Nurse Follies...well, we can't improve on that for a headline
December 2005 -- The Center has learned that a video reel slots game called "Nurse Follies" has been placed in casinos throughout the United States, including the new Wynn Las Vegas Casino and Hotel. The game appears to present the hospital as a kooky den of lust and greed, relying on several nursing stereotypes, including the young naughty nurse, the older battleaxe, and the financial enforcer. Such images, while endlessly amusing, are the last thing the nursing profession needs during a critical shortage that is claiming lives worldwide. "Nurse Follies" is sold by IGT (International Game Technology), a Nevada-based Fortune 500 company that claims to be the world's leading gaming machine maker, with 80% of the U.S. market and more than half a million machines in place worldwide.
We understand that the object of "Nurse Follies" is to escape an excessive hospital bill. The game seems to show a young nurse with somewhat exposed cleavage presenting this bill to a shocked male patient. Next to her seems to be a male physician surrounded by hearts, though it's not clear to us whether he is lusting after the nurse or the money to be gained from the bill she is presenting. This nurse is also shown in the background fleeing someone who appears to be a randy patient. Another illustration seems to show an older nurse looking kind of threatening with a big needle. Besides the obvious appeal of sexual references, these zany images presumably play on real fears about health care costs and indifference to patient suffering.
But wait--it's just a silly game, right? In fact, public health research shows that even light fictional media products, such as television sitcoms and soap operas, have a real effect on health care views and actions. Nursing stereotypes continue to discourage practicing and potential nurses, especially men, and contribute to a general atmosphere of disrespect. Such images also add to the underfunding of nursing research, education and clinical practice. This is because health care decision makers--many of whom are themselves sadly uninformed about what nursing really is--are less likely to devote scarce resources to a profession that has become so degraded in the public consciousness. And because nurses lack adequate resources to provide good cost-effective care, including preventative care, many patients really do experience excessive bills and needless suffering. In addition, linking sexual images so closely to nursing not only reinforces stereotypes, but fosters sexual violence in the workplace. At ground level, the devaluation of nursing translates into an underpowered profession that may not be strong enough to save your life when you need it to do so. Improving the nursing image is a key part of building the strength the profession needs to overcome the global shortage and meet the challenges of 21st Century health care.
As one of our members rightly noted, many nursing organizations hold conventions and other meetings in cities with casinos, notably Las Vegas and Atlantic City, and stay at casino hotels like the Wynn Las Vegas. The presence of "Nurse Follies" in these casinos suggests a lack of respect for nurses that is not consistent with continued support from the nursing profession for these casinos, or for IGT and its many other slots games. We ask supporters to explain this to IGT, Steve Wynn, and any other gaming establishments that they find have placed the "Nurse Follies" game, and to urge that all such game machines be removed immediately.
http://www.igt.com.au/Default.aspx?id=72
http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=119000&p=irol-homeProfile
702-770-3061 Wynn Las Vegas
Jamie Papp VP of slot operations
Ms. Francine Brock Placentia, California telephone 714-528-5440 sent letter to Wynn with similar comments, no intention to offend anybody, you probably use the wrong things in entertainment industry, had 8-10
$2000 each so removed converted to others, machines cost $10,000, but programs and other stuff reprogrammed, and designed, developed by manuf. 8-10 weeks ago and have been working on it.
IGT Joe Caminkow Reno based ask for product development and ask who's resp.
has 400 games
it's their first casino, but one new in china and new one next door in Las Vegas, there are 200,000 slot machines in town. jamie.papp@wynnlasvegas.com
Educate the world that nurses save lives!
