Image of Nursing

1
Image of Nursing
By Mike Leung Sharon Pandher
2
Whats the Big Deal?

• The global media's relentless linking of sexual
  images to the profession of nursing reinforces
  long-standing stereotypes. Even though those
  images are often "jokes" or "fantasies," the
  stereotypes they promote discourage practicing
  and potential nurses, foster sexual violence in
  the workplace, and contribute to a general
  atmosphere of disrespect. Even humor and fantasy
  images affect how people act. That's why
  advertisers spend billions on them. Desexualizing
  the nursing image is a key part of building the
  strength the profession needs to overcome the
  current shortage, which is taking lives
  worldwide, and to meet the challenges of modern
  health care (The Center for Nursing Advocacy,
  2007)

3
Nursing Stereotypes

• Nurses need to define the scope of their own
  profession Kalisch and Kalisch identify six
  images of nursing
• 1. Angel of Mercy--Self-sacrificing, moral, noble
• 2. Girl Friday--Subservient, physician handmaiden
• 3. Heroine--Brave, dedicated
• 4. Wife/Mother--Maternal, passive, domestic
• 5. Sex Object--Sensual, romantic, promiscuous
• 6. Careerist--Knowledgeable, intelligent,
  respected professional
• 7. Bureaucratic--Does anything necessary,
  emphasis on structure
• 8. Battle Ax bossy, scary, inflicts pain and
  humiliates into compliance
• and another longstanding image that is not often
  acknowledge
• 9. Technology Expert operates, problem solves
  machinery and equipment
• teaches and convinces patients to comply with
  positioning, acceptance, etc.
• 10. Perhaps the biggest Stereotype is Nurses are
  WOMEN.

4
Now Lets Take a Look at the Different Images of
Nursing Throughout the Decades.
5
Angel of Mercy
http//www.nursepostcard.com/nurse_1.jpg
6
Battle Axe Nurse
http//www.supergreetingcards.com/cgi-bin/page_1.c
gi?cid00829
7
Naughty Nurse
http//www.nursingadvocacy.org/faq/naughty_nurse.h
tml
8
Naughty Nurse
http//www.blink-182.org/pictures/albums/thumbs/en
ema_front.jpg http//www.nursingadvocacy.org/news/
2004nov/night_shift_nurse_150.gif http//www.nursi
ngadvocacy.org/news/2004nov/nurse_naughty_150.gif
9
Heroine Image
http//www.army.mil/cmh/art/Posters/WWI/Your_End.j
pg
10
Girl Friday
(Nursing Stereotypes, n.d.)
11
Maternal Image
http//www.rainfall.com/posters/images/WWI/3g09020
u.jpg
12
Homosexual Male Image
http//www.popentertainment.com/WillGrace.jpg
http//www.mvps.org/st-software/Movie_Collection/i
mages/2781f.jpg
13
What Influences Negative Stereotypes
Advertisements
Music Videos
Society
Movies
Internet
Television Programs
14
So Lets Make A Change
15
Unfreezing

• Before any change can occur nurses themselves
  need to recognize and accept the fact that a
  change needs to be made.
• When they have accepted that then they can begin
  to unfreeze the societies and medias
  stereotypes on nursing.

16
Making the Change

• Nurses can use a variety of techniques to get rid
  of the negative stereotypes some of these
  techniques include
• -Teaching
• -Job Shadowing
• -Nurses Advocating for Positive Image
• -Parents
• -Guest Speakers
• -Focus Groups
• -Union Involvements
• -Monitoring Environmental Influences
• -Involvement of Physicians and other Health Care
  Professionals
• -Prevention
• -Empowerment

17
(No Transcript)
18
References

• Nursing Stereotypes Handout. (n.d.). Nursing
  Stereotypes. Retrieved on March 17, 2007
  from http//www.nursinginformatics.com/N4111/stere
  otypes.pdf
• The Center for Nursing Advocacy. (2006). What's
  the big deal about "naughty
• nurse" images in the media? I mean, no one
  believes nurses really
• dress like that. Retrieved on March 17, 2007
  from http//www.nursingadvocacy.org/faq/naughty_n
  urse.html
• The ZNA Postcard Gallery. (n.d.). Postcards of
  nursing a worldwide tribute. Retrieved on March
  17, 2007 from http//www.nursepostcard.com/galler
  y.html