The Portrayal of Nursing in the Australian Media


 


            With the popularity of medical dramas being shown worldwide like Grey’s Anatomy, ER, House, and others, there is a need to evaluate how media portrays nurses and the nursing profession in the eyes of the public. The nursing profession evolved from traditional care providers to modern competitive health practitioners who use the advances in technology in performance of their job responsibilities. For the past 50 years, the nursing profession had undergone several changes including in the nursing education and practice. The National Nursing and Nursing Education Taskforce (N3ET) (2006) identified several changes such as “developments in technology, shifting community demographics, the move to university education and the emergence of new allied health roles have all contributed to the constantly evolving role of nurses and midwives in the community.” Meanwhile, it is commonly advocated by mass media theories that media vehicles are catalysts of change. Mass media can promote various thinking on people, places, circumstances, and others. For example, stereotyping is a common causal effect in mass media. The attitudes molded by the media can possibly affect actual human behavior. Nurses and the nursing profession is no exemption to this particularly on how they are perceived by the public based on the images and portrayals presented in various media.


            This paper mainly tackles the portrayal of nursing in the Australian media. It relates the role of the registered nurse (RN), the change in the education/training for RNs and the public perception of RNs. Also, the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council (ANMC) Code of Professional Conduct is related on the discussion.


 


The Role of the Registered Nurse (RN)


            Hooper (2008) says that “nursing forms the backbone of safe, quality patient care” (p. 291). In the ANMC National Competency Standards for the Registered Nurse, it was stated that “the role of the registered nurse includes promotion and maintenance of health and prevention of illness for individual/s with physical or mental illness, disabilities and/or rehabilitation needs, as well as alleviation of pain and suffering at the end stage of life.” This is integrated with other roles that are mainly related to providing evidence-based nursing care and developing and applying competencies to any nursing care intervention. The Council divided the competencies of RNs into four (4) domains namely Professional Practice, Critical Thinking and Analysis, Provision and Coordination of Care, and Collaboration and Therapeutic Practice. It is believed that the other roles of RN are all incorporated in these domains.


            In the Professional Practice, it includes the professional, legal and ethical responsibilities that are based on the demonstration of a satisfactory knowledge base, accountability for practice, execution in compliance with legislation that affects nursing and health care, and the overall protection of individual and group rights. Critical Thinking and Analysis relates to self or personal level as seen on appraisal, professional development, and the value of evidence and research for practice. It is important to note that reflecting on practice, feelings and beliefs and the consequences of appraisal, professional development, and the value of evidence and research for practice particularly for individuals/groups is an important professional benchmark. Also, the Provision and Coordination of Care is the coordination, organisation and provision of nursing care that includes the assessment of individuals/groups, planning, implementation and evaluation of care. This is the most fundamental manifestation of the ability of a RN to provide the necessary care needed by the client. Lastly, Collaborative and Therapeutic Practice refers to establishing, sustaining and concluding professional relationships with individuals/groups. This also contains those competencies that relate to the nurse understanding their contribution to the interdisciplinary health care team. All in all, the roles of a RN is based on the main idea of nursing practice – to provide care, promote and maintain health, and prevent illness among people. Curtis and Wiseman (2008) like other authors avow that fundamental nursing roles have a significant impact on patient outcomes and satisfaction.


 


The Change in Education/Training for RNs


            Chaboyer and colleagues (2001) acknowledge the effects of the growing patient acuity, economic rationalisation, the development of medical technology and other forces on the roles and responsibilities of all nursing care providers and practitioners. In order to deal with these effects, there is a need to have quality nursing education that is based on fundamental nursing theories as well as the current demands and emerging trends in the nursing practice and profession. It is identified that the nursing practice transformed in various levels. For instance, the changes that occurred, occurring, and will occur in the education and training for RNs significantly affect the whole practice and eventually the profession itself. Among the changes in nursing training and education are the increasing areas of specialization and the integration of modern medical technology as based on the growing demand for competitive and quality global nursing practice.


