Images of Nursing Paper

Image of Nursing Paper

Michelle Norris

Marian University

School of Nursing

NUB 256

Professor Bragg

05/10/2012

Images of Nursing Paper

Depending upon whom you ask, a nurse can be several different things to different people. Some people view nurses as caring, educated, professionals who can assist them and their families and answer questions about their condition and /or treatment. Yet, others view nurses as insignificant, physician helpers or simply someone to clean up after the doctors. People's perceptions can be altered or influenced by what they see and experience. Medical and hospital dramas are some of the most popular shows on television. A lot of these shows depict nurses in a positive light, whereas some of them can be quite demeaning. Two of the most demeaning seem to be Grey's Anatomy and House.

In all honesty, I absolutely love both of these shows; however they can both be pretty demeaning to nurses. House is rude and disrespectful and treats nurses like they are there to serve only him. They could not possibly offer anything substantial let alone do anything right. Grey's Anatomy is another show in which nurses seem almost obsolete. It would seem as though the doctors do everything. Whenever the nurses do are seen, they are getting orders barked at them and made to look as though they offer nothing to the patient or the doctors.

It very disappointing that real life tends to mimic television in that some people still see nurses in the above mentioned way. However, there have been studies that have shown people are starting to see nurses in a different light. People are starting to realize nurses are caring, educated and they can be trusted with healthcare advice. A study in 2002 showed patients were willing to receive advice from nurses in areas of stress, exercise and weight reduction (Duaso and Cheug, 2002). Also, in telephone interviews, people were asked "what was the first thing that came to mind when they thought of a registered nurse?" One in five people said care and/or compassion, while only 8 percent said professional (Wood, 2008).

Although the perception of nurses is getting better with time, it is not good enough. What can be done about it? Nurses have the most power to change how the public and their patients see them. Nurses can speak up about their education and training. Let the patient know you are a registered nurse, and if you have had any specific training. Also, nurses can learn to use the media to their advantage. Gone are