Open letter to Executives at Tickle
Dear Tickle Executives:
We were going to post a modified version of this as a news article on our web site, but when Ms. Brittany Bolsen agreed to consider our suggestions, we modified it into a letter to you. We are holding off on sending news out to our newsletter subscribers until we have been able work together on this issue.
Tickle: Is the best thing about nursing "meeting hot doctors?" Ha ha! Just joking!
February 1, 2005 -- The website of Tickle, the "leading interpersonal media company," is offering a 15-question online test called "Who's Your Inner Nurse?" The test, which appears to be a sly vehicle to direct nurses into the site's employment services, invites readers to choose from a series of stereotypes that, despite being lighthearted, clearly display and promote ignorance of the real nature and value of nursing. Some of the potential answers are obviously "jokes," like "meeting hot doctors" as an option for "the best thing about nursing." Others reinforce stereotypes through the selection of serious, positive choices, such as "Your patients would say you're more:", which offers the following options: gentle, cheerful, dependable, or selfless. And some simply invite people to think of nursing as trivial, such as the one that gives test takers the chance to specify that they wouldn't "make [their] rounds without" their "[s]tickers and lollipops." None of the questions reflects any awareness that nurses are highly skilled professionals with years of college-level training who save and improve lives daily.
The online quiz has a short introductory paragraph, as follows: "Nurses of the world unite! It's time for the 15 minutes of fame you deserve. So kick off those white shoes, and see which famous nurse you're most like. Take the test!"
[here we will insert the 15 questions and test-takers' potential results, e.g. Nurse Betty]
Well, at least we can agree (sadly) with the "15 minutes of fame" part. We don't doubt that these questions may reveal something about the personality and orientation of the test-takers, whether they are nurses or not. And yes, it's supposed to be funny, and we can hear the argument that no one will take it seriously. However, even humorous or silly media items have a way of sticking in people's heads, as research on the effects of sitcoms on health attitudes has shown, and people will subconsciously absorb the assumptions of this test. You could argue that the test creators don't really think many nurses are just looking for "hot doctors." But this stereotype is actually alive and well, as a look at the many recent "naughty nurse" media images the Center has identified would show. And what isn't arguable is that the test reflects the assumption that nurses are--at best--gentle, cheerful, dependable, patient and selfless people who like to help others by cheering them up, cleaning up the mess, and giving them neat little items like lollipops. In other words, the good nurse is essentially a good-hearted but untrained handmaiden--or is it a combination of nun, nanny and nutcase? The 15th question manages to include at least the angel and maternal stereotypes; "Registered Nutcase" could be a nod towards Nurse Betty, Nurse Ratched or "Misery"'s Annie Wilkes, though it's not clear. On the bright side, the paperwork question at least reflects the assumption that nurses know how to read.
The three different test results that we got by answering the questions different ways actually show slightly more sense of what nursing is about, though some parts clearly continue the stereotyping. In particular, the creators practically descend into baby talk in describing the attributes of the "Nurse Betty" nurse. Yes, it's a joke, got it. However, many people continue to view the good nurse as one who is "nice," "sweet as pie," "charming," and the frequent bearer of "lollipops, stickers, hugs or other treats." The Greg Focker material is not as bad, since we agree that humor can affect people in important ways, though this description--like parts of the Nurse Betty one--does seem more focused on the nurse as the object of amusement than we might prefer. The Florence Nightingale profile is probably the best. It rightly stresses Nightingale's determination, bravery, and commitment to raising the standards of health and nursing itself. However, it also contains its share of telling stereotypes: "selfless," "devoted," "big heart," "well-loved." These qualities are consistent with the handmaiden and angel stereotypes. Even more fundamentally, they, like the Betty and Focker attributes, ignore the college-level training and critical thinking skills that nurses use to save lives and materially improve patient outcomes and society's overall health. Even the relatively good aspects of the Nightingale description fail to convey her leadership ability, intellect, innovation, or knowledge. And they continue the Nightingale stereotype, which holds that the nursing pioneer was a kind of pleading, devoted saint, essentially a moral force, rather than the ambitious, difficult, intellectually influential woman she really was.
