Why I am not Surprised by Joy Behar's Ignorant Comments
Joy Behar of The View may have well-informed opinions on many topics, but her views on nursing are downright ignorant. It isn’t surprising that she doesn’t know what she’s talking about where nurses are concerned because most of the public doesn’t know, either.
In case you missed it, a "comedian" on the talk television show The View has some very misguided notions about what it takes to be a nurse. Joy Behar, long-time member of the all women panel on the social commentary show, made her ignorance about nurses very clear with some of the comments she made regarding the profession.
It all started with the very brave actions of Miss Colorado in the Miss America Pageant. The contestant appeared on the show during the talent section dressed in work scrubs with a stethoscope around her neck. She explained how her talent was for nursing, helping people, and caring for others when they are at their worst.
Being fashionably feminist, Behar and the other women on the panel are against pageants, but that is an opinion for another site. She began mocking Miss Colorado saying that she was wearing a "doctor's stethoscope" and was dressed in a "nurse's costume." Her comments showed no respect for the profession and what we do on a day to day basis. The next day, after much public backlash, Behar "apologized" by saying that she was only making fun of the pageant and the comments against nurses were only jokes.
Nurses have been outraged all across the internet, and rightly so. In fact, a Facebook group called "Show Me Your Stethoscope" has over 600,000 members and hundreds of stethoscope selfies in just the few days since the comments.
Although Behar's comments are surprising, what is not is her ignorance. As a nurse, I am not surprised that someone in the spotlight knows very little of what nurses actually do. In fact, I was not aware of it until I put on those scrubs and slung a stethoscope around my neck. No one knows what it is like to be in those shoes, enduring the soaring rush of saving a life and the devastating blow of losing a patient.
Traditionally, nurses are seen as doctor's secretaries, and this fueled Behar's comments. Of course a nurse wouldn't need a stethoscope: she -- always a she -- would only need a clipboard to take notes for the doctor. It doesn't occur to the media or the public that nurses are just as involved in hard core medicine as doctors are. As I've always said, give me a nurse with 20 years experience over an intern any day.
I believe that this ignorance arises from how nurses are portrayed in the media. When the public thinks of nurses, they think of Florence Nightingale. Nursing has changed considerably since then! What other nurses can stand up as role models, though, that could inform the public of the very serious work done by nurses?
Take entertainment. Nurse Jackie, though well known among nurses, has a cult following. She isn't exactly a role model, either. Another nurse show that aired on TNT didn't earn enough ratings, even though it still didn't show nurses in their true light. Grey's Anatomy and House focused so much on the lives of the doctors that they never showed what nurses do.
And that's the problem. No one knows what nurses do because no one has shown them. What Behar said was deplorable, ignorant, misinformed, and uneducated, but not surprising. A media talking head would have no idea what goes on in the trenches of a nursing shift. How could they? No one has told them and no one has shown them.
More education is needed for the general public about what nurses do. We don't just pass pills. We don't just take orders from the doctor. We don't just wipe behinds. We listen to lung sounds. We assess if someone is dying. We make the call whether to call the doctor or not. We are at the bedside for eight to 12 hours, and we see more of the patient than the doctor ever will. We are the thin white line that exists to protect and serve the patients who need us.
Nursing skills matter.
Fire away at Behar and get the media's attention. Eradicate this ignorance, but don't be surprised. Don't think they should know better. Nurses are misrepresented in nearly every sphere. It just took one supposedly funny person's ignorant comments to cast light on that fact.
Until the mis/uninformed are in the hospital for a serious illness (or there with a loved one) they really won't be able to appreciate us. Abd of course, when they need us, we'll be there
"The View" criticized Nicole Arbour's "fat shaming" video and then went off spewing their own bigotry about nurses.
Want to play social justice warrior?
Let me warn you. We will always be one step, three steps- seven steps ahead of you, and just when you think you're catching up, that's when we'll be right behind you. And at no time will you be anywhere other than exactly where I want you to be.
Unfortunately I am not surprised of Behar's and Collins' comments either. Nurses have unfortunately always been an "after thought" to the majority of individuals, unless of course they are our patients! Despite our being the first line of defense for the patient, staunch patient advocates, and dedicated and compassionate caregivers, the only one's that actually seem to know what we do ARE our patients. Even some doctors have no idea what we "actually" do.
