Unrealistic steriotypes of medicine on TV

santhony44, MSN, RN, NP · Sep 24, 2007

That might be true if there were "hot looking interns". But they aren't that hot looking, there.

When I was in my BSN and MN programs, I would see donor solicitation ads for the local sperm bank, all over the place.

I could just imagine recipients selecting a donor: oh, he's a medical student/intern/resident doctor! And visualizing a Young Doctor Kildare.

And I would always think it was such a good thing that they couldn't actually see the guy!!

UM Review RN, ASN, RN · Sep 24, 2007

For the best references to TV shows, read Suzanne Gordon's From Silence to Voice or Nursing Against the Odds.

Both books are a must-read for all nurses and nursing students.

smk1, LPN · Sep 24, 2007

Doctors being the ones to start IV's. Doctors apparently having no true specialty and being experts on every body system. Nurses nowhere to be seen, defibrillating non electrical activity, poking aroung in the thoracic cavity without ultrasound or CT guidance, Codes where 99% of people live.

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Sep 24, 2007

In an older thread on this subject, I mentioned "House of God" and I heard about the movie which I still haven't seen. And I didn't read the follow up about the doc's psychiatric residency.
At Barnes and Noble, I head straight for the medical section and buy books about docs. I can see some in my bookcase now:
"The Intern Blues" The Timeless Classis About the making of a Doctor by Robert Marion, M.D. who asked three of his interns to keep a careful diary over the course of a year and this book is the result. Lots of interesting stories . . and lots of drawing blood, getting urine, taking them to the lab, starting IV's, etc.
"Complications" A Surgeon's Notes On An Imperfect Science by Atul Gawande (this is an excellent book).
Guess I'd better quit . . . .. I'll go look for "Misery" tomorrow.
steph

"Mount Misery" was not as well received or reviewed as "The House of G-d". I don't recell being able to get through it.

The movie of the "House of G-d", did not fair well. I don't believe that it was a good representation, and I don't believe that it made it to video. I believe that it was too dark humored (similar to "Bringing Out the Dead" with Nicholas Cage) for the era. I think that the guy that played "Renko" in "Hill Street Blues" played the Fat Man.

Atul Gawande has some new writings out, though I have not read them.

I believe that Robert Marion, MD has some other books out. He had one about inner city mission work, that was excellent.

I always like the Echo Heron books.

The book of "First, Do No Harm" discussing medical ethics.

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Back on topic.

In fiction:

Fern Michaels - the "Sisterhood" series has some of the stupidest medical mistakes in it. Comments about being able to contract AIDs by DONATING blood, do a grave disservice and can actually endanger people by discouraging donation.

Robin Cook books contain some of the stupider and more naive nurse characters imaginable. Not to mention his "killer" nurse in one book.

Series:

"Chicago Hope" - Quite frankly, Chicago Hopelessness - I remember when this debutted against ER. Camille as the nurse "leader" was a joke. This woman went from babysitting kids to assisting in the OR to taking care of medsurg patients to fighting with her spouse, with barely a sweat. Other than the OR, she wore that cute little dress that was also perfectly clean.

Other issues - Adam's girlfriend dying of terminal cancer and in pain. She is on a tiny amount of morphine for pain control. MD wants to increase dose to a slightly higher (but still quite small) dose of morphine. New grad nurse at bedside looks shocked, with the "But that might kill her" and big ethical dilemma ensues.

(For weeks afterward, I have difficulty increasing morphine drips on people to a reasonable dosing, because family members know that they are already on "way too much").

Would someone please stop them from shocking flatliners??????????

ER - The debut of Sam - There is a patient flailing out of control - the medical staff are trying fruitlessly to control the patient. Sam grabs what is clearly at least a 10cc syringe filled with an unknown substance with a large bore 1-1.5 inch needle on it, stabs the patient in the neck and they go limp.

"Melrose Place" - Was it Michael (Married to Jane, obnoxious MD type) that told a nurse to give a patient a stat dose of PCN - the nurse goes to check the chart (where there is a clearly marked allergy) whereupon the MD barks to the effect of " You don't need to check - just give it"...and she does.

"University Hospital" - the nursing school that features student nurse in short dresses, jewelry, sheer nude hose, cleavage. Where the nursing student obliges her poor dying leukemia patient by having sex with him, because he wants to lose his virginity before he dies.

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Sep 24, 2007

When I was in my BSN and MN programs, I would see donor solicitation ads for the local sperm bank, all over the place.
I could just imagine recipients selecting a donor: oh, he's a medical student/intern/resident doctor! And visualizing a Young Doctor Kildare.
And I would always think it was such a good thing that they couldn't actually see the guy!!

I am currently on assignment at a major teaching/research facility. Lots of extremely smart people.

Also some serious lab rats (smart but not the most personable), with thick glasses and a lot of other issues - the geek quotient is high. They are very smart, but not necessarily the most conventionally attractive, or social. Not bad, but you need to think of the balance of life. Where as I am a geek, others might have some issues with dealing with us on a long term basis.

