Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 12, 2026
14:32
Using Visual and Narrative Methods to Achieve Fair Process in Clinical Care
Published on: February 16, 2011
[Nursing between ethic and aesthetic. Profession described by media]
Cinzia Gradellini1, Sara Idamou, Simona Lusetti
1Infermieristica di Reggio Emilia, Università di Modena e Reggio. gradellini.cinzia@asmn.re.it
Professioni Infermieristiche
|April 18, 2013
Summary
Media portrayals inaccurately represent nursing's evolution, leaving the public unaware of the profession. Research reveals a consistent image of nurses as unprofessional and lacking a distinct identity across various media platforms.
Area of Science:
- Nursing Studies
- Media Analysis
- Sociology of Professions
Context:
- The public perception of nursing often lags behind the profession's actual evolution and scope of practice.
- Media representations significantly shape societal understanding and awareness of healthcare roles.
Purpose:
- To analyze how media, including newspapers and television dramas, portrays the nursing profession.
- To identify recurring themes and stereotypes associated with nurses in media content.
Summary:
- Analysis of print and online news revealed a low number of articles on nurses, with a focus on negative topics like fraud, crimes, and malpractice.
- Television medical dramas depicted nurses with limited, generic competencies, often reinforcing a subordinate role to physicians and exclusively casting women in the role.
- Overall, media portrayals suggest a low level of professionalism and an absent or weak professional identity for nurses.
Impact:
- Media representations contribute to the public's limited understanding of nursing's complexity and professional identity.
- The persistent portrayal of nurses in a subordinate or weak position may impact recruitment, retention, and public trust in the profession.
Related Concept Videos
01:29Nursing Code of Ethics
The Nursing Code of Ethics sets the ethical benchmark for the profession, and guides nurses in ethical analysis and decision making at the societal, organizational, and clinical levels. The code encompasses showing compassion and respect for the patient, their families, and communities in all circumstances while committing to providing patient-centered care. In addition, the code states that nurses must advocate for the patient by defending a cause or recommendation to protect their rights,...
01:17Ethical Dilemmas I
Ethical dilemmas in nursing are of utmost importance, as they often arise from the tension between adhering to core ethical principles and the practical realities of healthcare delivery. These dilemmas require nurses to navigate complex situations where competing ethical considerations pull them in different directions.
Let us explore some examples to understand the potentially complex moral decisions nurses face.
Take the case of caring for minors, particularly in areas related to reproductive...
Let us explore some examples to understand the potentially complex moral decisions nurses face.
Take the case of caring for minors, particularly in areas related to reproductive...
01:27Ethical Issues
Nurses are essential in patient care, upholding the ethical principles of their profession and effectively navigating ethical dilemmas. Neglecting ethical issues can lead to inadequate patient care, compromised therapeutic relationships, and moral distress among healthcare workers.
Ethical Concerns in Healthcare:
Ethical Concerns in Healthcare:
01:22The Professional Nurse
Professional nurses are not limited to bedside care and are taking roles of greater responsibility. A nurse should have a knowledge-based practice, including personal, theoretical, procedural, cultural, and reflexive knowledge. Additionally, nurses must be competent in cognitive, technical, interpersonal, and ethical/legal skills. Some of the best attributes of successful nurses include the following:
Communication skills: These are critical characteristics, especially speaking and listening.
Communication skills: These are critical characteristics, especially speaking and listening.
01:29Professional Values
Nurses are responsible for caring for patients during birth, death, illness, and healing. Professional values guide the decisions and actions that nurses make in their careers. If nurses know the decisions and actions to take, providing patients with exceptional care is possible.
The values that are the foundation of the nursing profession are altruism, autonomy, human dignity, and social justice.
First, altruism refers to the concern for the welfare and well-being of others without personal...
The values that are the foundation of the nursing profession are altruism, autonomy, human dignity, and social justice.
First, altruism refers to the concern for the welfare and well-being of others without personal...
01:22Nursing Ethical Principles I
Ethical principles serve as the moral compass in the longstanding tradition of nursing, guiding healthcare professionals in their interactions with patients and families. These principles, namely autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, justice, and fidelity, provide a robust framework for navigating the ethical complexities of daily nursing practice.
Autonomy
Autonomy underscores the significance of a patient's self-determination and freedom from external control. In healthcare, respecting the...
Autonomy
Autonomy underscores the significance of a patient's self-determination and freedom from external control. In healthcare, respecting the...