December 2005 -- Mattel, the world's leading toy maker, has just released as part of its Furryville Collections (Series 2) a small doll called the "Nurse Quacktitioner."
Selling a doll called "Nurse Quacktitioner" would seem to reflect little regard for nurses or public health. That's because the name suggests that nurse practitioners (NPs) are "quacks," a term that has long been understood to refer to untrained persons who pretend to be physicians and dispense medical treatment.
Was it Mark Twain who said "I refuse to engage in a battle of wits with an unarmed person"? Their reaction proves to me that those eleven individuals are morons. And if they were MY doctors, I'd find new ones immediately.
When people are insecure, they make fun of others. Guess these doctors are peeing their pants in FEAR.
For the 11 insecure docs in the UK:
There's a part of me that hopes there's more than one bodily function malfunctioning at this point for these individuals. I get the impression that UK society is very regimented, class conscious and therefore the NP threat must be even more intimitading. Too damned bad -- roll with it or look like a fool in the eyes of your co-workers.
As has been stated before, it's just a silly kid's toy. I might ebay a couple for myself for my girls. They can play nurse then, complete with baby scrubs and toy medical equipment!
I think s/he is cute! :chuckle I have a stuffed animal....a rat.....that is named "Nurse Rat-ingale". My mom got me her when I got out of LPN school. I really think it is all in fun, IMHO.
I'm not at all bothered by the doll; it think it's rather cute! I am, however, distressed that these so-called "professionals" would delight in degrading the nursing profession. I'm suprised that MDs would be so childish. People in healthcare are not supposed to work antagonistically.
Wetting their pants in laughter? More like wetting their pants in fear. If NPs were really quacks, they wouldn't be so fired up about this, reaching for any crumb they can. This childish behavior is pathetic.
Having been to many NPs myself, I can vouche for how excellent they are. :)
I just bought one today and on sale for $1.50 at a K-mart in Norfolk, VA. It is not offensive at all and definately doesn't discourage me from my dreams of becoming an NP. If anything, it's like a little reminder that i can keep on my desk, letting me know that i can make it through school.
i sent an email to mattel today. hope to hear back from them.....
wow i just feel like i was slapped in the face. kudos to you siri, i hope you do hear something, like an apology.
remember the article that doctor wrote in gh about nurses and sucking up to us to get their family members better care? this month there are two letters to the editor regarding his degrading statements. no reply by gh. if i find it, i'll post it.
GH editor did reply to both, it was right below the two letters they published on the 'letters to the editor' page. Which i'm sure they'll receive email about the flippiant "good idea" they suggested as the excuse for publishing it.
(yet another reason why NA is not where i'd turn to for support.)
Are you saying you wouldn't go to an NA? Or wouldn't go to Nurses Anonymous (if there is one) You should clarify this.
Nurse practitioners are highly trained health professionals who practice autonomously in a great variety of settings, from major teaching hospitals to rural clinics, from military bases to quick clinics. The typical NP has Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in nursing--which means at least six years of college education--and many NPs have doctoral level education. A vast body of research shows that NP care is as good as that provided by physicians. NPs specialize in many different health fields, including family practice, pediatrics, intensive care, emergency care, oncology, cardiology, mental health, surgery, and many others. NPs (like all nurses) take a holistic approach to care, and thus they are especially skilled at cost-effective preventative care, management of chronic disease, and health maintenance. Because many NPs focus on underserved poor and rural communities, they are a vital health resource for millions of people who would otherwise receive little or no health care at all.
The suggestion that NPs are "quacks" seems like an uninformed but potentially dangerous schoolyard taunt. The danger is that those lacking maturity and wit may adopt the term and try to bring it into common usage. Shhh.
BTW this duck has been de-quacked and removed from the market. I don't think it's so much that it is a NP and a duck it's that it's called a "Quack", why not Duck Practitioner? I'm sure Mattel didn't mean any harm by it, they're in it for the money and wouldn't risk it knowingly. I would be thrilled to have another nurse doll, but not with the name Quack.
smk1, LPN
2,195 Posts
I was all riled up... and then i saw that the toy was actually a duck. They probably truly didn't mean any harm here...