Chapter 23
Professional Identity
and Image
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1
Overview
Image: a reproduction or an imitation of something or impression of something
Terms used to describe nurses
Commonly: nice, hardworking, caring, ethical, honest
Rarely: highly educated, bright, powerful, independent thinking, prestigious
Trust and admiration do not necessarily equate to respect
Stereotypes continue to be pervasive
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2
Nursing Stereotypes
Angel of mercy (Florence Nightingale)
Love interest (to physicians)
Sex bombshell/naughty nurse
Handmaiden to physician
Paul Krugman suggestion that nurses perform “menial work dealing with the physical world”
Stern, aged “battle-axe” (Nurse Ratchet)
Male nurse as gay, effeminate, sexually predatory (see Box 23.1)
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3
Contemporary Stereotypes on TV
ER
Carol Hathaway
Abby Lockhart
Samantha Taggart
Grey’s Anatomy: nurses with trivial roles
Nurse Jackie
Private Practice
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Question #1
Which of the following terms would most likely be heard when asking the public to describe nurses?
A. Highly educated
B. Caring
C. Powerful
D. Prestigious
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Answer to Question #1
B
Most commonly, the public describes nurses as caring, nice, hardworking, ethical, and honest. Terms rarely used include highly educated, bright, powerful, independent thinking, and prestigious.
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Nursing Image on the Internet
Many unprofessional images
Research showing 70% of sites with nurses portrayed as intelligent and educated; 60% as respected, accountable, committed, competent, and trustworthy
Internet as providing opportunities to improve nursing’s image
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Ingraining of Nursing Stereotypes
Inaccurate, negative stereotypes well-ingrained based on research
Stereotypes instilled early in life (i.e., gender stereotyping)
By age of 3, most children with firmly rooted gender-based ideas (see Research Fuels the Controversy 23.1)
First graders identifying nursing as a high-status female occupation
By end of middle school, most have minds made up about desirable and undesirable careers
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Center for Nursing Advocacy and Truth About Nursing
Center for Nursing Advocacy to address media’s disrespectful portrayal of nurses—dissolved in 2009
Creation of Truth About Nursing
Increase public understanding of the central frontline nurses play in modern health care
Promote more accurate, balanced, and frequent media portrayals
Increase media’s use of nurses as expert sources
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9
Consequences o.