Nurses in the Media

There are many movies and shows that depict nursing. There is a big discussion as to whether nurses are depicted accurately and how this affects public perception of what nurses actually do. Your assignment is as follows:

Select a movie or 2 television episodes from the list I have provided. You may also select a movie/show not on the list related to nursing. Watch the movie or TV episodes and answer the following questions:

1. State what movie/TV show you watched, and give a brief description (synopsis) of what the movie or TV episodes were about. If you watch the TV episodes, state which season and episode you watched, and identify the source (website, video service, etc).

2. Based on what you know at this point about nursing, do you think nurses were depicted in an accurate way in the movie/TV episode you watched? Why or Why not? Please describe; in what way were they accurately depicted? In what way were they NOT accurately depicted?

3. Was there anything in the movie/TV episode that inspired you even more to become a nurse? If so, please describe it, and how it has inspired you. Was there anything in the movie/TV episode that made you think that nursing may not be for you? If so, please describe it.

4. How do you relate what you saw in the movie/TV show to your reasons for wanting to become a nurse? For example, were there traits you saw in the show that you want to emulate or demonstrate in your own nursing practice?

5. What can nurses do to advocate for more accurate representation of nurses in film and other media?

TOTAL: 1 point (.5 points for content of paper, .5 points for correct APA format first page and writing in narrative format)

Please write a paragraph answer for each question above. Paper should be in NARRATIVE FORMAT (points will be deducted if not in narrative format). Remember paragraphs have a minimum of 3 sentences. You may select a movie or TV show from the following sources (or you may select your own as long as it’s related to nursing):

MOVIES

• The American Nurse Project (documentary by Carolyn Jones, 2014) http://americannurseproject(dot)com/mission/

• The Good Nurse (2022)

• Patch Adams (1998)

• So Proudly we Hail (1945)

• 13 Weeks (2005)

• Florence Nightingale (with Jaclyn Smith, 1985)

• Prison Nurse (1938)

• The Nun’s Story (with Audrey Hepburn, 1959)

• The Bag of Knees (2005)

• One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)

• The English Patient 1996

• Precious (2009)

• Magnolia (1999)

• Nurse Betty (2000)

• Big Hero 6 (2014)

• Rear Window (Alfred Hitchcock, 1954)

• Catch Me if You Can (Steven Spielberg, 2002)

• The Verdict (1982)

• The Disorderly Orderly (1964)

• Night Nurse (1931)

• Talk to Her (2002)

• Persona (1966)

• I Walked with a Zombie (1943)

• A Farewell to Arms (1932)

• Angels in America (HBO 2003)

• Atonement (2007)

• Wit (2001)

• Meet the Parents (2000)



TV EPISODES



• Hawthorne (Netflix)

• ER (NBC)

• Nurse Hawthorne (TNT)

• Grey’s Anatomy (Netflix & www(dot)abc(dot)go(dot)com)

• Private Practice (Netflix)

• Mercy (Netflix)

• The Glades (Netflix)

• Virgin River (Netflix)

• The Resident (Netflix)

• New Amsterdam (Netflix)

• The Good Doctor (Netflix)

• Scrubs

• Call the Midwife

• Outlander

• House

• Boston EMS (www(dot)abc(dot)go(dot)com)

• NY Med (www(dot)abc(dot)go(dot)com)

• Chicago Med (www(dot)ncb(dot)com)

• The Night Shift (www(dot)nbc(dot)com)

• Heartbeat (www(dot)nbc(dot)com)

• Emergency (1970s drama) Netflix

• MASH (Netflix)

• Nurse Jackie (Showtime)