Drama, drama, drama.

     
    The three words usually preceded with a sigh and followed by a few head shakes. Whether you’ve been working as a nurse for five years or 25 years, getting caught up in the latest gossip or watching as two co-workers silently (or not so silently) battle it out on the floor isn’t unknown territory.

    No doubt drama is real for nursing professionals, but when it comes to television, “medical drama” and “real” barely belong in the same sentence. Of course, we’ve all found ourselves giving these shows a shot in hopes it’s different only to stay for McDreamy and the crazy twists and turns. There’s no shame in getting caught up in a love triangle (or two or three), but we can bet you’ve administered some serious eye rolls through it all.

     

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    Which of these made you scoff the loudest?
     

    House

    In the medical world, everyone has a specialty. Physicians and nurses dedicate hours, months, years to learning the basics, but it’s the time they spend learning their focus that’s really important. Sorry, House, you and your 1 specialist cast for the episode are not capable of administering those anesthetics, drawing the blood, leading that surgery and reading the results all on your own. Calling your bluff; there’s a professional for that.

     

    Interestingly, most of the House cast has a given specialty, yet procedures are still muddled and we see a few individuals handle things way outside their scope. It’s not uncommon to see a physician handle the tasks often assumed by nurses. The result is a population of people misunderstanding just how much responsibility and training nurses of the world actually have. They don’t merely hand surgeons scalpels and run for physicians when a patient is asystolic, or as most dramas call it: flatlines. No, they take action, they use tools and they work to keep people alive with their own hands. Let’s not even get started on the success rate of CPR…

     
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    Grey’s Anatomy

    What medical drama list would be complete without an appearance of Grey’s? The long-running show captured a huge audience during its time on television. While most people were swept up in the characters and choosing between team McDreamy or McSteamy, nurses awaited the first sign of a character modeled after themselves. You know, a nurse of any sort…

     
    Yes, while the show took place in a hospital, with patients and physicians and medical machinery, rarely did we see a nurse truly hold screen time. Sure, the storyline and character development might suck you in, but a show that’s primary setting is a medical facility should have at least one or two nursing professionals as recurring roles. And, let’s be clear, the time medical professionals have for personal, ahem, interactions is at an all time low while on the clock. There’s barely time for idle chit chat.
     
     

    Mercy

    It’s nice to see television writers finally approach storylines that center around nurses and this is one where they even take time to display the strength and experience of nursing professionals. There are on-screen instances where nurses correctly diagnose patients, make critical decisions and perform those difficult tasks usually reserved for main character roles in the world of television.

     
    Unfortunately, one particular and seemingly amazing example of on-screen nursing duties came with a small sting from the dialog. The nurse with the correct diagnosis is praised for “thinking like a doctor.” Not for her years of training or her ability to act fast, but because she thought like a physician. In all honesty, sometimes nurses actually hold Ph.Ds. In that case, she wouldn’t be thinking like a doctor, she would be one. It’s hard to see misrepresentations of education on TV, but even harder when a misnomer creates a stigma around a profession’s level of expertise.
     

    Nurse Jackie

    All right, let’s start with the attire. Hey, Nurse Jackie, how in the world do you get anything done with scrubs so tight? A day in the life of a nurse is not idle. There’s leaning, kneeling, reaching, running, balancing and a whole lot in between. What there isn’t: tight, form flattering scrubs. Patients and their families don’t care how you look as long as you’re giving them the care they deserve and that means, moving without restrictions. One thing is certain, the writers nailed the reality of addiction. The trials and tribulations of Nurse Jackie and those who are closest to her are clearly laid before the audience and you can’t help but be intrigued by the raw emotions and dark humor. If anything, Nurse Jackie at least gives on-screen nurses some character development and depth.

     
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    Scrubs

    All right, so no one started this show with the idea that it would be high up on the accuracy meter, but we can’t deny it a spot on this list. Because no one expected Scrubs to be a documentary, let’s look at what it got right. First of all, Scrubs nailed the diversity department. While it has long been considered a profession for women, more and more men are joining the nursing field and it’s great to see a show tap into that. Though the characters are working on their residency and not actually nurses, it’s still great to see the change up. Additionally, though the comical characters might seem like one step away from animated, the goofy personalities are not that uncommon in such a high-stress atmosphere. As a nurse, you know the strange things a team will do to lighten the mood and get a few laughs.

     

    The best part is just how far from the usual storyline it is. For instance, you aren’t starting every episode with some huge medical crisis only to reach a level of real drama right at the end when it’s revealed that the patient was suffering from some highly rare medical malady. Instead, the viewer is taken on a crazy journey through funny situations focused more on the way medical professionals handle life between patients.

     

    Though these shows often leave us grumbling, we have to admit, it’s a little fun to hate. The unrealistic qualities allow us to enjoy a medical setting without feeling like we’re right back at work and it creates an opportunity to educate others on the reality of a nursing career. The best part is that all the drama is taking place on the screen instead of real life.

    Looking for drama? Boot up Netflix or turn on the tube. At Freedom, we don’t do drama. We’ve worked hard to find nurses and facilities that live by our No-Drama policy so that we are sure our traveling nurses are completely satisfied with every new assignment. Want to join the movement? Check out our nursing job openings!

     

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