So, I did a rare thing the other night: I watched Grey's Anatomy.
I generally avoid the show for two main reasons:
1. I work in the ICU, so the last thing I want to see is the ICU (or whatever make-believe "unit" it is where they practice) when I'm not there.
2. It portrays doctors as NURSES and nurses get NO credit!
Three examples: Dr. Meredith turning a patient?? Dr. in OR with concrete-block-boy pushing D50 and Insulin?? "Figuring out" to put a foley in the patient?
In my time as a nurse (albeit short -- life-longers please disagree if you have contrary experience), I have never seen a doctor do any of these things.
ONCE in a while, I'll get a rare, rare doctor (resident, mind you) to help me pull up a patient, but usually that's b/c the patient is in respiratory distress and needs a position change to breath, and I have only seen a doctor push a med ONCE, and it was again, a resident, TPA, and during a code (b/c that's hospital policy).
And the foley?? What nurse would allow a patient to even ENTER the ICU (much less bolus them with excessive fluids) without making sure they have a foley? Has anyone ever seen a physician put one in a routine patient? Ridiculous.
So, this is my question...why no love for nurses? We not only DO these things (most without being asked, mind you), we double check them before we do, know when they're needed and usually are the ones asking doctors for orders for them...so, why, when positive media-attention is needed for nurses MOST...are these super-unrealistic-suave-RESIDENTS getting the credit?
I noticed another thing while suffering through the show...when the young boy fell down and had a seizure, what did Dr. Gray immediately do?
She yelled, "NURSE!" Because, even her distorted, fictional, unrealistic character-self knew that the nurse would be the one who knew exactly what to do.
It's about time that Hollywood woke up to the fact that nurses are the award-winning, exciting, realistic, intelligent, juicy people they need to be spotlighting on prime-time TV. Then, maybe we'll start to see a break in this nursing shortage.
I've done hundreds of catheters but usually when a nurse can't do one. The same with cannulas and NG tubes.
nurses to a great job, an a good nurse is indispensible.
However don't compare yourselves to doctors because you can't understand the pressure put on us to make decisions. In the UK you can become a doctor at aged 23. when we start we are enthusiastic and everyone tells us to "be nice to the nurses 'cos they can help you or finish you". However as we get older, wiser and more battle weary we seem more arrogant and aloof.
Sounds like someone is a little bit stressed right now??? I cant believe you have enough schooling to be a Real Dr at the age of 23?? I remember when I was 23---eegadds--ya to those who told you to be nice to the nurses cause they will help you --listen to them
I have seen the show a few times. But it is just that a TV show. There is so much drama, I know there is a little bit of drama in every workplace, but come on if this show was reality alot of things would not be going on. The Dr.'s on the show do seem to do EVERYTHING you hardly ever see a nurse in sight (not realistic come on). But hey its a good laugh..... I personally liked the old ER's better though I have not watched that show in forever.
i didn't realize this thread was about comparing nurses to doctors.
jess
to be fair to the doc . . this thread has been talking alot about the portrayal of docs in the medical shows doing foley catheters, iv's, sitting by the bedside hold a patient's hand, etc.
he was responding to that i think.
as i mentioned earlier, i have seen docs do all these things and the biographies i've read about interns and residents show them doing these things too.
i still think these are just tv shows and i don't watch them so closely so i notice a stethoscope on backwards.
Specializes in Medsurg/ICU, Mental Health, Home Health.
to be fair to the doc . . this thread has been talking alot about the portrayal of docs in the medical shows doing foley catheters, iv's, sitting by the bedside hold a patient's hand, etc.
he was responding to that i think.
i agree, steph. i just don't think this was really the place for the point he was trying to make, if that makes sense. and i'm also a bit snarky at the moment - i'm moving out of state in two days and going a little mad (not that it excuses me, or anything, i'm just not really myself!)
i agree, steph. i just don't think this was really the place for the point he was trying to make, if that makes sense. and i'm also a bit snarky at the moment - i'm moving out of state in two days and going a little mad (not that it excuses me, or anything, i'm just not really myself!)
jess
ah, i've felt that "snarky" feeling . . . and a move is very stressful.
