Friday, May 29, 2009

"Nurse Jackie" Disappoints and Demeans

So, I just finished watching the first episode of "Nurse Jackie", the new Showtime television show about a nurse on the front lines.

What is so disappointing about "Nurse Jackie" is that, in the first five minutes of the premier, this insipid "dramedy" depicts the lead character snorting narcotics while on the clock, forging a dead patient's signature on an organ donor card, lying to said patient's family about the organ donor status of their loved one, and engaging in illicit sex with a coworker while her husband's at home caring for her two young children. Meanwhile, a 1st year nursing student pegs our heroine (or anti-heroine, if you will) as a saint, a designation that Jackie appears to aspire to, "but just not yet".

Now, I'm not so naive as to think that there aren't nurses out there who divert medications, have affairs with coworkers, and engage in all manner of improper behavior. But I take issue with the fact that even though nurses are the most trusted professionals in the United States on survey after survey, the media continues to portray nurses in derogatory ways that undermine our credibility and image in the eyes of the public.

While Florence Nightingale may indeed be the most famous nurse in history, Nurse Ratched of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" is probably a close second. Sadly, the premier of "Nurse Jackie" does nothing to advance the cause of nursing in the eyes of the television audience, relying instead on gallows humor, sexual intrigue and drug diversion to add spice to a lackluster premier that demeans nurses and diverts the public's attention from the real story of nursing that is ultimately more compelling than any faux "dramedy" could ever be.

10 comments:

Unknown said...

Wow Keith. I literally just published a blog post about 'Jackie' and the new TNT show 'HawthoRNe'.

It seems that my fears were answered from your review.
Sad. Very sad. Sad and shameful that hollywood has to 'sell' nursing in such a harmful and distasteful manner.
Thanks for the info!

m said...

I published a blog recently about the two nursing shows also because I was excited and looking forward to them. But like you, after watching the Nurse Jackie pilot, I was very disappointed. I hope HawthoRNe will represent us better. Nurse Jackie will be interesting to watch for those who aren't nurses.

JosephKnight said...

Just watched the 1st episode and I loved it. There's a great conflict of character in the protagonist. She's portrayed as a robin hood and the question of what truly defines good and evil seems to be a common but welcome theme for the future of the series.

It's a shame you have to associate one nurse as all nurses. She's not representing nurses world-wide. Her character needs a controversial role in order to fulfill her inner conflict of someone who breaks the rules to do good. We'll I guess you help that role to be so controversial. You're taking it very personally as if you're championing nurses. "Demeans nurses"? Seriously?

Keith "Nurse Keith" Carlson, RN, BSN, NC-BC said...

Joseph,

Yes, you are correct in pointing out the "Robin Hood" aspect of her character, and I also agree that the dramatic tension is interesting, and I'm glad you drew my attention to it.

My particular perspective comes from the long history that nursing has vis-a-vis the proclivity of the media and Hollywood to focus on the negative. Most newspaper articles about nurses talk about "nurses gone bad", "killer nurses", etc, and rarely point out the incredible work that most nurses do on a regular basis.

If I take this seriously, it may be because I do, in fact, frequently "champion" nurses and the nursing profession. We have a long history of being demeaned by many powers that be, and I am yet to see a television show that portrays nurses relatively realistically.

There are an extraordinary number of books, movies, and TV shows that portray doctors in a much more positive light than nurses, and I am simply pointing out that "Nurse Jackie" is yet another missed opportunity for more of the true story to be told.

I'm glad you disagree with me, and I'm happy to have this forum for discussion and debate. I never want all of my readers to simply agree with me, and healthy debate and conversation is great for all concerned.

Thanks to everyone who has commented.

Unknown said...

How strange that several of us were on the same wave length and found "Nurse Jackie" at the same time. I was astounded at the blatant nurse bashing while attempting to give her some good qualities. It made me cringe and wonder why they think that nurses are the ones doing all of the horrible stuff. Give me a break! One nursing doing all of those things in one shift no less..

Patrick said...

Keith,

Great post! I too have been writing about this topic on my blog... TravelNursingBlogs.com. It's obvious that the portrayal of Nurse Jackie will raise some eyebrows. I'm curious as to the reaction it will garner once it premiers to the rest of the nursing nation. I hear your objections and those are all fine and good. However, this show is supposedly based on actual events recorded by a Manhattan nurse so there has to be some truth, of course embellished by Hollywood. I think Showtime's plan is working with all the hub-bub we're giving it. I am not a nurse, but I work for them and I imagine some will like it and others will not. Like all of television and movies, it's fantasy. So I could see nurses liking it just for the simple fact that they wish they could be Jackie, in some regards, not all of them! I've always like Edie, so I think she will carry the show far... Just as long as nurses don't take it to serious and see the show for what it is, a show.

Azmomo2andcounting said...

I agree with you about the professional perception that the character will have and ultimately, that it will leave a bad taste in the mouth of many.

Although, I probably will watch because... well at one point or other, have you ever wanted to pop the tire of that punk or heck tell off that Doctor?


TV should be escapism... all this reality... we might as well be at work 24/7 if we want that.

NBC is premiring "Mercy" in the fall... a Nurse based program as well.

Unknown said...

I too bought into the hype of a new medical show featuring nurses.
Unfortunately, its the same thing we've seen time upon time...nurses portrayed as drug diverting sexpots who are neither patient advocates or professional advocates of the nursing practice. This show did a dismal portrayal of the RN in practice, but also portrayed the MD's in a worse manner! Tourette's Syndrome MD sexual harassment was too much! And the jolly good pill pushing pharmacist! Guess this show really has it for the medical field! I don't know who's ethics are worse...Jackies or the producers! I know that I will not rush to sign up for Showtime to see any more of this trash!

Unknown said...

I too bought into the hype of a new medical show featuring nurses.
Unfortunately, its the same thing we've seen time upon time...nurses portrayed as drug diverting sexpots who are neither patient advocates nor professional advocates of the nursing practice. This show did a dismal portrayal of the RN in practice, but also portrayed the MD's in a worse manner! Tourette's Syndrome MD sexual harassment was too much! And the jolly good pill pushing pharmacist! Guess this show really has it for the medical field! I don't know who's ethics are worse...Jackies or the producers! I know that I will not rush to sign up for Showtime to see any more of this trash!

darkroom said...

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