The Influence of Medical TV Programs on Viewers

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Causes and Consequences of Watching Medical Melodramas
Using Medical Melodramas in Education
Viewers’ Perceptions of the Strategies Used in Medical Melodramas
Ethical Issues Associated with Medical Melodramas
Conclusion
Works Cited

Introduction

TV shows have a great impact on people’s lives. Whether one watches TV or prefers to view the episodes online, one thing is certain – there are stories loved by the viewers so much that they, in fact, have a strong impact on people’s perceptions of real-life situations. One of the kinds of melodramatic TV programs is medical shows. There are many opposing views regarding the impact made by medical melodramas.

Some people find them purely entertaining and exaggerated while others believe that some interesting lessons can be taken from medical TV shows. The current paper will investigate the power of medical melodrama and its influence on viewers and nursing students in particular. It seems fair that the educational power of medical melodramas is underestimated, and this paper will demonstrate the teaching and learning advantages of this type of TV show.

Causes and Consequences of Watching Medical Melodramas

Before analyzing the impact of medical melodramas on nursing students, it is necessary to identify the reasons why people watch this kind of TV shows and what they are searching for in them. Research results indicate that the initial cause for watching medical dramas is not to look for health information (Lee and Taylor 13). However, the motive of gaining health knowledge through viewing medical TV shows is rather high (Lee and Taylor 14).

As Lee and Taylor mention in their research, people anticipate finding answers to their questions related to various health issues with the help of these shows (14). Also, the demonstration of various conditions in medical dramas has the power to alter the viewers’ perception of illnesses and may impact their attitude towards health (Lee and Taylor 14). The following motives for watching medical melodramas are identified: information seeking, social communication, entertainment, regular pastime, and relaxation (Lee and Taylor 19). What concerns medical students, they do not only look for health information but also like to guess the diagnoses in the episodes of medical dramas. Therefore, the reason for searching for information is closely connected with the reason for entertainment (Lee and Taylor 19).

Health data orientation is most strongly associated with health data motives. People whose health data orientation is high tend to search health data persistently, and they may choose medical melodramas to be one of the sources of their search (Lee and Taylor 19).

The consequences of watching medical TV shows are associated with people’s better awareness of health factors, relaxation, and social communication. For medical students, outcomes are also concerned with the possibility to discuss the cases illustrated in the episodes and share their opinions with peers.

Using Medical Melodramas in Education

While there exist many skeptical opinions about employing some of the facts from medical dramas with educations purposes, researchers consider these TV shows quite a successful educational tool. Williams et al. note that with the growing interest in medical melodramas, teachers have a better opportunity to engage students in the learning process (48). Scholars differentiate between four major potential uses of medical dramas: medical issues, medical system features, psychosocial problems, and family relationships (Williams et al. 48).

The medical issues most frequently depicted in TV shows are associated with symptoms and signs, the influence of health condition on patients, and the impact of patients’ health problems on their family members. Medical system issues include the ways of treatment, alternative medicine, relationships between physicians and patients, and methods of community treatment (Williams et al. 48). Psychosocial issues depicted in melodramas are the relationships between relatives, legal concerns, and problems associated with the job. Finally, medical dramas discuss the problem of children-parents communication: the cases of family violence, the approaches to caring for elderly family members, and the investigation of stereotypes (Williams et al. 48). Williams et al. note that there are both benefits and limitations in employing medical TV shows in education (48).

For instance, the “Hollywood effect” takes away from the purely educational characteristics of melodramas (Williams et al. 48). Also, the events depicted in the episodes are frequently exaggerated and not entirely true to fact. However, if educators pay attention and effort to choose the particular episodes that describe some medical conditions without much deviation from truth, they will benefit enormously from including such episodes in their teaching materials (Williams et al. 48). Williams et al. identify the following ways of applying medical melodramas for educational purposes: assessment and analysis of medical topics, investigation of psychosocial issues, learning about people’s motives and behaviors, and scrutinizing the unexpected learning effects and the ways of managing them (Williams et al. 49).