            The increasing areas of specialization in the nursing practice are brought about by the growing patient acuity (Chaboyer et al., 2001) and the presence of highly complicated medical situations that require specialized nursing skills and interventions. At present, there are greater numbers of real time experiences in the hospital setting so as to increase the competencies of the nursing and other medical students. For example, nursing and other medical students are provided with shared educational experiences with practicing nurses and doctors through team meetings and discussions (Chaboyer et al., 2001). This is to develop the collaborative nature of their relationships as mentioned in one of the domains of competency standards. Not to mention, the growing demands for nurses worldwide initiate changes in the training and education. Today, more and more nursing schools and universities offer academic nursing programs that cater to the current setting. Escober and group (2007) report that there are several ways of informing prospective nursing student of the “vision” of the nursing profession and with a general emphasis on the advantages of their academic program.


            Similarly, the integration of modern medical technology altered the traditional training and education for RNs. It is undeniably accepted that the beneficial effects of advanced medical technologies lighten the burden of the tedious nursing practice. Medical innovations are added in the nursing practice not just for improvement but because it is the effect of the digitalization and globalization processes affecting modern societies. Locsin (2001) avers that the growth in lifesaving technology has extended both the length and quality of life for patients. However, critics have argued that health care professionals tend to focus more on the functioning of the technology rather than to the welfare of patient. It is then advocated that the complexities of medical technology affect every aspect of nursing particularly on the basic idea of providing care – as the essence of nursing. So, RNs and nursing students should understand that modern medical technologies are just complementary resources in providing care, and that personalized nursing intervention matters more. As the world advances toward globalization, there is a growing demand for competitive and quality global nursing practice. This growing demands need an answer and this include the production of nursing professionals that are equipped with fundamental skills and are professionally motivated in serving the needs of the ill people in the communities they cover.


 


The Public Perception of RNs


            The public’s opinion of physicians is important in the preferences of people (Tai-Seale & Pescosolido, 2003). The same authors found out that “the public’s opinions of physicians are significantly associated with one’s perceived ability to choose any provider, past experience with switching health providers or plans, health status, and education” (p. 631). This is similar to nurses’ case. In an editorial, Professor Sandra V. Dunn (1999) says that “we present images of critical care nursing… to see ourselves as others see us.” The public perception of RNs should be based on the basic image that nurses provide care for the sick. Any health provider is expected to portray an image of compassion and goodness toward people especially the sick. But unfortunately, public perception on nurses in Australian and even the world is still bounded on outdated images, stereotypes and opinions of people (N3ET, 2006). With the extensive literatures included in the study of Kalisch and group (2007) on the image of nursing, several images are identified such as “angel of mercy, girl Friday, heroine, wife/mother, battleaxe, and sex object” (p. 182). However, there are also some negative images being presented like stereotypes (Gordon, 2005). Today, the media constantly characterized nurses as women and the image of men nurses are often negative (Evans, 2002). Hooper (2008) identifies the inaccuracy or lack of portrayal of any nurses, and/or the portrayal of physicians doing the work of nurses. Today, the nursing community struggles to improve the image of nurses and the nursing profession in the eyes of the public. It is important to consider that the presentation of a realistic and balanced portrayal of nursing must link the diversity and complexity of all the aspects related to the nurse’s world. The role of media is very important. For instance, Bosco and associates (2005) emphasize the capacity of the media to reinforce “positive images” of nursing by showing nurses who are at work in “exciting” areas of care such as pediatrics or emergency situations.


            In relation to the ANMC Code of Professional Conduct, the images as well as the conducts of RNs must be based on the codes (See Appendix). Specifically, Code 10 states that nurses need to maintain and build on the community’s trust and confidence in the nursing profession by the images they project to people. Nurses should always be good role models. While it is true that the work requires a lot of patience and perseverance particularly on caring of patients, nurses must remain on positive image regardless of any circumstance. In this way, the portrayal of a positive image is ensured. Today’s new media like the internet is a potent means of advocating a more positive portrayal. Given the advantages of the internet, the portrayal of nursing is already much more positive than it is in the entertainment media (Kalisch et al., 2007). It is also encourage that nursing students and RNs should have high level of awareness on the image that they portray. Their portrayal in mass media affects the recruitment of more people to join in the profession to address the current global shortage of nurses (Donelan et al., 2005). As Hooper (2001) says, “This is a hard job, but it is an honorable one and one of which we can be proud. Tell the truth—share the goodness that is nursing!” This could be the mentality of all RNs with consideration of an ethical and professional nursing practice as proliferated by the ANMC Code of Professional Conduct.


