TV Nurses

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With all of the medical dramas on TV these days and how easily accessible these shows are to watch, a lot of people see nurses in a less that accurate light. Do you think that this influences people's perceptions and expectations of nurses in real life and if so how?

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.

Welcome! I see you just joined our nursing community!

Homework question?

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Specializes in Emergency, Telemetry, Transplant.

Yes.

Now you go from there!

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The show "MASH" portrayed the Lieutentant Head Nurse "Hot Lips Houllahan" because of her reputation with the men officers, but she was a hard core nurse in the OR. In the show ER, the nurses were busy taking care of patients and making dates with the MDs. I didn't see Nurse Jackie, but was told she portrayed the most realistic role of today's nurses. I think these portrayals may affect people's perceptions of nurses but I cannot say how it would affect their expectations. Most likely their perceptions because there are patients and family members out there that think nurses are just socializing when they are not in the presence of the patient. I don't think it affects their expectations as much because that depends on why the patient has come into the healthcare environment. Most of the care provided is fractured between multiple providers, so sometimes the family or patient does not know what to expect from who.

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Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.

First you go, then I go. ;)

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.
First you go, then I go. ;)

...and find the search bar...

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Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.
...and find the search bar...

Hehe right :cheeky:

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.
Hehe right :cheeky:

:yes:

I did a search and found this thread:

https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-discussion/whos-best-tv-923445.html

and did the search result on my phone:

https://allnurses.com/gsearch.php?cx=partner-pub-9350112648257122%3Avaz70l-mgo9&cof=FORID%3A10&ie=UTF-8&q=TV+nurses

Didn't take long at all! ;)

Take a look at these threads and then let us know what you think. :)

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Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
...and find the search bar...

Does the Search Bar serve Absolut Citron?

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.
Does the Search Bar serve Absolut Citron?

My Search bar does. ;)

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There are many threads on this topic that you might find of assistance. In general, I think that TV shows do a pretty crummy job of portraying nurses and our duties. However, it is just that, a TV show...

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I think the TV show portrayals are exactly spot-on. My co-workers all are super-skinny, with perfect hair and makeup all the time. There's only two or three nurses in the hospital at any one time, though, because nursing staff isn't really needed much. That's because the doctors do pretty much everything.

The medical residents are always SO funny, always cracking jokes and hanging out at the nurse's station, waiting for something to do. And the surgeons are the best of all: they never leave their patients' bedside once admitted! No, you can always find that surgeon right there, pushing IV meds, hanging blood, taking lab draws. They even pull up a chair and sleep right there in the room, waiting for that patient to wake up! Truly wonderful.

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