Hirt et al. also emphasize the importance of medical melodramas in the educational process (237). The authors note that these TV shows include a lot of material that could be useful for learning. Hirt et al. note that with the proper choice of material from medical dramas, educators can enrich their materials with a rich abundance of medical episodes (237). Having analyzed eight different medical melodramas, Hirt et al. have come to the conclusion that each of them contains the aspects that could be employed as teaching methods (238). The following tips for teaching have been identified:

Northern Exposure teaches about rural and alternative medicine;
ER and Scrubs discuss ethical issues, inter-professional communication, professionalism, and mentorship;
Cardiac Arrest may be used to enrich the knowledge of physicians’ well-being and medical hierarchy;
House, M.D. teaches about professionalism and patient-doctor interaction;
Grey’s Anatomy contains a lot of cases depicting interpersonal conflicts, professional ethics, and the hospital environment;
Doc Martin depicts the elements of primary and community-based care;
Nurse Jackie focuses on inter-professional communication and patient advocacy (Hirt et al. 238).

Each of the analyzed medical melodramas has its own peculiarities and focus, but they are all connected by one feature. With appropriate attention and dedication, educational elements may be found in all of them. Because students enjoy watching medical TV shows, educators can use them as a rather productive tool for enriching the learners’ knowledge and analytical skills.

Viewers’ Perceptions of the Strategies Used in Medical Melodramas

A crucial aspect of the investigation of medical melodramas’ educational effect is the attitude of viewers to them. The image of the medical profession on medical TV shows is rather significant as it plays a major role in recruitment for this profession (Weaver et al. 2636).

Some of the medical melodramas create a negative image of nurses and doctors, which may lead to defaming the attractiveness of the profession for potential learners. Sometimes, medical TV shows depict the characters in a negative stereotyped light (Weaver et al. 2636). Research by Weaver et al. indicates that students watch medical dramas quite frequently, and these programs have an adverse impact on the perception of their future profession (2636). Therefore, learners feel the need for more positive role models in their favorite shows. At the same time, the authors admit that medical dramas present a number of educational advantages and can be used to increase the learners’ interest in the profession. With the help of medical melodramas, the image of nursing can be raised in society (Weaver et al. 2636).

In research by Asbeek Brusse et al., medical melodrama is regarded as “entertainment-education” (E-E), and the authors find it a crucial factor in influencing viewers’ knowledge about health (396). Asbeek Brusse et al. identify several persuasive tactics present in medical dramas: product placement, framing, and convincing towards a different health position (397). As scholars remark, the narrative format of medical TV shows allows the audience to become closely involved in the situations describes in the episodes and also raises the level of anxiety associated with the characters’ problems and actions (Asbeek Brusse et al. 397).

The first persuasive strategy is reported to have a rather negative response from the viewers. People dislike seeing advertisements for health products in TV shows and even find them unethical and “an expression of bad taste” (Asbeek Brusse et al. 403).

However, the viewers find mentioning of using health products in medical shows rather useful and significant. The negative attitude towards product placement is higher among less-educated viewers, but these people do not find the technique so immoral as more educated viewers do. Framing has different types of feedback from the audience. People do not like it when a storyline is negatively framed. However, they have a better attitude towards neutral or positive framing (Asbeek Brusse et al. 403). The last persuasive strategy – persuasion toward a controversial health position – is accepted by viewers in different ways. For instance, the results of persuasion towards a particular position concerning abortion and cosmetic surgery are quite different (Asbeek Brusse et al. 403).

In her study, Chung analyzes the impact of medical dramas on viewers’ perceptions of various health issues (333). Research results indicate that people who watch medical TV shows frequently tend to have more fatalistic views on cancer (Chung 342). As a result of such an attitude, people may choose not to seek medical help when they have a serious health condition because they may feel that the situation is hopeless (Chung 342). Another result of the study is that heavy viewers do not pay sufficient attention to the seriousness of such conditions as cardiovascular disease. This fact may be explained by the underrated mentioning of this illness in medical melodramas. Since chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease are responsible for more than two-thirds of deaths in the US, Chung recommends that they should be reflected in medical TV shows more frequently (343).

Ethical Issues Associated with Medical Melodramas

Apart from obvious benefits presented by medical melodramas, there are also some side-effects that may cause negative consequences and attitudes of the viewers. In her research, Farkas mentions that while illness narrative has a generally positive impact on viewers, it can also cause adverse outcomes due to being biased or even detrimental (315). The negative effect is particularly noted in the situations of medical mystery when biopsychosocial aspects obscure the divergence between bodily impairments and somatizing symptoms (Farkas 315).

The scholar notes that the intricate structure of medical mystery manifests and tends to strengthen patients’ and providers’ incorrect tensions, assumptions, and disagreements in ways that hinder the healing process instead of promoting it. Quick et al. also investigate the negative impact of medical melodramas on people’s ethical and moral perceptions (690). In particular, the authors research the question of people’s attitudes towards organ donation. Quick et al. conclude that medical TV shows can have a great impact on the viewers’ attitudes towards joining organ donation programs (690-694). The authors emphasize that since many people pay attention to the ways in which television depicts organ donation, medical melodramas should give a more realistic picture with the aim of encouraging the viewers to become donors.

