The TV Nurse

Does watching a television show, like House, drive you mad? Does the portrayal of nurses on soap operas may you want to scream? Is media an enemy of the nursing profession?

Personally, I enjoy watching Hugh Laurie as Gregory House and, while it does irritate me to see the virtual non-existence of nurses in his hospital — and when they do appear, they are very subservient – I have stopped letting it bother me. I watch and enjoy the show for what it is – entertainment.

After all, look at the other characters on the show. How realistic is Dr. Cuddy? As a physician who supposedly runs the hospital, she sure doesn’t seem to be doing that with all the time she spends chasing down House. And, what of the lead character himself? Would a doctor like House be able to get away with what he does in the show?

For the most part, most professions aren’t realistically portrayed on television and in movies. For sure, it can be frustrating and angering sometimes to have members of the public not understand our role because of what they have seen. But that is where our role comes in. It’s our role to educate the public about what we do; it’s not the job of the writers on General Hospital or House.

We need to act professionally when at work and represent our profession proudly when not at work. It’s the only way people will learn who we are.

Every one person we educate is one more person who knows.