I'm doing my pre-reqs for Nursing school, and I'm taking English Comp. My instructor gave several possible themes for our second essay, and I chose "Unrealistic steriotypes of medicine on TV" since I felt I could benifit from the information. My problem is, since I've never worked in the medical feild I'm having a hard time getting started. So, if anyone would post some examples of things you have seen on tv that drove you crazy, or made you want to throw things; it would help me greatly!
Specializes in FNP, Peds, Epilepsy, Mgt., Occ. Ed.
I haven't watched a medical program since "St. Elsewhere" and stopped it when a doctor ordered "Vitsaril" for a patient (the med is Vistaril). Drives me nuts too.
Some I remember from the past, or glancing at a soap opera someone else is watching: comtatose patient lying straight and neat in bed, no side rails up. Ventilating a patient with a nasal cannula. Listening to a chest with the earpieces of the stethoscope around the neck. Hospital rooms that are big enough to be 4-bed wards. The cardiac monitor goes from normal sinus rhythm to flat line, and yes, they shock a flat line.
That, plus the relationships, plus everyone has all these personal dramas going on all the time (I know, that's the purpose of the show, but c'mon, people, if this is a hospital then there are patients to be taken care of!!)
Don't forgot how nurses on TV dress. High heels, long fingernails. Long hair in the face. Low cut uniforms!
I've seen many nurses with long fingernails and too tight or midriff-baring clothes, including too low a neckline so you can see plenty of cleavage, especially when bending over. Haven't seen the high heels, though.
It doesn't bother me too much, only when people actually believe what they see on TV. Just as an aside, my husband always makes comments on military uniforms being worn incorrectly on television "Do you see that?!? he's outside! That hat should be on his head!"
I'm not bothered by medical dramas at all. I love ER and Gray's Anatomy and House.
A person could probably pick apart any show . . . if a plumber was watching a show about plumbers he would most likely tell us that the tv plumber was using that snake wrong.
As to sexual escapades . . .even in the small rural hospital where I worked as a new nurse that kind of stuff was going on.
Y'all need to read "House of God" by "Samuel Shem" aka Dr. Stephen Bergnam. It takes place in the 1970's and is full of sex . . .with housekeepers, CNA's, Social Workers, Nurses, etc.
It is very likely that some details have been exaggerated (such as an orgy in the resuscitation room), and towards the end of the book events take on a semi-hallucinogenic tone, both of which can be taken as a depiction of the effects of chronic stress and sleep deprivation. In any case, upon its appearance, many American doctors felt that "The House of God" resonated with their own experiences during their internship training.
I've seen many nurses with long fingernails and too tight or midriff-baring clothes, including too low a neckline so you can see plenty of cleavage, especially when bending over. Haven't seen the high heels, though.
It's hard to put the shoes and the cleavage in the same shot.
My best example is on Grey's when Meredith stormed into the newborn nursery to save that baby that if i remember correctly had a heart murmur and was turning blue. In reality she would know nothing about newborns nor have access to the nursery, nor would there be a giant window to view the babies (there is such a thing as infant security).
Actually no...my best example is on Grey's when the 1st year surgical residents were running the NICU when those twins or triplets were born and Addison, whom the best I can figure out is a MFM doc, did surgery on neonates. Come on, OB's know nothing about babies once they come out. And...I love how Alex slept in NICu that night keeping watch over one of the trips...there is such a thing as staying on your own turf!
Of course we all love how Meredith had CPR for like 2 hours and then just rose from the dead.
And...in real life Olivia would never date George...despite popular public opinion I have yet to meet a nurse that has any desire whatsoever to date a doctor!
Y'all need to read "House of God" by "Samuel Shem" aka Dr. Stephen Bergnam. It takes place in the 1970's and is full of sex . . .with housekeepers, CNA's, Social Workers, Nurses, etc.
It is very likely that some details have been exaggerated (such as an orgy in the resuscitation room), and towards the end of the book events take on a semi-hallucinogenic tone, both of which can be taken as a depiction of the effects of chronic stress and sleep deprivation. In any case, upon its appearance, many American doctors felt that "The House of God" resonated with their own experiences during their internship training.
As someone that has worked at BIDMC, it did not resonate and had to have been exaggerated quite a bit, fatigued to the point of incoherence, or inhaling too close to anesthesia tubing.
Trust me, there is nothing that sexy about the modern BIDMC, least of all, the Harvard interns.
Some of the nurses there, laugh at the "stupid intern tricks" in the book.
And...in real life Olivia would never date George...despite popular public opinion I have yet to meet a nurse that has any desire whatsoever to date a doctor!
There are lots of doc/nurse marriages . . . .
One doc I am acquainted with had affairs with at least . . .6 nurses that I can think of right off the bat.
As someone that has worked at BIDMC, it did not resonate and had to have been exaggerated quite a bit, fatigued to the point of incoherence, or inhaling too close to anesthesia tubing.
Trust me, there is nothing that sexy about the modern BIDMC, least of all, the Harvard interns.
Some of the nurses there, laugh at the "stupid intern tricks" in the book.
The book was based on the 1970's . . . not right now.
And I know nurses who think the hot looking interns are hot.
Not me of course . . .. I'm too old. Plus, my ex cheated on me . . I'd never do that to another person.
I'm just saying . . . . . .that some of the stuff that happens "romantically" on tv happens in real life. Sometimes truth IS stranger than fiction.
santhony44, MSN, RN, NP
1,703 Posts
I haven't watched a medical program since "St. Elsewhere" and stopped it when a doctor ordered "Vitsaril" for a patient (the med is Vistaril). Drives me nuts too.
Some I remember from the past, or glancing at a soap opera someone else is watching: comtatose patient lying straight and neat in bed, no side rails up. Ventilating a patient with a nasal cannula. Listening to a chest with the earpieces of the stethoscope around the neck. Hospital rooms that are big enough to be 4-bed wards. The cardiac monitor goes from normal sinus rhythm to flat line, and yes, they shock a flat line.
That, plus the relationships, plus everyone has all these personal dramas going on all the time (I know, that's the purpose of the show, but c'mon, people, if this is a hospital then there are patients to be taken care of!!)