The Media Effect on the Nursing Image

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Table of Contents

Why the Topic Was Chosen
How the Topic Impacts Nursing Practice
Current Relevance
Clinical Practice Integration
Plan For Lobbying
Summary
References

Why the Topic Was Chosen

The topic of media portrayal of the nursing profession was chosen as, in my experience, it is a relevant and interesting subject. It is meaningful as it directly relates to my practice and how people perceive me and my colleagues. In addition, in the information age, the effect of media on the real world is growing as information sources become more diverse. Hence, it is important to track the history of media portrayal of nursing, its impact on the profession, the current state of the issue, and how media can be used to benefit the profession. According to Godsey et al. (2020), most media channels exist to inform the public about the benefits and drawbacks of being a nurse. It is commonplace for the media to switch between delivering the truth and creating information for the general audience. As a result, patients’ perceptions of nurses will differ depending on the kind of information they see or hear in the media. Consequently, media portrayal can attract many teenagers to consider it a career option. To tell the truth, watching House MD was one of the factors that brought my attention to the field and made me pursue nursing, which makes the topic important to me on a personal level. Yet, the artistic portrayal of nurses is not often accurate, which creates a need for nurses to be initiative in projecting a true image of the nursing profession in media.

How the Topic Impacts Nursing Practice

Nurses are depicted in the media as kind and trustworthy, even though their authority and autonomy in healthcare are sometimes insufficient (Godsey et al., 2020). The media has impacted the public’s impression of nurses as sensitive. Despite this, nurses who work more hours and more time with patients may not have good faith in the information they receive or the clinical best practices they adopt. Shows that portray nurses are diverse in genres, and their popularity points to the increased public interest in the nursing profession, health, hospitals, and the life around it. The variety of media portrayals creates a diverse image of the nursing profession as different characters evoke different emotions in people. Therefore, it is important to identify these emotions and investigate whether they somehow affect the nursing profession itself.

Current Relevance

The issue of accurate portrayal is relevant in times of nursing shortage. It is crucial that the public has a real perspective on the job, and the amount of respect and reward for this demanded profession is high. According to Haryanto (2019), 1.2 million new registered nurses (RNs) will be needed by 2030 to address the current shortage. There is a variety of complex causes that led to this situation. In particular, the stress of the job causes nurses to work long hours and make life-altering decisions, leading to burnout, decreasing the retention of experienced workers, and making it less attractive to the future generation of nurses. The continuous nature of this issue creates a cycle that needs to be changed.

Nurses play a crucial role in today’s society as advocates for health promotion, educators of the general public, patients on how to avoid injury and sickness, participants in rehabilitation, and providers of care and support nurses play a crucial role in today’s society (Hoyle et al. 2017). Nursing is a universal duty and should not be stereotyped as a female profession. Communication and soft skills to increase patient engagement and a timetable that includes onboarding and training new nurses are all examples of these additional areas.

Clinical Practice Integration

Nurses utilize social media to engage with patients personally and stay updated on medical developments. Nurses may engage with colleagues and share knowledge through social media in numerous practice areas. Social media may also involve engaging and communicating with nurses at the organizational level. Certain risks are associated with social media, but they may be mitigated by participating in self-reflection and other types of self-regulation. Some examples of clinical practice integration of media include having a professional page on social media such as Facebook or Instagram. This way, nurses can connect to the patients and vice versa. However, Walden University (2022) should adhere to the code of ethics and keep patient data confidential. Hence, nurses should act responsibly on social media to represent their profession accurately. Besides, accurate expectations of the profession could decrease the rate of burnout, which is one of the factors that lead to the nursing shortage.

Plan For Lobbying

According to Anders (2020), policy decisions backed by significant research will likely help the nursing profession. It is feasible for nurses to participate in the policymaking process. Lobbyists may voice the concerns of nurses who do not have the opportunity or capacity to represent themselves before the government physically. As a nurse, it is important to express oneself effectively and timely to elected leaders on state, municipal, and national policy issues (Anders, 2020). Lobbying is a complex process. First, it is important to identify the proposal for the change and communicate it to the lobbyist. This can be done as a letter signed by the community of nurses in the local hospital. The funding for the study of the nurses’ representation is important for the governors as it may aid in shaping a positive image, which would, in turn, attract more young people to nursing. This could curb the rate of nursing shortage in the future by increasing the supply. Overall, these points must be elaborated on in a letter to the lobbyist.

Many pieces of legislation are being considered to ensure compliance with social media regulations, including the Communications Decency Act (CDA). According to Anders (2020), advocating and influencing political choices in the interests of groups and people is what lobbyists do professionally. To ensure that the media does not discriminate against the profession, lobbying with the local government and legislators is required. The government will issue the directives and provide the necessary finances to promote the profession. Consequently, according to Anders (2020), the measures taken should be lawful and legally acceptable.

Summary

Nursing benefits greatly from social media to network with other healthcare workers, discuss health-related content, and access pertinent health information. To stand out in the media, nurses must support one another by educating the public and emphasizing the personal motivations that drive their work (Amaniyan et al., 2021). Nurses need to exude self-assurance and satisfaction in their chosen professions to be acknowledged by the general public as experts in their field. As a nurse, you need to be aware of the image you want to portray and what variables contribute to the notion of nursing.

References

Amaniyan, S., Nobahar, M., & Raiesdana, N. (2021). The effect of media on the nursing image in societies: A systematic review. Qom University of Medical Sciences Journal, 15(7), 454-463. DOI: 10.32598/qums.15.7.2219.2

Anders, R. L. (2021). Engaging nurses in health policy in the era of COVID-19. Nursing forum,56(1), 89-94.

Godsey, J. A., Houghton, D. M., & Hayes, T. (2020). Registered nurse perceptions of factors contributing to the inconsistent brand image of the nursing profession.Nursing Outlook, 68(6), 808–821.

Hoyle, L. P., Kyle, R. G., & Mahoney, C. (2017). Nurses’ views on the impact of mass media on the public perception of nursing and nurse-service user interactions. Journal of Research in Nursing, 22(8), 586-596.

Sealier (2022). House MD. Pinterest.

U.S. Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, National Center for Health Workforce Analysis, “Supply and Demand Projections of the Nursing Workforce: 2014-2030,” 2017.

Walden University (2022). Social Media Guidelines for Nurses. Walden University.

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