What smells?? ER!

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Specializes in ER.

doctors firing nurses??? :(

what the heck was on er tonight? carter gets to decide how much money to spend on security measures, and then is going to fire three senior nurses to pay for it??? when did docs have anything to do with the unit budget, and when did they start firing nurses?? tell me this is not normal practice at any hospital...please.

i have had it. i know they have a medical advisor- does this guy have delusions of grandeur? does he need a psych consult, or one of those metal charts upside the head? someone on this board suggested an episode from the nursing perspective- let the docs take the background for an hour. i love that idea.

let's start a revolution...i'm off to find a feedback link, and i expect all of you professionals out there to send in letters.

back in a minute.

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Well, first of all, I don't think it's Carter's responsibility to fire the nurses. That's just Carrie's little power trip and punishment for him....

Second of all..... ladies and gentlemen.... it's a show. It's entertainment. If you're not entertained by it, please don't watch it. Let's not get all Norma Rae about it.....

Heather

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Glad to see that this bugged somone else, too. Maybe we need to rename ER...how about, "Fantasy Island-ER"?

I know that sometimes you need to suspend disbelief when it comes to TV/movies, but heck, you need an industrial strength crane for the kind of suspension this show requires at times.

You need an ocean of mint jelly for all the times nurses have been offered up as sacrificial lambs on TV/movies.

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Specializes in ER.

The first one is the show's official web site.

The second is just a general survey of viewing habits.

Got it!Send your letters and comments to;

[email protected]

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Originally posted by canoehead

The first one is the show's official web site.

The second is just a general survey of viewing habits.

Got it!Send your letters and comments to;

[email protected]

sorry canoehead...:chair: i just did a quick search to try to help...i will leave things well enough alone next time unless i have time to fully investigate the links....

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Specializes in ER.

No biggie- those are the ones I almost posted too.

I think that people watch ER and believe it is how a hospital really runs. We all know nurses are much more than pill pushers and doctor's maids- but the general public doesn't. If the only point that gets across is that the nurses are responsible for day to day running of the unit and major decisions I would be extremely pleased.

If we allow the public to go on seeing nurses as they are portrayed on ER we will not be seen as professionals, able to make judgements about staffing, workload, and hospital resources- because that's not what they "see" nurses doing in the media.

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I emailed them. Told them what a loyal fan I am, and how much I look forward to escaping reality for one hour every week, and that even though I'm a nurse, I enjoy the show for it's entertainment value.

Now Media movies... that's where you should be directing your energy. That's the grossest misrepresentation of nurses.

Heather

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Specializes in Trauma acute surgery, surgical ICU, PACU.

Hey, I thought it was good to see the walkout of staff in support of their own safety... I think it was a fair portrayal of the fight to get better working condityions balanced against the patient care needs. How many people have gone out on strike and felt bad about the pt's left inside....

This showed both sides.

NO, it is not fair for carter to be deciding which nurses get the axe so that the hospital can make it's budget. That is management's responsibility alone. But, as heather said, It's just a TV show.... can't make it too complicated, and we have to keep the drama. I think what IS important about that scene is the idea of cutting staff (Or even just the threat of cutting staff) as retribution for job action. Isn't that part of it realistic? And using "the budget" as the almight complicated excuse to reduce staff.....

I think the show communicated that concept to the medically naieve viewers without making it too complicated or removing the dramatic viewer-grabbing aspect of the show. Lets face it, if ER had included hospital management and politics as it really happens, vewers would be bored and tune out. Not everyone is as wrapped up in this stuff as we are... Yeah, educating public as to the reality of the health care system is important. We have to start somewhere, and lets not overwhelm the public with ideas that they aren't used to thinking about all at once...

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I see its almost time for ER to come on so now I'll go watch it.

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Specializes in ER.

Sigh.

I just want nurses to get credit for being on the front lines. We run the hospital, not the docs, for Pete's sake. I'm tired of being second class, a minority even though there's more of us, unwanted but necessary, the lima bean of the hospital.

Heather- the Media industry is just so overwhelming. But maybe we can change this one show (although I do get your point).

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I think the show did the best job it could communicating all that the general audience could handle.

Heather

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