Peer # 1
Migdiala Troncoso
Public Perception
The nursing profession has always been a noble profession requiring nurses to give their hearts and souls to make sure patients leave the health centers. Even though nurses play a vital role in medical centers, they are a public perception about nurses that the public has that does not reflect the fundamental role of the nurses. Some of the public’s perceptions about nurses include the idea that nurses are but mere assistants to doctors where they only pass equipment to doctors during the treatment process (Squires et al., 2019). The other perception is that the public thinks that nurses’ primary role is to help make sure that the patients are clean, take their medication at the right time, and dress their wounds.
There are some reasons why public perception is skewed. One reason is that they base their ideas on what they see in hospitals. When injured, nurses ensure they have medication and clean as they do not know what happens in the back doors (Hegney et al., 2019). The other cause of the current perception is caused by the media that presents nurses as assistants that have affairs with doctors. The media plays a significant role in the public’s perception because that is where many people get most of their information about many aspects of life. The best way to inform the public is by changing nurses’ roles in media by making sure that their roles reflect the actual nursing profession.
References
Hegney, D. G., Rees, C. S., Osseiran‐Moisson, R., Breen, L., Eley, R., Windsor, C., & Harvey, C. (2019). Perceptions of nursing workloads and contributing factors, and their impact on implicit care rationing: a Queensland, Australia study. Journal of Nursing Management, 27(2), 371-380.
Squires, A., Ojemeni, M. T., Olson, E., & Uchanieshvili, M. (2019). Nursing’s public image in the Republic of Georgia: A qualitative, exploratory study. Nursing Inquiry, 26(4), e12295.
Peer 2
Kelly Beeman
The public is split on how they view the nursing profession. Many factors have effected that over the last few years. Covid thrust nursing into the spotlight. For awhile we where viewed as heroes, then when stories of neglect and conspiracy theories began to arise, nurses quickly fell into a category of distrust. Another incident that jarred the peoples view of nursing was the nurse Vaught trial. There has been a bright spotlight on nursing and healthcare as a whole these last few years, some good things have come to light but also some bad. Maybe some of the bad aspects of nursing, needed to be brought to light to insight change.
Factors that influence the publics view include stereotyping, the media, and also the way in which the nurse views themselves (Takase, Kershaw, Burt, 2002). A way to educate the general public about nursing is to make ourselves seen and heard(Hoeve, Jansen, Roodbol, 2013). We have to get our voices out and the the public to understand unsafe nurse to patient ratios, understaffing, and just how much our job entails. Another way nurses can educate the general public is to educate themselves. this not only empowers the nurse but shows the general public what nurses are capable of.
REFERENCE
Hoeve, Yvonne, MA. Jansen, Gerard, PhD. Roodbol, Petrie, PhD, RN. The nursing profession: public image, self concept, and professional identity. A discussion paper. Jan: Leading Global Nursing Research. Volume 70, Issue 2. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.111/jan.12177.
Takase, Miyuki, MN, RN. Kershaw, Esme, MSc, RN. Burt, Lorraine, MEd, RN, RM. Does public opinion of nurses matter? Journal of Professional Nursing. Volume 18, Issue 4. July-August 2002. P 196-205.
