Dr. Ken
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Dr. Ken refills prescription for nursing stereotypes
The final season of the ABC sitcom Dr. Ken presented nurse character Clark as the admiring "work wife" and clinical lapdog of the physician lead character. That portrayal reinforced damaging stereotypes about nursing. Clark did have one fairly good, if anomalous, scene in which he advocated against nurse understaffing. more...
Dr. Ken on whether nurses are more like prostitutes or work spouses
October
9, 2015 -- In tonight's episode of the new ABC sitcom Dr. Ken, the arrogant lead physician character learned that "his nurse" Clark was also his "friend" and should be treated better. Unfortunately, the plotline also suggested that nurses
are low-skilled servants looking for a physician to possess them. In particular, viewers were told that (1) Clark, formerly a "nurse" or "doctor's assistant," had just become a registered nurse by taking his "boards," after studying in
an RN program "since last summer"; (2) this transition was like a "streetwalker" becoming an "escort," ha ha, but it would not result in a pay raise; (3) nurses are subordinate work spouses of physicians who essentially belong to the physicians,
rather than serving patients under their own practice model; (4) physician abuse of nurses is unfortunate but also kinda funny; and (5) men in nursing do not embody traditional notions of masculinity. The show has yet to suggest that nurses have actual health skills--in contrast
to Dr. Ken, who offers a few passing indications of health expertise in each episode. This adds up to toxic stew of nursing stereotypes: the unskilled handmaiden, the angel,
the weak
male, and even the naughty nurse. In fact, nurses receive at least three years of college-level
science education and they use their advanced skills to save lives, often with little or no involvement by physicians. The episode, written by Mary Fitzgerald, loses more points because lead actor and show creator Ken Jeong actually is a physician. We realize the show mocks
most of its characters. But please join us in urging Dr. Ken's producers to make amends and to avoid nursing stereotypes, which harm real nurses--and their patients. read more...or please
click here right now to sign our petition.
Dr. Ken contact information
Snail mail information for the show:
Ken Jeong, John Fox, Jared Stern
Exeuctive Producers
Davis Entertainment
150 S. Barrington Place
Los Angeles, CA 90049
1 310 556 3550 phone
1 310 556 3688 fax
Educate the world that nurses save lives!
