You may remember that my post yesterday was about a website that advocated for nurses, especially in regards to how they are portrayed in the media. I noted that the site was in a "transition phase." The transition in this case was forced upon the site by the Board of Directors of the Center for Nursing Advocacy who decided to put an end to their organization.Fortunately, Sandy Summers - who had been the Executive Director of the old organization, has founded a new organization, The Truth About Nursing. Please check out her website!
I just read a remarkable book review on the Truth About Nursing website. The book was written by the Holly Hobby Company and appears to be a marketing vehicle for their product. Fanny is about a girl who wants a glamourous, sexy doll, a "Connie" doll, but her mother refuses to buy it for her. The girl, Fanny, eventually resigns herself to the fact that she cannot have a Connie and makes her own doll, which she names Annabelle.According to the Truth About Nursing site, Fanny is "fairly well-written" and there's actually nothing wrong with the overall theme of the story, which is that the home-made Annabelle has many good feminine qualities, while Fanny's friends' glamourous, sexy Connies - modeled after the Braatz Dolls - are only glamourous and sexy. The problem with Fanny, is how that theme is illustrated. In the story the girls have their dolls "play doctor," with Annabelle being the capable veterinarian and the two Connies are
The "playing doctor" scene is only one part of the book. Nevertheless, that part of Fanny is, in Sandy Summers words, a "blatant 'feminist' attack on nursing." While few would believe that this children's book set out to deliberately denigrate the nursing profession, that was the unfortunate result."nurses" who stand around looking pretty and assisting Annabelle, reinforcing what are arguably the most damaging stereotypes of nursing today--the unskilled physician assistant and the naughty nurse.
I wouldn't want to see the Braatz Dolls working in health care.Fortunately, America's nurses are capable professionals. They deserve our respect!
1 comment:
Whew! Too many wrong depictions of nurses. Now I find out that it is not just the Hollywood who has given a bad name on nurses but even books eh. Funny I seldom find movies and books that say the real function and capabilities of nurses instead mainly I found and watched nurses who are just like nannies of doctors always assisting them, discriminated by patients, naughty nurses in hospital scrubs who seemed to be the one who will not only give care but even sexual gratification and dumb nurses who are laughed at by patients. What the heck is now happening to the media which must suppose to give a clear and truthful account of nurses!
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