Mass media, such as movies and TV shows, constantly focus on sensational fantasies rather than reality, brainwashing society. Medical films, for instance, are notorious for dramatic, fast-paced scenes, which sometimes inaccurately portray the inner hospital workings. Nurses particularly get degrading roles, and the reality about the career is skimmed over, misinterpreted, or completely disregarded (Perna et al. 76). For many years, authors of popular medical television scripts have misrepresented nurses. Few contemporary medical TV shows have given nurses the leading character role. Most series, such as “The Mindy Project” and “Grey’s Anatomy,” minimize the part of healthcare providers while giving starring characters to doctors and surgeons. Even though caregivers are rarely included in these scripts, their roles are often prejudiced or diminutive. In popular movies and TV shows, nurses are stereotyped as female, unprofessional, and subservient to male physicians.
Mass media often depicts nurses are frivolous females who are unskilled. Florence Nightingale, the inventor of modern nursing, considered the profession suitable for women because it extends their domestic responsibilities (Perna et al. 81). She believed that caregivers are females who are humble, self-sacrificing, subordinate, and with minimal education. The perception became prevalent in society, and the media has adopted it, excluding men from predominantly entering the career because of stigma. Moreover, the audience is shown how nurses cannot deliver quality care without their leaders’ scolding. For example, a nurse has to be rebuked by the doctor for not detailing all patient information during ward rounds. Contemporary television misinterprets toxic masculinity, arguing that men are apathetic and neglectful. The masculine hero character is often given to male physicians who save the day. Such media stereotypes discourage men from becoming male nurses, who are sometimes given the roles of homosexuals with striking female behaviors. However, the media should portray the contemporary gender neural nursing field, emphasizing the profession’s renewed caring and skills aspects.
Secondly, several nurses are portrayed as unprofessional because they embody behaviors such as being vulgar and insensitive to patients, using their phones at work, and showing bad attitudes toward their bosses. Therefore, medical TV shows and movies suggest that caregivers are insignificant in their service to patients (Perna et al. 93). The “Grey’s Anatomy” series, for instance, has scenes of nurses being involved in sexual relations with the main characters, which is inappropriate in professional settings. The show illustrates that a nurse can be dismissed for integrating hospital units, but her other duties and achievements as a caregiver are ignored. The demonstration goes against key nursing attributes. Furthermore, the sexual relations scenarios illuminate the “naughty nurse” stereotype, negatively affecting nurse perceptions. An uncaring, unprofessional, and self-centered individual is likely to leave the practical responsibilities of being a nurse. Moreover, none of the films reveal how intelligent nurses are at work.
To conclude, various medical TV shows and movies present stereotypes about healthcare attendants by illustrating their insignificance and lack of cooperation with physicians. However, these films do not focus on nurses’ competence, sacrifice, and achievements in their work. Dispelling these misconceptions about care practice is essential in ensuring the general public fully understands the significance of a caregiver to the effective delivery of care. Medical professionals, including physicians and nurses, should recommend a realistic representation of their jobs. Nurse managers and leaders should promote accountability by holding producers and writers responsible for what they display on screens by asking for expert consultation before airing shows. Additionally, they should encourage media directors to illustrate the truth or include disclaimers if they choose to exhibit drama over accuracy while depicting characters. However, although there are a lot of misrepresentations in the media today, nurses should continually offer patient-centered and expert care to patients. In this way, they will break these stereotypes and challenge notions about them.
Work Cited
Perna, Giuseppe, Luisa Varriale, and Maria Ferrara. “The role of communication in stereotypes, prejudices and professional identity: The case of nurses.” Organizing for digital innovation. Springer, Cham, 2019. 79-95. Web.