The Reality of TV Nurses We watch television shows that often have nurses on them. Some are dramas, some comedy, and even a reality show thrown in. Have you ever noticed these nurses on TV talk about having worked 12 hours straight, and yet their scrubs look perfect? Don't forget the hair and makeup too. They look like they stepped out of the salon instead of the hospital. Entertaining, usually; realistic, no. Most medical shows do not depict reality; however, most do follow along medical conditions and treatments. The surgeries and procedures are made to look real, and actually they do come pretty close. The love triangles, well, let’s face it; most nurses stay pretty busy, in reality it would be hard to squeeze those in. Reality Shows There are some medical shows that film an actual hospital, and the patient's they interact with are real. This comes pretty close to reality, although it is still television, and it is very edited, so there are many parts you don't see. The fact is, most hospitals are very careful about cameras etc., as HIPAA dictates much of what can be discussed regarding patients. There is one very popular show on MTV that has come under heavy criticism. The show actually makes light of the work that nurses do, and that has not been perceived well in the nursing community. Shows that feature drug addicted nurses that casually steal drugs from the medicine closet, is not realistic. Could it happen, yes, but not for long. The shows that feature a basically scatter brain nurse, not realistic either. Nurses have to be intelligent or they would not be where they are. They can be flighty in their personal life, but at work they are professional, or won't last long. Related: The Power of Suggestion with Patients The show that everyone agrees is closest to reality is NY, ER. It follows nurses and doctors in a busy emergency room, often on a Saturday night. One episode featured a very human side of nursing, where one of the nurses makes a mistake, costing her the job she loved. In this episode, an out of control patient wrecked havoc on the treatment room. The nurse took photos after the patient left, and titled it Saturday night in the emergency department. She then posted it to her social media account, and within hours she was out of a job. She knew that she did the wrong thing; she just did not realize posting a photo of an empty room was violating hospital rules. It was, of course, and it cost her job. The fact is, even though the patient was not seen, or mentioned by name, anyone that was aware he was there, could put things together. In addition, the hospital does not want to
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