Image Of Nursing

Today’s nurses are viewed as very academic and respected individuals; however this was not always the case. Looking back in time, it is able to be seen how nurses were not always as revered until after they were seen in combat. It is also important to know that the nurse was easily able to be distinguished through her uniform until the 1960’s and from then on, a slight variety is added in until the uniform is completely changed universally. It is important for nurses to look back and see how far the profession has come and to see the differences in the image of the nurse throughout the years. In this paper, it can be seen how the nurse’s image changes over the course of 60 years and how these changes affect patient care.

Image of Nursing from

This change of dress attributed to the fact that more and more men were joining the profession and many were using equal rights to promote the wearing of pants (Judd & Sitzman, 2010). In this era, the Vietnam War attracted many nurses. Nurses who came back from the war had difficulty with stress and depression (p. 230). There were many sleepless nights and flashbacks that interfered with their work (p. 230). The first appearance of a black nurse in the media is in 1960. It is not until the 70’s that black women began to have a more prominent appearance in television shows (Hallam, 2000). An interesting portrayal of nurses in the media was the sexual objectification of nurses. It was common for television shows to emphasize romance between doctors and nurses for entertainment. In the 70’s, women began to protest against this demeaning depiction of nurses (p. 177). Image of Nursing from 1980’s to

It is in this time period where nurses are first noticed as a crucial part of society. Along with war, there is a rapid change in uniform for the nurse as well as race and gender. The profession has become increasingly diverse in race and the influx of males can be attributed to the shift to pants as the standard uniform. Throughout the years, the uniform has changed from very standard dresses to scrubs that differ in colors and patterns. Most of the hospital can be seen in scrubs and this has caused a different reverence to nurses. It is harder to distinguish who the nurse is unless it is verbalized. It can also be seen how academics and more rigid protocol has changed nursing. Nurses need to remember that a compassionate and empathetic heart is the main cause for the patient’s appreciation of the nurse. Looking back to previous eras, today’s nurse can realize how there was much less distraction of paperwork and protocol resulting in more emphasis on the patient’s heart. This can be a lesson to not let distractions take away from the patient’s complete