First of all, thank you very much for your time concerning this matter.
Every year, Ocean City, NJ has an event similar to "groundhog day" but with a hermit crab named "MARTIN Z. MOLLUSK."
This year, the crab will be "checked out by Dr. Ernest Frankenstein and two nurses."
The following is a Media Advisory sent out (via email) by the city of Ocean City (to local residents and tourists-nationwide) which includes more of the information about the event to take place on May 5th.
As you can see when you read...much of this is "all made up and all in good fun" HOWEVER- do you think it is offensive to nurses and an objectionable portrayal to those in health-care!
MEDIA ADVISORY
WILL MARTIN Z. MOLLUSK SEE HIS SHADOW ON MAY 5?
WHO: Martin Z. Mollusk, Ocean City's relatively famous Hermit Crab
WHAT: Will attempt to see his shadow for the 37th Time
WHEN: Thursday, May 5 at 11 a.m.
WHERE: 9th Street Beach, opposite the Music Pier, Boardwalk and Moorlyn Terrace
WHY: If he sees his shadow summer comes one week early to Ocean City much to the delight of visitors, merchants and the general populace.
DETAILS: (1) Dr. Ernest Frankenstein and two nurses will check out Martin on the beach to make certain that at 111 years of age he is healthy enough to endure the arduous creep (2) The Ocean City High School Band will play Pomp and Circumstance as Martin is carried to the beach (3.) The World's Only Wind Chimes Band of Ocean City will perform "Brother Can You Spare a Chime," now Number One on the International Wind Chimes Charts, (4) Some Enchanted Morning, Martin's theme song will be sung by popular musician Lew London and Suzanne Muldowney aka Underdog before Martin attempts to see his shadow (5) Big Mamma Llama of Bready's Farms in Tuckahoe will shake her head if Martin sees his shadow (6) Copies of Martin's re-issued biography, Rhyme and Punishment, will be given to those in attendance ( 7) Trash Buster, the City's Canned Crusader, will clear the beach of any litter prior to the creep (8.) Arrgh! The Air Circus Pirate will provide security for the event.
I am not embarrassed at your continued name calling on a public forum. You're the one who should be embarrassed for engaging in such childish behavior.
You really have no idea what I've read regarding this issue. All you know is I disagree with you regarding a minor event in NJ, and in your mind, that must mean that I am ignorant on a very broad issue in nursing.
Who's calling who any names?
You're right, I have no idea what you've read. It just seems that from your understanding of the issue that you've read very little.
I believe that you are taking this way too seriously. This is a tradition that goes back many, many years. It is not meant to offend anyone at all. My family and I have been going to Ocean City, New Jersey for more years than I can even remember. It is called "America's Family Resort" and with good reason. It is very family friendly, a beautiful boardwalk, clean beach, no alcohol sold in town or any bars, and weekly events in the summer that encourage people getting together for good and clean fun. This event is about hermit crabs, not bashing medical professionals.
With all of the awful stuff out there for our kids, this is an event that is positive. It is allso a rare event that brings all age groups together to cheer on all the crabs racing to victory. You should go check it out:)
Oh come on now.....this REALLY doesn't seem to be offensive at all, to me anyway. Seems like a little harmless silliness. Certainly respect your opinion that it offends you, but as you can see from most posts.....it just "ain't happenin'" for most RNs that read this.
It is unfortunate that doctors and nurses are often the butt of jokes. And even though nursing is not the only profession that is made fun of in the media, the nursing profession should always be ready to stand up for itself. One of the biggest problems for nursing as a profession is that too many nurses do not take themselves seriously. And it's not that we should be unable to laugh at ourselves, but we should not be ready to laugh at jokes that demean or trivialize the profession. For most of us, nursing is physically and emotionally a very stressful occupation. Why should we allow any attempt by anyone to insinuate that we don't care how we are portrayed in the media? And having a couple of people pretending to be nurses so they can verify if a crab is well enough for a publicity stunt is not going to destroy the nursing profession's image. But it is another example of how easy it is for the media to trivialize what nurses do for a living. We are now living in the 21st century. During the 20th century, there was a great deal of advancement in what the nursing profession was able to provide to the community. And even though shows like Home Improvement may make a lot of people laugh by making fun of the exploits of a salesman for the home repair industry, nursing is definitely not in the same boat! Traditionally, nurses have always, and will continue, to take care of the sick and the dying. And I guess a comedy writer might be able to come up with a good skit that could make light of this aspect of nursing, but I would have to see it to believe it! The primary mission statement of nursing is to promote wellness. And the best way, and the most challenging way to promote wellness is to be a model of wellness. There may be some nurses who do not realize this, but to be a nursing professional does not mean you put your mission statement aside when you clock out of your place of employment. Everyone around you, your friends, your families and your neighbors are always looking up to you for clues as to how to achieve wellness. And if that is something that you don't like or accept, you might want to consider doing something else for a living! If you allow your community to see you as a hapless clown who only wants to earn a paycheck, then maybe you should ask the people in Ocean City, NJ if they would like to hire you to pretend to see if the crab is well enough to see his shadow!