One of the most well known viral researchers in the world, the man is known to be a pit viper as far as personality. So while there may be great DNA for IQ, other things might be more than a bit lacking.

allnurses Guide · Sep 24, 2007

"Mount Misery" was not as well received or reviewed as "The House of G-d". I don't recell being able to get through it.
The movie of the "House of G-d", did not fair well. I don't believe that it was a good representation, and I don't believe that it made it to video. I believe that it was too dark humored (similar to "Bringing Out the Dead" with Nicholas Cage) for the era. I think that the guy that played "Renko" in "Hill Street Blues" played the Fat Man.
Atul Gawande has some new writings out, though I have not read them.
I believe that Robert Marion, MD has some other books out. He had one about inner city mission work, that was excellent.
I always like the Echo Heron books.
The book of "First, Do No Harm" discussing medical ethics.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Back on topic.
In fiction:
Fern Michaels - the "Sisterhood" series has some of the stupidest medical mistakes in it. Comments about being able to contract AIDs by DONATING blood, do a grave disservice and can actually endanger people by discouraging donation.
Robin Cook books contain some of the stupider and more naive nurse characters imaginable. Not to mention his "killer" nurse in one book.
Series:
"Chicago Hope" - Quite frankly, Chicago Hopelessness - I remember when this debutted against ER. Camille as the nurse "leader" was a joke. This woman went from babysitting kids to assisting in the OR to taking care of medsurg patients to fighting with her spouse, with barely a sweat. Other than the OR, she wore that cute little dress that was also perfectly clean.
Other issues - Adam's girlfriend dying of terminal cancer and in pain. She is on a tiny amount of morphine for pain control. MD wants to increase dose to a slightly higher (but still quite small) dose of morphine. New grad nurse at bedside looks shocked, with the "But that might kill her" and big ethical dilemma ensues.
(For weeks afterward, I have difficulty increasing morphine drips on people to a reasonable dosing, because family members know that they are already on "way too much").
Would someone please stop them from shocking flatliners??????????
ER - The debut of Sam - There is a patient flailing out of control - the medical staff are trying fruitlessly to control the patient. Sam grabs what is clearly at least a 10cc syringe filled with an unknown substance with a large bore 1-1.5 inch needle on it, stabs the patient in the neck and they go limp.
"Melrose Place" - Was it Michael (Married to Jane, obnoxious MD type) that told a nurse to give a patient a stat dose of PCN - the nurse goes to check the chart (where there is a clearly marked allergy) whereupon the MD barks to the effect of " You don't need to check - just give it"...and she does.
"University Hospital" - the nursing school that features student nurse in short dresses, jewelry, sheer nude hose, cleavage. Where the nursing student obliges her poor dying leukemia patient by having sex with him, because he wants to lose his virginity before he dies.

I read all of Echo's books before nursing school - the one about her experience in school scared the heck out of me. Fortunately things have changed.

I have a long list of books about nursing/nurses (including Ms. Gordon) too but I'll spare ya.

Re: the leukemia pt being a virgin and wanting to have sex . . .there was a story last year about a young guy who is dying who pays a prostitute for sex . . . this really happened.

Truth is stranger than fiction.

As to docs starting IV's . . .it happens, I've seen it. I just finished reading "Julia's Mother" again (after looking at all those books in the bookcase I just had to go back and read some) . . .the doc in that book works in a pediatric ER and he starts IV's all the time . . one experience is detailed about starting a scalp IV on a seizing newborn.

Now, shocking flatlines . . . .that is just wrong.

steph

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Sep 24, 2007

There is a big ethical difference between a student nurse having sex with a patient because she feels sorry for him and a "duty" to do so and a patient paying a prostitute to do so merely to "lose virginity".

(Not to mention incredibly sad that many overlook the emotional issues vs the physical when sex takes place...it isn't merely "having sex" or "losing virginity")

P_RN, ADN, RN · Sep 24, 2007

Oh but Dr Kildare was sooooo cute......both the TV show and the earlier b&w movies. Totally anachronistic and unlikely, but still......

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Sep 24, 2007

Not to mention Marcus Welby

RheatherN, ASN, RN, EMT-P · Sep 24, 2007

i have to admit,,, i am in love with scrubs. totally not true to life on most, but great underlying tones and dang-it - it makes me laugh. and anything that will make me laugh while being stressed out in school helps! but i agree with everyone, most people get such bad opinions on things from shows. family members actually ask if things like this really happen! that is the part that really kills me! hahhaa..

-heather-

FireStarterRN, BSN, RN · Sep 25, 2007

i have to admit,,, i am in love with scrubs. totally not true to life on most, but great underlying tones and dang-it - it makes me laugh. and anything that will make me laugh while being stressed out in school helps! but i agree with everyone, most people get such bad opinions on things from shows. family members actually ask if things like this really happen! that is the part that really kills me! hahhaa..
-heather-

i'm totally addicted to scrubs, ala netflix. i can't wait, disc 1 season 4 arrives tommorrow! :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2:

RheatherN, ASN, RN, EMT-P · Sep 25, 2007

I even got my boyfriend addicted! and he usually hates shows like that! i would love to go to that set for just ONE day! see what they are really all like! got a fav episode?? i did, but cant remember now!! i blanked! geez, just like i am taking a test!! haha where do ya live? i will come and re-watch them all with ya! :)

-H-