image of nursing

image of nursing

The Image of Nursing

Today, some media agencies are not playing a constructive or positive role toward the profession of nursing and are largely responsible for spreading stereotypes of nursing.   This image read in articles or books, and seen in advertisements or on television shows may be the first or only impression that people have of nurses, and thus affects the public attitudes toward the profession.   The photo provided represents how media stereotypes can undermine nurses and service they provide.   Based on this photo, the profession is misunderstood and deserves closer scrutiny.  
Nursing is a health profession with many specific practice opportunities, but for the purpose of this paper, it is important to gain a general understanding of the characteristics of a nurse. Nurses go through professional training and deal with not only the physical needs of patients, but at the same time satisfy their emotional, psychological, and spiritual demands.   Thus, a good nurse possesses a deep understanding of how to provide and educate patients about health care in a calm and understanding manner.  
However, there are a number of myths that originate from media.   One myth is the notion that nursing is primarily a job for women, and that nurses are physician handmaidens, or the housewives of healthcare.   According to prestige surveys, nursing is ranked number 91 out of 93 professions, just above air traffic controllers and embalmers; Doctors were ranked number one (Duffett).   This survey supports that nurses professions are not always seen as important.  
Similarly dramas, talk shows and movies are also boosting this image of disrespect, not specifically about the nurses themselves, but projecting them as sex objects. The sex object stereotype of a nurse can be demonstrated in television shows such as Grey’s Anatomy, or, in searching for a revealing Halloween costume, a nurse is usually one of the popular options.   Another depiction is that nurses are bossy,...