I was reading the article and kept waiting for the offensive part and it never happened.
What I do find offensive is calling people who are supposed to be our peers ignorant. Agree to disagree on the issue but leave it at that. No one on this site appears to be ignorant and unless you are actually around someone in person it's really hard to determine that based on a post or two on a website....
Specializes in Float Pool-Med-Surg, Telemetry, IMCU.
"If you allow your community to see you as a hapless clown who only wants to earn a paycheck, then maybe you should ask the people in Ocean City, NJ if they would like to hire you to pretend to see if the crab is well enough to see his shadow!"
Well, I graduate next month and still haven't heard back from any of those RN residency positions I applied for...so...thank you for the heads-up; this is actually sounding like a pretty good option! What's the dress code? Is it ok if I wear my white mini-dress,fishnets and saucy little cap? :lol2:
I believe laughter is the best medicine and usually don't have a problem giggling at myself, so, no, it's not a big deal to me. Sounds like simple entertainment.
Seems like a lot of fuss over not much. As for the "negative" portrayals of nurses in Grey's Anatomy, that's also not much, since they pretty much don't portray nursing. I could argue that it's "not realistic" but it's TV. Expecting realism is pretty silly.
It is unfortunate that doctors and nurses are often the butt of jokes. And even though nursing is not the only profession that is made fun of in the media, the nursing profession should always be ready to stand up for itself. One of the biggest problems for nursing as a profession is that too many nurses do not take themselves seriously. And it's not that we should be unable to laugh at ourselves, but we should not be ready to laugh at jokes that demean or trivialize the profession. For most of us, nursing is physically and emotionally a very stressful occupation. Why should we allow any attempt by anyone to insinuate that we don't care how we are portrayed in the media? And having a couple of people pretending to be nurses so they can verify if a crab is well enough for a publicity stunt is not going to destroy the nursing profession's image. But it is another example of how easy it is for the media to trivialize what nurses do for a living. We are now living in the 21st century. During the 20th century, there was a great deal of advancement in what the nursing profession was able to provide to the community. And even though shows like Home Improvement may make a lot of people laugh by making fun of the exploits of a salesman for the home repair industry, nursing is definitely not in the same boat! Traditionally, nurses have always, and will continue, to take care of the sick and the dying. And I guess a comedy writer might be able to come up with a good skit that could make light of this aspect of nursing, but I would have to see it to believe it! The primary mission statement of nursing is to promote wellness. And the best way, and the most challenging way to promote wellness is to be a model of wellness. There may be some nurses who do not realize this, but to be a nursing professional does not mean you put your mission statement aside when you clock out of your place of employment. Everyone around you, your friends, your families and your neighbors are always looking up to you for clues as to how to achieve wellness. And if that is something that you don’t like or accept, you might want to consider doing something else for a living! If you allow your community to see you as a hapless clown who only wants to earn a paycheck, then maybe you should ask the people in Ocean City, NJ if they would like to hire you to pretend to see if the crab is well enough to see his shadow!
Get over yourself. Maybe you and the OP should go there and hold up your protest signs. Maybe even make the crab see his shadow. That will show them and will be a huge victory for the nursing profession. One day we can all look back and see how that change the image of nursing forever.
It is getting pretty repetitive of how everyone needs to be PC in today's society. Heaven forbid you should hurt someone's feelings. Here is a ingenious idea. IGNORE IT!!!! I'm now more inclined to call and voice my dissatisfaction that they are changing the tradition because a few people are upset. I wouldn't be surprised if the person in charge of this event told the OP what he/she wanted to hear as to get him/her off of his case.
You know, I'm fairly alert to shades of disrespect in the portrayals of female professionals and professions historically dominated by women. But I just don't see any issues with this particular event. My goodness, there are so many genuinely derogatory and/or condescending media portrayals out there - this isn't even registering as a faint tremor on my Outrage Richter Scale!
I understand that this event is not the most damaging thing that can happen to the nursing profession! There are a lot of other issues that are far more important to worry about! But why can't they have someone pretending to be a lawyer to see if the crab's rights have been infringed upon? And why can't they have someone pretending to be a policeman to see if the crab has a permit to see his shadow? And why can't they have someone pretending to be one of the crab's elementary school teachers who testifies that the crab is a good crab? And why can't they have someone pretending to be a priest so he can give the crab his blessings? And is the mayor of Ocean City NJ going to present the crab with the Keys To The City?
:lol2:
FrancineRNfrannie
16 Posts
Who's calling who any names?
You're right, I have no idea what you've read. It just seems that from your understanding of the issue that you've read very little.