Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1241832
Working Nurse l WorkingNurse.com 37 April 27–June 15, 2020 Katie Hughes, RN, MSN, CRRN Chief Nursing Officer Casa Colina Hospital and Centers for Healthcare Over the last few years, I've been watching "Call the Midwife," a British TV series set in 1950s London. I was hoping it would be a show about nursing that I couldn't cri- tique for inaccuracies, which I often do with medical shows. Obviously, nurses today don't wear caps, are more diverse than in the '50s and have much more technology and knowledge available to them. Yet, the writers of the show have managed to create a depiction of nursing that seems to be as relevant today as the period in which the series is set. When faced with challenges, the nurse characters work as a team, apply their learned knowledge and critically evaluate every situation with the goal of ensuring the best outcome for the patient. Whether the BBC depiction of nursing in 1950s London is accurate or not, I think that the overarching themes of the show compare well to modern-day nursing. Linda Sarna, RN, Ph.D., FAAN Dean / Professor / Lulu Wolf Hassenplug Chair UCLA School of Nursing Images of Florence Nightingale usually depict her stand- ing over a wounded soldier's bed with a lantern, her face showing care and concern. Compassion is important, but Florence Nightingale was so much more: She laid the foundation for professional nursing, established the first secular nursing school in the world, led social reforms and was a pioneer in the visual presentation of information and statistical graphics. Yet, we seldom see images of her that describe her statistical analysis. I am hopeful that future depictions will focus on her legacy as a fearless pioneer, leader and educator who transformed healthcare. Lauren Spilsbury, RN, MSN Vice President, Patient Care Services Redlands Community Hospital In the '90s, there was a weekly TV drama entitled "Chicago Hope" with many different physician charac- ters, but only one nurse. That poor nurse was in the OR one week, in pediatrics the next. A few episodes after that, she went up to the NICU. I wrote to the producers to share my perspective and explain that the show did not depict nurses in an accurate light. It takes years for a nurse to become an expert in her or his field. Moving this nurse from specialty to specialty misrepresented nursing and the contributions we make to our patients' health. My message to the producers did not change their storylines, so I stopped watching. Today, I enjoy watching "The Resident" because it depicts the nurse practitioner character, Nic Nevin, as strong, resourceful and intelligent. She is passionate about being a nurse and stands as a colleague with her physician partners. Photos, left to right: "Call the Midwife" is a charming BBC series based on Jennifer Worth's memoir of nursing in London's East End in the 1950s. "Chicago Hope," CBS's 1994 drama, featured Roxanne Hart as a nurse. Here she's pictured in the OR, but each episode found her in a different unit, ignoring the signifi- cance of nursing specialties. Fox's "The Resident" is one of the few medical dramas to feature a nurse practitioner character, played by Emily VanCamp (center, with crossed arms). The 2000 comedy Meet the Parents makes a mockery of Ben Stiller's character and the con- tributions of men in nursing.