So I was going to do a post about nursing advocacy. Naturally, I went to the Center for Nursing Advocacy. And, being of short attention span as I am, I came across this article about how a study found that nurses lead the way in male fantasies. Well, probaby not any males that I’ve taken care of, but whatever. (It is true however, that woman love to fantasize about firemen. I will say no more.) So what’s the big deal? I don’t see firemen up in arms over the thought that the sexualization of their job trivializes their role in society.

I know Kim at Emergiblog has covered this very same topic. I also tend to think that the center goes a little too far in their criticism. I mean, nurses are high on the list of professions that people respect. Doctors, not so much. And yet, going to medical school is far more likely to impress your inlaws then going to nursing school. Especially if you’re a guy. Think Nurse Focker. “I’m a nurse.” Guffaws of laughter all around. “No, really, I’m a nurse.”

The Norman Lear Center runs the Hollywood, Health and Society project. They have found that a significant number of people say they get their health information from TV shows. If you’re like me and generally yell at the TV everytime some bone headed mistake, you’ll know what I mean. Intubated patients that aren’t hooked up to a machine and shocking a flat line come immediately to mind. Please, please don’t even get me started on the whole “Grey’s Anatomy” thing where she cut her lover’s LVAD so he’d go to the top of the waiting list for a new heart. That sort of thing makes my family not watch TV with me anymore.

But back to the portrayal of nurses. Should we really let a picture of Christina Aguillera in a sexy nurses outfit get our stethoscopes in a bunch? I like Christina Aguillera! I wish I looked like that in any uniform for goodness sakes. And gosh darnit, people like us! We’re nurses. I think we have to look at more than popularity polls. The fact remains that while nurses may be respected by the general public, not many of them want to actually become nurses. Most of the people I went to nursing school with were on their second careers and that’s great-we need people with maturity and life experience. But ask a young woman, no wait, ask a young man if he’d like to be a nurse and you might get a not so respectful response. For that reason I think we need to take a stand on how we’re portrayed to the general public.

BTW, If you haven’t already been to Emergiblog today, please keep Kim and her family in your prayers today.