Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1241832
36 Working Nurse l WorkingNurse.com April 27–June 15, 2020 Jennifer R. Castaldo, RN, BSN, MSHA, NEA-BC Vice President / Chief Nursing Officer Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital I sometimes struggle with how nurses are portrayed in the media, which rarely coincides with reality. At times, I even find myself ambivalent about the Gallup polls that consistently find that people believe nurses to be the most ethical and honest profession. Such impressions of nursing are often based on the "angel" stereotype of nursing, which is an image of nurs- es as unskilled, hand-holding, pillow-fluffing caregivers. That is the foundation of traditional nursing practice, and we should not underestimate the importance of human touch and basic bedside care. However, the public needs to know that we also have education, skill, and autonomy. Media portrayals are critical to nursing's future because of their proven influence on how people regard the pro- fession and healthcare in general. The media must help the public to understand nursing's true nature and value. Derek Drake, RN, DNP, NE-BC, CNML, CNL Chief Nursing Officer St. Francis Medical Center The media consistently perpetuates the image of nursing as a feminine profession. Very little is written or publicized about the role of men in nursing. As a result, I have never found any media depiction of men in nursing to be accurate. Popular TV shows like "Grey's Anatomy," "Nurse Jackie," "Private Practice" and "Scrubs" and movies like Meet the Parents and Meet the Fockers (just to name a few) are all completely off the mark when it comes to depicting men in nursing. Instead of accurately portraying the contributions, his- tory and value of men in nursing, these shows and movies present stereotypes of male nurses as emasculated failed physicians — weak, timid and incompetent. This is a topic I am very passionate about as a nursing leader. If we can correct how media outlets portray men in nursing, it is likely to result in increased recruitment and retention of men into these valuable nursing roles. Nurses in the Media Q: There's been a lot of attention in recent years to the way nurses are depicted in the media. Is there a current or past portrayal that you felt got it right — or was completely off the mark? CNO ROUNDTABLE