The Tickle company appears to pride itself on the scientific rigor of its testing, boasting that it was "the first company to combine consumer insight with state-of-the-art digital technology to generate personality reports uniquely positioned to offer outstanding results," and that it "offers more than 200 tests (more than 60 of which are PhD-certified) and is the leading provider of online testing services." Indeed, a member of its top-level "executive team" is Dr. Jennifer Bruning Brown, a "research psychologist." Dr. Brown's varied background includes a Ph.D. from Stanford, clinical training in depression, eating disorders and relationship issues, work as a personal trainer and fitness instructor, and a legal career (she also has a J.D.) as a mediator, "with special training in conflict and alternative dispute resolution."
Given her background, we feel confident that Dr. Brown is unusually well-qualified to understand why nurses might have a problem with the "Inner Nurse" test and to address nurses' concerns in a constructive way. We urge Dr. Brown and her colleagues at Tickle to alter their test and results to ones that promote an accurate understanding of nursing as soon as possible.
Frankly, we wonder if anyone has recently joked that Dr. Brown was just doing her job in order to "meet hot doctors," because that would just be too funny. And--we really can't help it--we would also like to know whether Tickle brought her onto the executive team because she was so gentle, cheerful, dependable, or selfless.
That is the end of our draft write-up.
As requested by Brittany Bolsen, we have made some suggested revisions (below) to Tickle's test so that it will better reflect on the nursing profession. Just in case you do not have it at your fingertips, we have first posted the original test, then Tickle's original results pages, then our suggestion revised test and then our suggested revised results page. I believe it would help the public understand nursing better if all three results structures could be pasted onto one page as we have below. This way, people scoring in the "Nurse Betty" or "Greg Focker" categories would be able to learn where they went wrong on the test, thereby increasing their understanding of nursing. And since the widespread lack of understanding of the nursing profession is one of the most elemental causes of today's global nursing crisis, we would find this very helpful.
Please be part of the solution to the nursing shortage and the improvement of public health by improving your "Inner Nurse" test. Help us increase public understanding of nursing at this critical time. I will look forward to hearing from you so that we can discuss the test further. Thank you.
Best regards,
Sandy Summers, RN, MSN, MPH
Executive Director
The Center for Nursing Advocacy
203 Churchwardens Rd.
Baltimore, MD 21212-2937
office 410-323-1100
fax 443-705-0260
ssummers@truthaboutnursing.org
Suggested partially revised test
Suggested partially revised results
The original test's 15 questions are as follows:
1. Your patients would say you're more:
Gentle
Cheerful
Dependable
Selfless2. Best thing about nursing?
Helping people
Having flexible hours
Having job security
Meeting hot doctors3. Would you rather work:
The night shift
The day shift
The easy shift4. According to the song, the knee bone's connected to the:
Thighbone
Shinbone
Leg bone5. More than anything else, nursing requires:
Patience
Persistence
Patients6. Favorite hospital show?
Scrubs
ER
General Hospital
Strong Medicine7. The best patients to work with are:
Kids
Good listeners
Anyone who needs help
Anyone who's under anesthesia8. Being a nurse makes you feel:
Proud
Fulfilled
Challenged
Goodhearted9. Where would you rather work?
A nursing home
A hospital
A school
A doctor's office10. Your biggest asset as a nurse is your:
Bedside manner
Big heart
Grace under pressure
High threshold for gross stuff11. You wouldn't make your rounds without your:
Clipboard
Stethoscope
Stickers and lollipops
Cheerful smile12. Best way to stay healthy is to:
Take care of yourself
Live a moderate lifestyle
Have good genes
Keep a positive attitude13. Which nursing field excites you the most?
Emergency care
Home healthcare
Elderly care
Outpatient care
Community care
Neonatal care14. When it comes to paperwork, you usually manage to:
Stay on top of it
Keep it under control
Get buried under it15. Best definition of someone with an RN next to their name?
