Worldwide, the nursing profession is recognized as a profession that provides improved quality of life by providing people with essential services in matters of health. By taking care of the sick, they enter into a relationship with the people they serve and the society. This kind of relationship is based on trust and any malpractices that would endanger the lives and the welfare of the people, therefore destroys their relationship. The view of what nursing profession should entail by the society has played a crucial role in shaping the voice and image of the nursing profession. This paper provides a comprehensive assessment of the nursing image and voice over the years. It will also delve into how the media, nursing leaders and nurses have negatively affected the nursing image and the various strategies that can apply to improve the image.
Literature Review
Historically, the nursing profession was regarded as a vocation or a calling to take care of the sick. According to Takase, Maude & Manias (2006), this is because many European women traveled all over the world accomplishing remarkable things in the name of God such as building hospitals, taking care of the welfare of the poor and the sick. This included Florence Nightingale, who saw nursing profession as an independent profession that would complement another medical profession in alleviating pain.
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However, the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the medical (male) dominance strongly influenced the image and the position of nurses ( Milisen et al.,2010). According to H oeve, Jansen & Roodbol(2014), nurses started becoming aware of the subordination of their profession as compared to others. This led to them becoming dissatisfied by their professional status. Takase, Maude & Manias (2006) who examined the influence of perceived medical dominance regarding workplace satisfaction of American nurses, revealed that medical dominance was an obstacle to achieving targeted work goals and workplace satisfaction. Takase, Maude & Manias (2006) described t he relationship between nurses and other medical professions as oppressive. The dominance of the physician-led to some marginalizing hence the development of distorted self – the image of the nursing profession. According to Buerhaus et al., (2005 the society as started viewing nurses as lacking autonomy in the healthcare setting hence stereotyping them as caretakers. However, concern from specific sectors welfare makes nurses a valued concept in the medical field.
Today, the nursing has developed various strategies to change the images of the past. Nursing now is portrayed as a profession that is ground in scientific research, education and technological base. This exceptional professionalism has enabled nurses to be trusted in providing better and quality services in Primary Health Care settings without supervision. This is supported by Buerhaus et al. (2005) who asserts that the profession now holds three central, fundamental attitudes; ultimacy to perform, social significance and collectiveness. Besides, education and acquisition of knowledge have had a positive impact on nurses’ job satisfaction and self -concept.
Overview of the nursing image as Portrayed by the Media
The image of the nurses is very vital for the successful recruitment and retention of the nurses. Depending on how the media portrays nurses either positively or negatively can influence the perception of the nursing profession. Today, media films medical dramas that cast nurses in the forefront of the story, but still inputs negative connotations. The nurses' character is portrayed as having trauma, depression, tawdry affairs and caring personal baggage ( Summers & Summers, 2014). In one of the films by Nurse Jackie, the character of the nurse is portrayed as an eccentric character who commits various felonies at the hospital to the extent of taking a dead man's donor card. The films do nothing in elevating the positive image of the fictional nurses. This creates a bad impression that the nursing profession is unrealistic and insulting. This is contrary to the reality were nurses’ work under stressful conditions, underappreciated and not respected regardless of the effort they put. This has a detrimental effect on the recruitment and retention of nurses.
Over the years, media reports have sensationalized problematic events. These events range from the negative experiences the patients and the families had to go into the hands of nurses. Industrial actions, such as the nurses' strikes portray them as uncaring leaving the patients to take care of themselves. The media keeps emphasizing the adverse outcomes of the strikes to the society, creating a negative perception. Besides, the strikes bring to light the poor working conditions of nurses as well as their miserable salaries. This influences the young people from not considering nursing as a career option. The overall effect is understaffing of nurses in hospitals, as may not be willing to work.
The media also stereotypes the nursing profession as being feminine and powerless. This is rooted in the traditional view where nurses were required to be from a religious background to receive support from the public. Nurses who do not conform to the standards are regarded as unprofessional despite fulfilling their obligations. Moreover, the traditional stereotyping is still perpetuated by the media. Male nurses have to deal with to being referred as "gay" for working in a female-dominated profession. Summers & Summers (2014) reports that most male nurses in the United States American end up feeling bad about themselves because of being nurses. The effect of this kind of media stereotyping is the mass resignation of male nurses in the nursing profession. The media should, therefore, take the responsibility of evaluating the image of the nurses to rebrand the profession.
How Nursing Leaders and Nursing Staff Impact Image.
While the media portrays the nursing profession as one that does not meet the various professional guidelines, nursing leaders and the staff have played an enormous role in influencing the nursing profession negatively. Active nurse’s leaders ensure that employees (nurses) have enough to achieve optimal care and positive patient outcomes ( Patidar et al., 2011). However, this is not always the case. There is evidence that most of the nurses work under imposed time pressures and stressful environment. This is most cases results in emotional and cognitive strain eventually decreasing their well-being ( Koushali, Hajiamini & Ebadi, 2012). The result is increased irritability as well as a reduced concentration in their workplaces affecting the relationship between them and the patients. The patients, therefore, go out there with a negative perception of nurses without considering conditions they had to work to deliver the services.
Most nurses outside their working environment do not speak positively about the nursing profession. Research shows that most nurses have emphatically stated that they would not want their children or close relative be associated with the nursing profession ( Koushali, Hajiamini & Ebadi, 2012). This is because they would not want them to work in an environment where they are not given the respect they deserve, are underpaid and work over long periods. Besides that, they would not want them deal with patients with unrealistic expectations. This shows that most nurses are not helping in improving the nursing image.