 


 


 


References


 


Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council (ANMC) (2005 December). National Competency Standards for the Registered Nurse. Retrieved February 12, 2009, from http://www.anmc.org.au/docs/Competency_standards_RN.pdf.


 


Bosco, A. M., Ward, C., & Styles, I. (2005). Influencing the future: Goals of student nurses and nursing. Retrieved February 12, 2009, from http://www.aare.edu.au/01pap/bos01276.htm.


 


Chaboyer, W., Najman, J. & Dunn, S. (2001 April). Factors influencing job valuation: a comparative study of critical care and non-critical care nurses. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 38(2), 153-161.


 


Curtis, K. & Wiseman, T. (2008 February). Back to basics—–Essential nursing care in the ED Part One. Australasian Emergency Nursing Journal, 11(1), 49-53.


 


Donelan, K., Buerhaus, P. I., Ulrich, B. T., Norman, L., & Dittus, R. (2005) Awareness and Perceptions of the Johnson & Johnson Campaign for Nursing’s Future: Views from Nursing Students, RNs, and CNOs. NURSING ECONOMICS, 23(4), 150-158.


 


Dunn, S.V. (1999 June). Editorial: as others see us. Australian Critical Care, 12(2), 42.


 


Escober, C., Scotese, J., Berman, A., Thaler, J., Fairchild, S., Gould, E., & Mezey, M. (2007 July-August). Portrayal of Nursing to Incoming Students: Results of a National Survey of Geriatric and Pediatric Web Images on Baccalaureate Nursing Program Web Sites. Journal of Professional Nursing, 23(4), 220-225.


 


Evans, J. (2002) Cautious caregivers: gender stereotypes and the sexualization of men nurses’ touch. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 40(4), 441-8.


 


Gordon, S. (2005). Nursing against the odds, how health care cost cutting, media stereotypes, and medical hubris undermine horses and patient care. Ithaca and London: ILR Press.


 


Hooper, V. D. (2008 October). Where Is the Voice of Nursing? Journal of PeriAnesthesia Nursing, 23(5), 289-291.


 


Hooper, V. D. (2001 April) The Reputation of Nurses: The Good and the Bad, But What About the Truth? Journal of PeriAnesthesia Nursing, 16(2), 145-146.


 


Kalisch, B. J., Begeny, S., & Neumann, S. (2007). The image of the nurse on the Internet. Nursing Outlook, 55,182-188.


 


Locsin, R. C. (2001), Advancing Technology, Caring, and Nursing. Santa Barbara, CA: Greenwood Pub Group.


 


National Nursing and Nursing Education Taskforce (N3ET) (2006). Media and Communication Principles for Nursing and Midwifery in Australia. Retrieved February 12, 2009, from http://www.nnnet.gov.au/downloads/rec9_commprinciples.pdf.


 


Tai-Seale, M. & Pescosolido, B. (2003 September). The Public’s Opinions of Physicians: Do Perceived Choice and Exercised Choice Matter? American Journal of Managed Care, 9(9), 631-638.


 


 


 


Appendix


The ANMC Code of Professional Conduct


  • Nurses practise in a safe and competent manner.

  • Nurses practise in accordance with the standards of the profession and broader health systems.

  • Nurses practise and conduct themselves in accordance with the laws relevant to the profession and practice of nursing.

  • Nurses respect the dignity, culture, ethnicity, values and beliefs of people receiving care and treatment, and of their colleagues.

  • Nurses treat personal information obtained in a professional capacity as private and confidential.

  • Nurses provide impartial, honest and accurate information in relation to nursing care and health care products.

  • Nurses support the health, wellbeing and informed decision making of people requiring or receiving care.

  • Nurses promote and preserve the trust and privilege inherent in the relationship between nurses and the people receiving care.

  • Nurses maintain and build on the community’s trust and confidence in the nursing profession.

  • Nursing practise nursing reflectively and ethically.


  • Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com


    0 comments:

    Post a Comment

     
    Top