While investigating patient-physician interaction in medical melodrama, Jain, and Slater note that there is a different representation of this communication in various shows (703). For instance, females are represented quite frequently in melodramas but are still underrepresented in reality TV shows (Jain and Slater 713).

Also, women are less actively depicted in patient-physician communication than male doctors in medical melodramas. Jain and Slater conclude that international medical workers are presented in medical TV shows less numerously than US physicians (706-707). Therefore, medical TV shows may cause an inaccurate interpretation of the nursing profession due to the unequal representation of physicians according to their gender and ethnicity. Since medical melodramas have a huge audience, they should reconsider their scenarios so that every social and ethnic group would have an equal place in them.

Finally, there is a show that is well-known for the main character’s unethical behavior and total lack of morale. House M.D. incorporates a large number of educational episodes, but scholars note that teachers should be very cautious when choosing episodes for education because students may develop adverse ethical attitudes (Van Ommen et al. 61-62). As a result of their research, the authors conclude that there is a divergence in the ethical assessment of House, M.D. episodes depending on the level of experience in the field of medicine. Van Ommen et al. mention that the more experienced a medical worker is, the better understanding of ethical issues he or she has (67-68). Therefore, the authors conclude that House, M.D. can be used as an educational tool, but it should not be used at a primary stage of nursing education when the students do not fully comprehend the ethical principles of the profession.

Conclusion

In spite of many skeptical opinions about medical melodramas’ educational possibilities, many scholars acknowledge that this kind of TV shows has great teaching and learning potential. Medical dramas may be employed while teaching students about ethical issues, professional communication, and interpersonal interaction. Moreover, such serious themes as family relationships and the ability to find a common language with patients are discussed in medical TV shows. The only precautious measure is that the educators should be very attentive when choosing the episodes to utilize as learning material. However, the educational power of medical melodramas is beyond any doubt. These shows are entertaining but at the same time, they contain a lot of useful health information that can be utilized in case of emergency or analyzed at the lessons.

Works Cited

Asbeek Brusse, Elsbeth D., et al. “Educational Storylines in Entertainment Television: Audience Reactions Toward Persuasive Strategies in Medical Dramas.” Journal of Health Communication: International Perspectives, vol. 20, no. 4, 2015, pp. 396-405.

Chung, Jae Eun. “Medical Dramas and Viewer Perception of Health: Testing Cultivation Effects.” Human Communication Research, vol. 40, no. 3, 2014, pp. 333-349.

Farkas, Carol-Ann. “Potentially Harmful Side-Effects: Medically Unexplained Symptoms, Somatization, and the Insufficient Illness Narrative for Viewers of Mystery Diagnosis.” Journal of Medical Humanities, vol. 34, no. 3, 2013, pp. 315-328.

Hirt, Cassandra, et al. “Medical Dramas on Television: A Brief Guide for Educators.” Medical Teacher, vol. 35, no. 3, 2012, pp. 237-242.

Jain, Parul, and Michael D. Slater. “Provider Portrayals and Patient-Provider Communication in Drama and Reality Medical Entertainment Television Shows.” Journal of Health Communication: International Perspectives, vol. 18, no. 6, 2013, pp. 703-722.

Lee, Tae Kyoung, and Laramie D. Taylor. “The Motives for and Consequences of Viewing Television Medical Dramas.” Health Communication, vol. 29, no. 1, 2014, pp. 13-22.

Quick, Brian L., et al. “Grey’s Anatomy Viewing and Organ Donation Attitude Formation: Examining Mediators Bridging This Relationship among African Americans, Caucasians, and Latinos.” Communication Research, vol. 41, no. 5, 2014, pp. 690-716.

Van Ommen, Merel, et al. “Who Is the Doctor in This House? Analyzing the Moral Evaluations of Medical Students and Physicians of House, M.D.” AJOB Empirical Bioethics, vol. 5, no. 4, 2014, pp. 61-74.

Weaver, Roslyn, et al. “Nursing on Television: Student Perceptions of Television’s Role in Public Image, Recruitment and Education.” Journal of Advanced Nursing, vol. 69, no. 12, 2013, pp. 2635-2643.

Williams, Ruth, et al. “Using TV Dramas in Medical Education.” Education in Primary Care, vol. 26, no. 1, 2015, pp. 48-49.

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