Most the nurses when required to help some of the sick patients often shrug their shoulder, roll their eyes or blatantly ignore their plight. This kind of treatment helps the patients propagating the concept of nurses being arrogant and uncaring in their line of duty. Such actions help in damaging the image of the nursing profession.
Nurses today continue being portrayed in a derogatory light affecting the nursing profession in various ways. Since, public opinion is essential to the success of professional groups attaining their goals and objectives, nurse leaders and the staff can change the way the media portray the profession in the following ways. First, they can intervene by always voicing their objections whenever the press describes their work as substandard. This is by issuing pressers as well as advertisements that show how the nurses are positively influencing the society by taking care of the sick. This kind of reinforcement in the print and electronic media will help in improving nurses’ image, thus improving their self-confidence.
Nurses, as well as their leaders, should cultivate a professional image through the way they represent their profession. This is abiding by the rules and regulations that govern their profession. They should provide the patients with high-quality care as well as preserve human dignity. By being primarily committed to the patients, regardless of the situation, the nurses will create a positive relationship with their patients thus, improving their image.
Nurse leaders should also define unacceptable behaviors in the workplace. These behaviors may range from ignoring patients' plight, arrogance and not following the various rules and regulations. Those staff found to have violated the rules should be held accountable hence setting a precedence of such behaviors in future. This, in turn, will help in improving the already damaged nurses' image in public. Besides, teaching the staff various communication skills may help the nurses feel more empowered on how to respond to negativity and stop behaviors affecting the nursing profession image.
To improve the nursing profession image, I would speak to civic and community groups of what the profession entails. Most of the people in the society still have a traditional perspective of the nursing profession. They still believe that nurses are domineering matrons and sex kittens. Moreover, the nursing profession also correlates with that of a domestic worker involving dirty work. On the contrary, this is not always the case as the profession consists of going through training and a lot of academic work to master the act of diagnosing illnesses and treating them.
Since time immemorial, nurses for a long time have found it difficult to redefine the image of the nursing profession. The media, therefore, has taken the opportunity to disseminate false information about the business, tainting it's' image. Traditionally, the nursing profession was only seen to be female dominated. However, today many men are being recruited and retained more into nursing as compared to women creating a gender-neutral attitude. Various marketing strategies such as the American Assembly of Men in Nursing (AAMN) have initiated a campaign highlighting the multiple opportunities that are available to men entering the profession. Moreover, nurses are seen as competent and skilled to make a decision relating to the nursing practice. The National League for Nursing (NLN) has been vocal in advocating for the autonomy and implementing successful programs that aim at improving the image of the nursing profession as depicted by the media ( Hoeve, Jansen & Roodbol, 2014). Various symposiums have come to a conclusion that how the media portrays the profession can have a negative impact on the public. It is the role of the nurses to be active in positively presenting the nursing profession through the various health care policy debates. This concerted effort is what will help in public raising awareness of what nursing profession and heightening the image and voice of the nursing.
As the image of nursing profession continues to evolve, the nursing profession in future is likely to improve in a positive way. Studies continue to show that skilled nursing has played an essential role in the improved care and high quality of life( Hoeve, Jansen & Roodbol, 2014). This means that the future of nursing relies upon the expansion of various roles and integration of technology in the practice setting. More individuals will continue enrolling in the nursing practice including men reducing the nursing shortage crisis. The media in future is expected to play a significant role in positively portraying the nursing image.
In conclusion, the paper has given an overview of the past, current and future overview of the nursing profession concerning public image and identity of nurses. The media has played a huge role in portraying the profession in a negative way affecting the attitudes of the nurses and that of new entrants. This has changed the retention and recruitment process, hence creating a nursing shortage. Nurse leaders and staff have a role to play in improving the negative self-image and to show the valuable contribution of nurses in the healthcare setting. These strategies include establishing a professional identity and teaching the staff communication strategies to confront challenges as soon as they arise. This will help in redefining the image in the future,
References
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Hoeve, Y. T., Jansen, G., & Roodbol, P. (2014). The nursing profession: public image, self‐concept and professional identity. A discussion paper. Journal of advanced nursing , 70 (2), 295-309.
Koushali, A. N., Hajiamini, Z., & Ebadi, A. (2012). Comparison of nursing students’ and clinical nurses’ attitude toward the nursing profession. Iranian journal of nursing and
Milisen, K., De Busser, T., Kayaert, A., Abraham, I., & de Casterlé, B. D. (2010). The evolving professional nursing self-image of students in baccalaureate programs: a cross-sectional survey. International journal of nursing studies , 47 (6), 688-698.
Patidar, A., Kaur, J., Sharma, S., & Sharma, N. (2011). Future nurses' perception towards profession and carrier plans A cross-sectional survey in state Punjab. Nursing and Midwifery Research Journal , 7 (4). Midwifery research , 17 (5), 375.
Summers, S., & Summers, H. J. (2014). Saving lives: Why the media's portrayal of nursing puts us all at risk . Oxford University Press, USA.
Takase, M., Maude, P., & Manias, E. (2006). Impact of the perceived public image of nursing on nurses' work behavior. Journal of Advanced Nursing , 53 (3), 333-343.
