telling that story becasue she wanted to let go and die tonight , and the nurse said "not tonight, berta, not tonight.." implying (imo) "Not on my watch"- hence the ick factor that I think the OP feels.
That's the way I perceived the commercial, and I didn't like it because of it.
Well I guess the public wouldn't really like it if it was "You can go your own way" kind of thing. The words your not going mom come out of families mouth more often than if your ready go.
I've seen the ad, and I definitely do not like it. I don't know that 'ick' is the right word, but I think the ad misportrays (is that a word?) nurses, specifically hospice nurses.
First, the nurse blatently ignores the wishes of the pt by closing the window. Sure, she is not abusing the pt, but even something simple like this implies that a nurse will do it his/her way rather than follow a rather simple wish of a pt. Also, I think it gives nurses a bad name that we think we will somehow fight off death with a superstitious act (i.e. closing the window). Finally, is it the job of a hospice nurse to have the patient 'hang on' when a pt just wants nature to take its course? Now I am not an expert on hospice nurse, but the ad implies that Berta's life will not end if the nurse doesn't want it to...
Are these horrible offenses? No. This ad is meant to provide a nice feeling for people (non-nurses). On the other hand, as a nurse, this ad does not shed a positive light on the profession.
Could be that the nurse has good assessment skills and is doing a good job of comforting the patient. But I've worked with too many nurses that say "Mr. so and so is getting ready to let go but it's not happening on my shift!" as if that's a good thing, so the commerical is kind of off-putting.
Maybe Berta was telling that story becasue she wanted to let go and die tonight , and the nurse said "not tonight, berta, not tonight.." implying (imo) "Not on my watch"- hence the ick factor that I think the OP feels.
personally and professionally, i don't close windows anyway.
if able, i always leave them open...even in my own house.
it gets rid of nasty germs, and nothing like fresh air...but that's me.
also, am very familiar with those who love an open window to let spirit soar.
so even symbolically, no one feels trapped on my watch.
i guess the real point here is, if berta was even willing herself to do, i've never seen it done in a matter of minutes.
it typically takes hours, even days...
unless of course, they die from an acute event, then it's instant.
but with the natural dying process, our bodies like to go through a process before turning all the lights out.
as berta's nurse, i would have encouraged her to talk more about her window theory.
shutting it was just plain insensitive....kind of like shutting the door on berta's feelings.
Amanda.RN
199 Posts
I'm with evolvingrn 100%. I used to be a hospice nurse. Many people needed guidance letting go, not encouragement to linger on! I don't like this ad.