Everyday we hear how police officers, fire fighters, and paramedics save lives but how often do we hear about nurses doing the same? Believe me, I am not bashing PD, FF, or paramedics but could it be because those professions are male-dominated that they are looked at as "hero's" while a female-dominated profession such as nursing is just merely "something to be done"? During September 11 or Katrina, how often did you hear of nursing being at the forefront? How often do we hear anyone applauding what we as nurses do? We have to pat ourselves on the back and support each other because not many others do.
Despite that, I am proud and humbled to do what I have been doing for 30 years now and I would not trade one day! Not many can do what we do but during my career I have been: a comedian, a politician, a lobbyist, a supporter, a confidante, and a sister, all in the name of patient care! I have assisted in the birth of babies in the backseat of cars and in the waiting room restroom. I have sat and held the hand of a dying patient and have held onto a spouse when they broke down and cried. I have cuddled an abused child who desperately needed to feel loved and fed a war veteran who lost both arms in battle. I doubt Joy Behar and Michelle Collins or the rest of that panel can say the same!
I had a patient at the nursing home that had a change in the mental status however when paramedics got there she refused and had been perked up again. I apologized to them because I truly have respect for their time
Apologies from the View are certainly appreciated. According to an article I read the World Health Organization reports there are more than 19 million Nurses and Midwives in our world community. Also, further reading reports 2.4 million nurses are needed and that is in India alone. Given these staggering numbers. I will ask and propose the view and Ms. Behar commit to giving scholarships ( substantial ) to educate a nurse in each category. LPN/LVN, Associate Degree RN, BSN, MSN, a Nurse Midwife, Advanced Practice Nurse, and a Doctoral Student. Forgive me if I have not designated all of us. That is 7 categories all of whom use a stethoscope to save lives. We
all know that actions speak louder than words. This is my most humble opinion. Forgive any typos, or omissions on my part.
To the view and Ms. Behar what say you ? Perhaps a writing campaign from ALL OF US NURSES TO THE VIEW AND MS BEHAR MAYBE APPROPRIATE.
Thank you allnurses for the opportunity to express my opinion.
Constance A. Morrison, JD, MBA, DNP, MSN, PMHNP - BC FAANP
She has no CLUE about what it takes to be a NURSE!! She's just a comedian and that's okay. But know who you are and don't comment on what YOU ARE NOT!! NURSES DO ALL THE WORK and NEVER FORGET IT!! Doctors come in for about 5 mins. and the NURSES ARE WITH THEIR PATIENTS FOR 8 TO 12 HRS.!!!!
This article is very honest. I wish the media did not portray us as irrelevant to how a hospital, clinic, or any other medical facility can function without the aide of a nurse.
I got so sick of chasing up doctors who had borrowed my "doctors' stethoscope" that I got mine engraved with my name and phone number. I'm all for doctors having stethoscooes just so long as they remember to bring their own. Also, wouldn't it be amazing if they would clean their stethoscopes before each patient?
I hear you, becoming a nurse (LPN) at 65 and having the young ones try to throw me under the bus. In my opinion we need to support each other, stop the specialty war among ourselves. Unity = Strength.
So let's see. Nurses go to school all those years to learn how to take notes for doctors. Yeah. Kind of like pharmacists going to school all those years to learn how to count pills. Nursing science is extremely complex and people will never get that unless we educate them. I would ask Joy if she's ever seen a patient in an ICU with a nurse, not a doctor, constantly monitoring them with all his/her senses, let alone myriad machines that alert them to even the slightest of changes. How nurses have to put all that together to determine if a patient is progressing or about to sour. So then, what I would like to say to Joy and the others on the show: what value does your job hold? How does it serve? You know what? People can actually do without your stupid show but I'd like to see you do without a nurse when you need one. You have a stupid and useless job.
Riawahine, BSN, MSN
62 Posts
Until the mis/uninformed are in the hospital for a serious illness (or there with a loved one) they really won't be able to appreciate us. Abd of course, when they need us, we'll be there