Saving Lives: Why the Media's Portrayal of Nurses Puts Us All at Risk (Kaplan Voices Nurses)

About this book

Popular TV shows like Greys Anatomy ER and House lead people to think that nurses simply push gurneys drive romantic plots and provide an attractive backdrop for the real action. However 12 million nurses worldwide know the reality is far more fascinating demanding and important. Written by the leaders of The Truth About Nursing the organization at the forefront of challenging and changing representations of nurses Saving Lives is destined to change the way people look at the essential role nurses play within the U.S. healthcare system. It explores the publics perception of nurses and spells out the greatest myths about nursing drawing on examples from television shows ads news and other media. Saving Lives exposes the medias role in the nursing shortage and the often dismissive public perception of nursing. But it is also a call to action. Saving Lives offers concrete steps to help nurses and those who support them educate the public about nursing. For millions of people worldwide nurses are the difference between life and death self-sufficiency and dependency and hope and despair. Nonetheless a lack of appreciation for nursing has contributed to a global shortage that is one of our most urgent public health crises. There are not enough nurses available to monitor patients provide hi-tech treatments advocate for patients and teach patients to live with their conditions. Poor understanding of what nurses do undermines claims for adequate staffing and leads to a lack of resources for nursing practice education and research. All of that means worse patient outcomes including death. Saving Lives is destined to change public perceptions thereby empowering nurses and attracting new nurses to the healthcare field.