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Strangeways, Here We Come: University of Alberta medical students have something important to say about nurses--especially their breasts!

July 8, 2005 -- The Edmonton Journal published a fair piece by Jodie Sinnema on May 19 about the recent controversy surrounding the lyrics of a "Nurses' Song" performed by University of Alberta medical students at their annual "Medshow." It seems that nursing professors, the university provost, and even the medical school dean found something objectionable about the song's assertions that nurses were "wh*res" and "b*tches" whose "incompetence" threatened to "make our patients die." But at least the medical students felt nurses were qualified to "fill up my coffeepot" and "give good head," and the refrain urged nurses to "show me those boobs." The song seems to reflect virulent misogyny, ignorance of nursing, and professional insecurity, a perfect storm of dysfunction that persists in many clinical settings, harming patients and contributing to nursing burnout and the global nursing shortage. To the extent the song and the medical students' apparent non-apology are indicators of their career trajectory, it's bad news for patients and colleagues. But the students' conduct does suggest that the business outlook may be good for local malpractice and personal injury lawyers--and possibly even those who work in the criminal justice system! Click here to read more and join our letter-writing campaign...

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Sandy Summers, RN, MSN, MPH
Executive Director, The Truth About Nursing
203 Churchwardens Rd.
Baltimore, MD USA 21212-2937
office 1-410-323-1100
fax 1-410-510-1790
ssummers@truthaboutnursing.org

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