Cherylen A Bassig 10503298 Mass media plays an important role

Cherylen A. Bassig 10503298 Mass media plays an important role in society by providing information through newspapers, the internet, social media, radio, television and movies which may be negative or positive. Peate (2016) supplemented that mass media can change the perception of people about a certain event as well as to an individual. This essay will discuss the portrayal and stereotype of nurses in the public by mass media. The image of nurses in the media is not true, degrading and stereotyping, and as a result, media destroys the character of nurses to the public as well as to the student who wanted to undertake nursing. Hence, such information might allow other people not to believe in nurses. Hoyle et al. (2017) gave an example about stereotype wherein some patients think that the mistake of one nurse will be the mistake of all healthcare team. Thus, the patient generalized all healthcare providers. Furthermore, Weaver, et al. (2014) also added that the public thinks that male nurses are inferior compared to female nurses because female nurses are said to be better in dealing with their patients and tend to easily get along with them. Sometimes male nurses are mistaken by patients as doctors. Apart from this, patients questioned the masculinity of male nurses and viewed them as bisexual or gay because they know that nursing is only for females. The portrayal of nurses in the media continues to effects the perception of the public. Despite the shortage and low salary, nurses are still trying their best to provide quality care to their patients. Peate (2016) described the media as unhelpful towards nurses because it depicts nurses in a negative way such as the left hand or assistant of the doctor. The work of a nurse in merely taking orders from the doctor but rather working in partnership of the doctor to achieve a common goal which is to provide quality care to the patient. Also, some movies portray the lives of nurses however, some of these do not capture the reality what nurses are struggling. As seen in movies, nurses are viewed as sex thing, heartless and stupid. Koo & Lin (2016) also viewed nurses as “skilled knower and doer”, “sexual plaything”, and “witless, incompetent”. Moreover, nurses are also described as caring of the patients and only documenting. The negative thinking of people about nurses also gave a bad relationship to their family members thus increased workloads in the hospital. Since relatives know what to expect during the treatment, nurses are a bit pressured and if the care expected was not delivered, then a conflict may occur (Hoyle et al., 2017). The voice of nurses needs to be heard in the public emphatically. Nurses should inform the people about the different challenges they are facing now for the society to understand and value nurses (Peate, 2016). However, as the nurses remain silent, the people will still believe what they see and hear. Along with that, Weaver et al. (2014) asserted that it is important to increase the understanding of the society about the stereotyping in the nursing profession by promoting men in the healthcare team and informing the universities to encouraged male students to undertake nursing career. McAllister et al. (2014) appended that nurses must present good images in the public so that the next generation of nurses will be inspired and not to be disappointed. Nurses should encourage the public to widen their scope of understanding about nursing. Despite the negative views of the people, nurses must still fulfil their duties and responsibilities without harming their patients. Moreover, nurses should be skilled and knowledgeable enough when dealing with their patients. The society must not only focus on the things shown on social media but also enable themselves to know the truth behind what is happening in the real world. Mass media is essential tool in influencing the perception of the people in nursing. Hoyle, L., Kyle, R., & 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. doi:10.1177/1744987117736363 Koo, M. (2016). The image of nursing: A glimpse of the internet. Japan Journal of Nursing Science, 13(4), 496-501. doi:10.1111/jjns.12125 McAllister, M., Downer, T., Hanson, J., & Oprescu, F. (2014). Transformers: Changing the face of nursing and midwifery in the media. Nurse Education in Practice, 14(2), 148-53. doi:10.1016/j.nepr.2013.07.011 Peate, I. (2016). Nursing against the odds. British Journal of Nursing (mark Allen Publishing), 25(7), 357-357. doi:10.12968/bjon.2016.25.7.357 Weaver, R., Ferguson, C., Wilbourn, M., & Salamonson, Y. (2014). Men in nursing on television: Exposing and reinforcing stereotypes. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 70(4), 833-833. doi:10.1111/jan.12244