Their bedside experience and patient care knowledge uniquely position them to influence public opinion regarding healthcare policy and reform. This can be done by writing letters to members of Congress, submitting op-eds and letters to editors, and participating in news segments or podcasts. By sharing patient stories, personal testimonies, relevant data, and insights about issues affecting the community, nurses can bring an informed and compassionate perspective to the public conversation. Policy is also part of the media, and nurses must show up there too.
Nurses’ expertise is a powerful influence. According to the American Nurses Association( n. d.),“… advocacy is a pillar of nursing. Nurses instinctively advocate for their patients, in their workplaces, and in their communities; but legislative and political advocacy is no less important to advancing the profession and patient care,”. A lack of professional nurse representation in the media can be detrimental not only to the profession but also to the communities nurses serve. Lack of representation harms both nursing and the public.
Conclusion: Share Your Stories and Experiences
Before entering nursing school, I didn’ t understand the extent of the impact nurses have on patients, families, and entire communities. The public may not entirely understand either.
Especially when nurses are cast as background characters or portrayed stereotypically, it lessens the image of nurses. That is why our voices and the use of storytelling matters. We have lived through the experiences, the education, and the insight to be of value. By sharing our stories and experiences we are changing the narrative and bridging the gap between our profession and public perception. We can use our voices to elevate our role in healthcare and encourage the younger generations who look to the media. Sharing our stories allows us to correct misconceptions, elevate our profession, and claim our place as essential voices in healthcare.
References
American Nurses Association.( n. d.). Practice and advocacy. https:// www. nursingworld. org / practice-policy / advocacy /
ANA \ California.( 2023, May 12). Lack of nurse sources creates gap in representation within media, politics, and public. https:// www. anacalifornia. org / post / lack-of-nurse-sources-createsgap-in-representation-within-mediapolitics-and-public
Campaign for Action.( 2018, May 8). Nurses remain largely invisible in the media. https:// campaignforaction. org / nurses-remain-largely-invisible-in-the-media /
Mason, D. J., Nixon, L., Glickstein, B., Han, S., Westphalm, K., & Carter, L.( 2018). The Woodhull study revisited: nurses ' representation in health news media 20 Years Later. J Nurs Scholarsh. 2018; 50( 6): 695-704. doi: 10.1111 / jnu. 12429.
Flaubert JL, Le Menestrel S, Williams DR, et al., editors. The Future of Nursing 2020-2030: Charting a Path to Achieve Health Equity. Washington( DC): National Academies Press( US); 2021 May 11. 3, The Nursing Workforce. Available from: https:// www. ncbi. nlm. nih. gov / books / NBK573922 /
Nurse. com.( 2023, February 3).“ The Good Nurse” and other media portrayals of nurses: Do they help or hurt nursing? Nurse. com Blog. https:// www. nurse. com / blog / the-good-nurse-media-portrayals-nurses-nsp /
Yale School of Nursing.( 2025, January 17). Nurses are America’ s most trusted profession. Again. https:// nursing. yale. edu / faculty / office-dean / deans-blog / nurses-are-americas-most-trusted-profession-again
Bio
Lauren Tickner is a nursing student at California State University Channel Islands, Camarillo, CA. She serves as the Imprint Editor and chair of the Image of Nursing Committee for the National Student Nurses’ Association, where she is currently serving a second elected term. She is dedicated to advancing accurate media representation of nurses, upholding ethical and professional standards, and expanding leadership development opportunities for nursing students nationwide.
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