Registered Nurse
Registered Nun
Registered Nanny
Registered Nutcase
Depending upon how you answer the questions, your "inner nurse" may be revealed to be Florence Nightingale, Nurse Betty, Greg Focker ("Meet the Parents" and "Meet the Fockers") or (for all we know) other well-known nurses or "nurses."
Below are the three test analyses we were able to find based on answering the questions different ways.
Sandy, you're like Nurse Betty from the Movie
OK, so maybe Nurse Betty wasn't exactly playing with a full deck, but she, like you, sure is sweet as pie. You and Betty both have the best of intentions when it comes to life — even if you might be a little doe-eyed from time to time. But it's part of that romantic nature that makes you so charming.
Caring and giving, you're the type of person people count on when they need a shoulder to cry on or a helping hand. We wouldn't be surprised to see you handing out lollipops, stickers, hugs, or other treats to your patients. You'll do whatever you can to make them feel better. You can't help it. You're nice. And that's what makes you so well suited to be a nurse.
Want to find new ways to put your nursing skills to work in 2005? Click here for the top jobs in your area!
Sandy, you're like Greg Focker from Meet The Parents
Laughter is the best medicine. And it looks like you are skilled at using humor as a remedy for what ails you, or your patients, for that matter. Like Gaylord (Greg) Focker from the film, you've got a finely-developed funny bone and you're not afraid to use it. With your disposition, you can lighten even dark moods and more importantly, put a smile on patients' faces.
Like your nurse counterpart (who, let's not forget, endures constant ribbing for being a male nurse), you're proud of your profession and enjoy helping people. You feel fulfilled when you care for others and maybe even get them to laugh, too — even if they're laughing at, not with, you. So keep lifting people's spirits. It's sure to give a lift to their health, too. And that's what nursing is all about.
Want to find new ways to put your nursing skills to work in 2005? Click here for the top jobs in your area!
Sandy, you're like Florence Nightingale
Like the nursing idol herself, you're determined and persistent in your efforts — day or night. Your brave nurse counterpart helped out on the front lines during the Crimean War and pushed for better hospital conditions. And it's your similar commitment to raising the bar on nursing standards and patient treatment that puts you in her fine company.
Like her, you're a selfless and devoted soul who's not afraid to go the extra mile to help your patients — or the greater good of humankind, for that matter. Whether you're aiding one patient, a whole hospital wing, or an entire school body, it's clear that you've got lots of dedication and a big heart. And that's what's sure to make you a well-loved and well-known nurse.
Want to find new ways to put your nursing skills to work in 2005? Click here for the top jobs in your area!
Below are our suggested revisions. First the partially revised test and then the partially revised results.
Suggestion partially revised test
1. Your patients would say you're more:
Hard-working
Knowledgeable
Dependable
Proactive2. Best thing about nursing?
Saving and improving lives
Job security and flexibility
Professional status
Meeting hot physicians and deflating their egos3. Would you rather work:
The night shift
The day shift
The easy shift
The dangerously understaffed shift4. According to the song, the knee bone's connected to the:
Thighbone
Shinbone
Leg bone
Nurse's head during assault by disturbed patient5. More than anything else, nursing requires:
Patience
Persistence
Multitasking ability
Critical thinking6. Favorite hospital show?
Scrubs
ER
General Hospital
Strong Medicine
None -- no current show adequately portrays nurses7. The best patients to work with are:
Kids
Good listeners
Anyone who needs help
Anyone who's under anesthesia8. Being a nurse makes you feel:
Proud
Fulfilled
Professionally challenged
Frustrated that you can't do more9. Where would you rather work?
A nursing home
A hospital
A school
An advanced practitioner's office10. Your biggest asset as a nurse is your:
Interpersonal and advocacy skills
Critical thinking skills
Experience
High threshold for challenges11. You wouldn't make your rounds without your:
Stethoscope
Stickers and lollipops
Cheerful smile
Brain12. Best way to stay healthy is to:
Take care of yourself
Live a moderate lifestyle
Have good genes
Keep a positive attitude13. Which nursing field excites you the most?