Responding to the OP about Grey's.... I just don't find the sex lives of medical interns/residents/whatever all that interesting. *shrug*
And it just bugs me that nurses get such poor representation on TV. They're either love interests for the docs, run around getting forms signed, or are going to medical school so they can practice "real" medicine.
I'm with the posters who want to get the nurse-written show going!
To be fair to the doc . . this thread HAS been talking ALOT about the portrayal of docs in the medical shows doing Foley Catheters, IV's, sitting by the bedside hold a patient's hand, etc.
He was responding to that I think.
As I mentioned earlier, I have seen docs do all these things and the biographies I've read about interns and residents show them doing these things too.
I still think these are just tv shows and I don't watch them so closely so I notice a stethoscope on backwards.
steph
Me too....lol I love it when they are taking a bp and have thier thumb over the bell........ummmm thats not right..... maybe we should talk to the network and get hired to critique the shows before they air.....
Me too....lol I love it when they are taking a bp and have thier thumb over the bell........ummmm thats not right..... maybe we should talk to the network and get hired to critique the shows before they air.....
Ok, I will admit to one thing but it isn't when I watch a medical show . . .it is at work when I have my stethoscope in my ears, listening to heart tones or lungs or taking a BP and a patient or family member is yakking away to me . . .ummmm see these things in my ears? I CAN'T HEAR YOU.
I used to be a big Grey's Anatomy fan, but unfortunalty I have not watched this season. In response to the question of why the doctors do basic nurse things like sit with a dying patients or look though poop for foreing objects. When the show first started they explained that the charcters do this becasue they are only interns and they are supposed to do all the grunt work, while the Attendings do the fun surgeries. According to the show as a surgical intern, when it comes to actual surgery you are only suppose to observe. Now, I don't know if this is what interns actually do in real life but this is how the show expalined it.
Also, they do not foucus on nurses and what nurses do becasue this show is supposed to be about the interns. Maybe one day there will be a show about nurses.
I used to be a big Grey's Anatomy fan, but unfortunalty I have not watched this season. In response to the question of why the doctors do basic nurse things like sit with a dying patients or look though poop for foreing objects. When the show first started they explained that the charcters do this becasue they are only interns and they are supposed to do all the grunt work, while the Attendings do the fun surgeries. According to the show as a surgical intern, when it comes to actual surgery you are only suppose to observe. Now, I don't know if this is what interns actually do in real life but this is how the show expalined it.
Also, they do not foucus on nurses and what nurses do becasue this show is supposed to be about the interns. Maybe one day there will be a show about nurses.
This is what I read in books about interns . . . they draw blood, start IV's, place foley caths, etc.
And yes, the show is about beginning docs. Not nurses.
Or CNA's. Or housekeepers. Or lab techs. Or ultrasound techs. Or xray techs.
As you will notice when the docs on "House" do the MRI themselves.
i also had an idea in nursing school, to have a (fake, of course, because of hippaa) real world-esque show about nursing students called "clinical depression."
Just an interesting side note. I remember when Gray's first came on the air. Some of the surgery interns and residents were washing up and getting ready for rounds in my unit. They were also waiting on the attending. A couple of them started talking about the show saying "when do they (Gray's interns) study? when do they work?" and finally one of the prettier interns said "And who would sleep around with our attendings? They're old!":chuckle. So even the surgery interns and residents aren't all that thrilled with that show.
racing-mom4, BSN, RN
1,446 Posts
Sounds like someone is a little bit stressed right now??? I cant believe you have enough schooling to be a Real Dr at the age of 23?? I remember when I was 23---eegadds--ya to those who told you to be nice to the nurses cause they will help you --listen to them