Monday, August 31, 2009
New medical dramas damage perception of nurses
If imitation is the greatest form of flattery, than those in the medical field should be feeling warm and fuzzy as of late. The onslaught of medical shows on both premium and cable television is fast approaching pandemic proportions -- with no cure in sight.
Dr. Kildare made his first house call into American homes in 1961 in what is considered to be the first television medical drama. He would soon be followed by the likes of Marcus Welby, MD, as well as one of my favorite TV docs, Joe Gannon from Medical Center. While these shows were not terribly accurate in their portrayal of the medical field, they did portray the medical community in a relatively respectable light.
It wasn’t until 1972 when M.A.S.H. arrived on the scene that comedy, albeit often times dark, was added to the mix. This trend towards comedy interspersed with drama would be repeated in shows such as Doogie Howser, MD, Northern Exposure, Scrubs and House, M.D. to name just a few.
As a nurse I have enjoyed many of these shows. Yes we have to look past the blatant disregard for reality such as the IV tubing heading to nowhere or, as is the case with House, physicians who single handedly perform every conceivable procedure a patient may require. Over the years the image of nurses has been largely that of a physician’s helper who appears to be mute most of the time. The times they are a changin’ but not in the way the media would have you believe.
Today’s nurse is an active and respected member of the medical team. He or she enjoys a level of autonomy that has been earned by the profession. Many standing protocols allow the nurse to implement a wide variety of tests and procedures before the physician even enters the scene. Job opportunities run the gamut of bedside, administrative, in hospital, out of hospital, military and civilian, medicine, trauma and a whole host of other specialties. It is an exciting time to be a nurse. Why is that not portrayed in the media?
I looked forward to the premier of two new shows in particular; Nurse Jackie and HawthoRNe. Both have proved to be disturbing letdowns. My hope was that these new nurse-centered shows would help to spark an interest in this fascinating field that is so in need of new recruits. Instead they portray offensive and demeaning stereotypes that are an insult to both nurses and women.
In the case of Nurse Jackie I found a show about a drug and sex addicted woman who I certainly would not want to have caring for anyone I love. HawthoRNe seemed to be portraying nurses in a more positive light, though not terribly accurate, when the story line suddenly included a sexual relationship between a nurse and a patient. Is it nurses or the American viewers that these producers have such low opinion of?
Both shows have prompted position statements from the American Nurses Association (ANA). The ANA points out that the negative images portrayed in these shows “erode the highly valued trust of patients who rely on the expertise of nurses… these harmful images also play a role in shaping the values, impressions and ultimately career choices of young people, and may very well contribute to the nursing shortage that is reaching crisis proportions in our nation.”
TNT and Showtime missed a great opportunity; I wonder what Dr. Welby would have prescribed to remedy this.
Cindy Arpin is a registered nurse and Stroke Coordinator at The William W. Backus Hospital. This advice should not replace the advice from your physician. Email Ms. Arpin and all the Healthy Living columnists at healthyliving@wwbh.org or comment on their blog at healthydocs.blogspot.com.
Dr. Kildare made his first house call into American homes in 1961 in what is considered to be the first television medical drama. He would soon be followed by the likes of Marcus Welby, MD, as well as one of my favorite TV docs, Joe Gannon from Medical Center. While these shows were not terribly accurate in their portrayal of the medical field, they did portray the medical community in a relatively respectable light.
It wasn’t until 1972 when M.A.S.H. arrived on the scene that comedy, albeit often times dark, was added to the mix. This trend towards comedy interspersed with drama would be repeated in shows such as Doogie Howser, MD, Northern Exposure, Scrubs and House, M.D. to name just a few.
As a nurse I have enjoyed many of these shows. Yes we have to look past the blatant disregard for reality such as the IV tubing heading to nowhere or, as is the case with House, physicians who single handedly perform every conceivable procedure a patient may require. Over the years the image of nurses has been largely that of a physician’s helper who appears to be mute most of the time. The times they are a changin’ but not in the way the media would have you believe.
Today’s nurse is an active and respected member of the medical team. He or she enjoys a level of autonomy that has been earned by the profession. Many standing protocols allow the nurse to implement a wide variety of tests and procedures before the physician even enters the scene. Job opportunities run the gamut of bedside, administrative, in hospital, out of hospital, military and civilian, medicine, trauma and a whole host of other specialties. It is an exciting time to be a nurse. Why is that not portrayed in the media?
I looked forward to the premier of two new shows in particular; Nurse Jackie and HawthoRNe. Both have proved to be disturbing letdowns. My hope was that these new nurse-centered shows would help to spark an interest in this fascinating field that is so in need of new recruits. Instead they portray offensive and demeaning stereotypes that are an insult to both nurses and women.
In the case of Nurse Jackie I found a show about a drug and sex addicted woman who I certainly would not want to have caring for anyone I love. HawthoRNe seemed to be portraying nurses in a more positive light, though not terribly accurate, when the story line suddenly included a sexual relationship between a nurse and a patient. Is it nurses or the American viewers that these producers have such low opinion of?
Both shows have prompted position statements from the American Nurses Association (ANA). The ANA points out that the negative images portrayed in these shows “erode the highly valued trust of patients who rely on the expertise of nurses… these harmful images also play a role in shaping the values, impressions and ultimately career choices of young people, and may very well contribute to the nursing shortage that is reaching crisis proportions in our nation.”
TNT and Showtime missed a great opportunity; I wonder what Dr. Welby would have prescribed to remedy this.
Cindy Arpin is a registered nurse and Stroke Coordinator at The William W. Backus Hospital. This advice should not replace the advice from your physician. Email Ms. Arpin and all the Healthy Living columnists at healthyliving@wwbh.org or comment on their blog at healthydocs.blogspot.com.
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