How Nursing Images Affect Patient Care

Images of Nursing in Popular Media

Originally aired in July 2010, episode 2 of the first season of the popular television series, “Boston Med,” provided numerous examples concerning the challenges that are faced by professional nurses today, as well as the personal motivations and rewards that compel them to deliver the highest quality patient care possible. The purpose of this paper is to describe the positive and negative traits that are associated with the nursing characters depicted in this specific episode of “Boston Med,” as well as a discussion concerning how media portrayals have affected the public’s image of nursing to date. Finally, a summary of the foregoing description and discussion is provided in the paper’s conclusion.

The positive and negative traits associated with the nurse’s characters

To their credit, the producers of “Boston Med” focused largely on the positive traits of the nursing staff featured in this episode. Although the point is made that these nurses are vulnerable to the weaknesses and frailties that are part of the human condition, most nurses were depicted as deeply caring, compassionate and professional individuals who were dedicated to their patients and team members. For example, some salient quotes from Massachusetts General Hospital included the following from a physician: “This patient is going to get nursed back to health by our angels.”

Likewise, a member of the nursing staff at Brigham and Women’s Hospital enthused that, “I have always felt that I have something to give.” In addition, another nurse cited her need to continued professional growth to make her more confident and assertive (“cockier”) with patients and their families because “people actually respond to that.” Some nurses, though, also emphasized the problems they experience with new residents and the fact that they are frequently scapegoated by physicians when things go wrong.

How media portrayals have affected the public’s image of nursing

How people perceive nurses is important because trust is an integral part of forging the type of therapeutic rapport that is essential to the provision of high-quality patient care. Therefore, it is also important to determine how the mainstream media portrays the nursing profession in order to identify opportunities for public education initiatives. In this regard, Gill and Baker (2021) emphasize that, “Nursing has evolved, yet media representation has arguably failed to keep up” (p. 371). Indeed, it is reasonable to suggest that the portrayal of crusty, hard-nosed but compassionate nurses such as “Hot-Lips” Hollihan in M*A*S*H or the sadistic, petty qualities of Nurse Ratched in “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” represent the main images that many people have about nurses today (McAllister, 2020). As a result, it is vitally important for professional nursing organizations and nursing leaders at every level to present a more accurate image of the modern nursing profession to help them better engage with their patients and other members of a multidisciplinary healthcare team.

Conclusion

The research showed that accurate portrayals of the nursing profession in popular media are imperative for shaping public perception and trust. The "Boston Med" episode highlighted both the positive traits of compassion, dedication, and teamwork, as well as the challenges nurses face in asserting their expertise. Lingering stereotypes from past media depictions, though, such as the stern demeanor of “Hot Lips” Hollihan or the cruelty of Nurse Ratched, persist in the public consciousness. Moreover, media representations have failed to keep pace with the evolving nursing role. Therefore, it is crucial for nursing organizations and leaders to proactively cultivate a contemporary image that captures the professionalism, knowledge, and patient-centric care embodied by today’s nurses.