Presented by Karen E.

Cheeks
Old Dominion University
My image of a nurse is one who is an highly
skilled and competent individual

The nursing profession has had several
images assigned to it. Some honorable and
some laughable.
The 4 Hs that have been ascribed to the
nursing image are:
Heroes
Harlots
Harridans
Handmaidens
A powerful outlet that
can influence the
image of nursing is the
media. Kalisch states
Nurses are one group
concerned about their
depiction in the mass
media, particularly
since they feel that
that image has been
detrimental (Kalisch &
Kalisch, 2006).
The popular reggae singer Gregory Issacs
even recorded a hit song for us nurses called
Night Nurse. I dont think us nurses should
take it as a compliment though.
Buresh & Gordon states how nurses can
change the public image of their work:
1. Nurses must inform the public about
nursing.
2. Every nurse must make public
communication and education about nursing
an integral part of his or her nursing work.
3. Nurses must communicate in ways that
highlight nurses knowledge rather than their
virtues (Buresh & Gordon, 2006).
Beauregard et. al. states As nurses
transitioning into administrative roles, we
know there is so much more to us than any
of the images held by the public (
Beauregard, MA et. al., 2003).
A nurse is a vital member of the healthcare
team. Without nurses there would not be an
effective healthcare system.

Beauregard, M. A., Deck, D. S., Kay, K. C., Haynes, J., Inman, R.,
Perry, M., George, E., (2003). Improving our image a
nurse at a time. Journal of Nursing Administration,
33(10), 510-511.

Buresh, B., & Gordon, S. (2006), From silence to voice: what
nurses know and must communicate to the public. Ithaca,
New York: ILR Press.

Kalisch, P., & Kalisch, B. (2005). Looking forward/ looking back:
perspectives on improving nursings public image
including commentary by Benner, P. Nursing Education
Perspectives, 26(1), 10- 17.