Emergency care
Home healthcare
Elderly care
Outpatient care
Community care
Neonatal care14. When it comes to paperwork, you usually manage to:
Stay on top of it
Keep it under control
Get buried under it15. Best definition of someone with an RN next to their name?
Registered Nurse
Registered Nonentity
Registered Nobel Prize candidate
Registered Nutcase
Suggested partially revised results
Sandy, your score is 57. Please click on your score category below:
0-20 -- You're like Nurse Betty from the Movie
21-40- -- You're like Greg (Gaylord) Focker from "Meet the Parents"
41-60 -- You're like Florence Nightingale
OK, so maybe Nurse Betty wasn't exactly playing with a full deck, but she, like you, sure is sweet as pie. You and Betty both have the best of intentions when it comes to life — even if you might be a little doe-eyed from time to time. But it's part of that romantic nature that makes you so charming. Caring and giving, you're the type of person people count on when they need a shoulder to cry on or a helping hand. We wouldn't be surprised to see you handing out lollipops, stickers, hugs, or other treats to patients. You'll do whatever you can to make them feel better. You can't help it. You're nice.
And that's why you, like Nurse Betty, may be well suited to a job as a nurse's aide, housekeeper or other hospital worker in an assistant position. We do need compassionate people in nursing, but being a registered nurse requires critical thinking and patient advocacy skills, intense focus, hard work, and years of college-level training. If you think you're up to the job of a real nurse, don't worry, years of nursing school should relieve you from all that inaccurate information the media has given you about who nurses are and what they do. There are plenty of scholarships and loans available for nursing students now. Click here to find out more.<www.discovernursing.com> If you're not ready to go to school now, there are still plenty of satisfying, important jobs open to you in health care, as a nursing assistant or other health care assistant type position.
Want to find new ways to put your kind heart and personal skills to work in 2005? Click here for the top health care jobs in your area!
Greg (Gaylord) Focker from "Meet the Parents"
Laughter may not quite be the best medicine, but it can improve your health. And it looks like you are skilled at using humor as a remedy for what ails you, or your patients, for that matter. Like Gaylord (Greg) Focker from the film, you've got a finely-developed funny bone and you're not afraid to use it. With your disposition, you can lighten even dark moods and more importantly, help patients have a better attitude about their nursing care plan, which may involve pushing them to do things they may not think they can do! You have the professional commitment and problem-solving ability to keep your patients on the road to recovery.
Like your nurse counterpart (who, let's not forget, endures constant ribbing for being a male nurse), you're proud of your profession, show real courage, and enjoy using your education and experience with people. You feel fulfilled when you care for others and maybe even get them to laugh, too — even if they're laughing at, not with, you. So keep lifting people's spirits as you keep them alive, and don't be afraid to educate people about who nurses really are and what they really do. By empowering nursing, you'll be helping your patients too!
Want to find new ways to put your nursing skills to work in 2005? Click here for the top jobs in your area!
You're like Florence Nightingale
Like the nursing idol herself, you're determined and visionary in your efforts not just to care for patients, but to change entire social and health systems for the better. Your brave nurse counterpart helped out on the front lines during the Crimean War, pushed for better hospital conditions, founded modern nursing and had a tremendous influence on social and health policy and science, including the field of statistics. And it's your similar commitment to raising the bar on nursing standards and health care that puts you in her fine company.
Like her, you're a committed, intelligent, and at times a fierce fighter who's not afraid to go the extra mile to help your patients — or the greater good of humankind, for that matter. Whether you're improving the condition of one patient, a whole hospital, an entire school body, or the nation and wider world, it's clear that you've got the power to create lasting change. And that's what's sure to make you a well-respected and well-known health care leader.
Want to find new ways to put your nursing skills to work in 2005? Click here for the top jobs in your area!
Educate the world that nurses save lives!
