Op-eds place by The Truth About Nursing
"To solve nursing shortage, change attitudes about nurses"
May 12, 2009 -- Today the Baltimore Sun published an op-ed by Truth About Nursing executive director Sandy Summers arguing that resolution of the nursing crisis will require us to change our preconceptions about the profession. In her "Viewpoint" essay, published to celebrate International Nurses Day, Summers noted some positive recent developments. These include U.S. President Barack Obama's efforts to honor nurses and include them in policymaking, such as by appointing nurse Mary Wakefield to head the Health Resources and Services Administration and increasing funding for programs aimed at addressing the faculty shortage. However, Summers explained, long-term improvement in the clinical and educational resources available to nursing will require a fundamental change in how people see the profession. She pointed out that much of the influential mass media, from popular Hollywood television shows to the news media and advertising, continues to portray nurses as vacuous losers, scut work saints, or disposable bimbos. Only a true appreciation for nurses' life-saving skills can guarantee nurses what they need to meet the health care challenges of the 21st century. As Summers concluded: "Let's celebrate nurses every day by making the only change that will ensure nurses are there when we need them: Let's reconsider the value of what nurses do." We thank the Baltimore Sun. see the full op-ed...
December 8, 2006 -- Today The Baltimore Sun published "Nurses' achievements merit international recognition," an op-ed by Columbia University nursing professor Kristine Gebbie and Sandy Summers. The op-ed argues that nurses deserve a Nobel Prize or comparable annual award because their leaders have long been at the forefront of health research and clinical practice. They have changed the world by reinventing health systems, pioneering new therapies, and improving community health, from AIDS treatment to neonatal care to pain management. Establishing such a prize would shine a light on the profession's life-saving achievements. It would also help show how important it is that nursing get the clinical and educational resources it needs to overcome the global nursing shortage. The publication of this piece is the culmination of significant effort by the Sandy and Harry Summers. We thank The Baltimore Sun for its openness to new ideas on nursing, and its commitment to publishing the op-ed. And we urge you to read it, think about it, and show it to others. Thank you! See the op-ed.
Written Interviews
California Nurses Association Registered Nurse -- In the June 2009 issue of Registered Nurse, Lucia Hwang interviewed Sandy Summers for a profile of the Truth's work, our book Saving Lives and a look at this summer's television shows on nursing in the article "RNs on Primetime" (scroll to pp. 7-8).
Video and radio interviews
August 10, 2009 -- The Truth's executive director Sandy Summers appeared on the "State of Nevada" program on KNPR, the Las Vegas affiliate of NPR. Listen to an archive of the show.
Wisconsin Public Radio interviews Sandy Summers about Saving Lives
May 7, 2009 -- Wisconsin Public Radio host Joy Cardin did a one hour interview with the Truth's executive director Sandy Summers about our book Saving Lives: Why the Media's Portrayals of Nurses Puts Us All at Risk. listen to the show in Real Player...
March 4, 2009 -- Saving Lives authors Sandy and Harry Summers appeared on Sirius and XM Satellite Radio's "Doctor Radio" channel on Tuesday, March 10, from 6 am - 7 am. They were on the Pulmonology show hosted by Dr. Frank Adams, a pulmonologist at NYU Langone Medical Center, to talk about nursing's media image and how if affects health care. The station was Sirius (Ch. 114), XM (Ch. 119), and on the web at www.sirius.com/doctorradio (click on "Listen Online"). The show is rebroadcast later in the week. Thank you for your support.
Registered Nurses Association of Ontario Journal
January - Febrary 2009 -- "Say No to Naughty Nurse Image," in the Registered Nurse Journal a gives an in-depth look at negative images of nursing in the media and what we can do about them. Truth's executive director Sandy Summers is quoted in the article. The Registered Nurse Journal is the journal of the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario. see an abstract...
September 19, 2008 -- AARP Bulletin Today article "Where's My Nurse?: How the Nursing Shortage Could Hurt Your Care" by Katharine Greider. Truth's executive director Sandy Summers is quoted in the article: "The angel image allows decision makers to ignore nurses' workplace conditions,' says Sandy Summers, ... "because angels can take error-free care of 20 patients on a mandatory 16-hour shift, and they won’t even have to stop for a bathroom break. Angels live in heaven, so they don’t need good salaries to pay the rent. But real nurses need workplace support to foster their lifesaving skills--and they’re not getting that support now.” see the article...
Nurses in Motion: "Fighting De-Nursification"
July 18, 2007 -- "Nurses in Motion," and internet video series with host Barbara Ficarra featured an interview with Truth's executive director Sandy Summers who discussed the effects poor public understanding of nursing has on the global nursing shortage. watch the video...
May 2, 2007 -- Our campaign to convince the Heart Attack Grill in Tempe, Arizona, to discontinue its use of "naughty nurse" waitress uniforms has received international press coverage.
CNN's Headline News covered the story on Nov. 9. The CNN piece was a rebroadcast of the story done on the ABC News 15 (Phoenix), which ran on October 27, 2006. See the CNN clip in Quicktime hi-band or low-band and Windows media hi-band or low-band. Also see the East Valley Tribune (Arizona) article on this issue by Nicole Beyer entitled "Pretend nurses in skimpy outfits raise ire."
The story was covered on the ABC News television show 20/20 with John Stossel on November 17, 2006 (article or film clip).
It was covered on Geraldo-at-Large on December 18, 2006. See the clip in Quicktime (broadband or dial-up); or Windows Media Player (broadband or dial-up).
NBC 12 (Phoenix) News covered the story on Oct. 30, 2006 in the piece "Scantily-clad waitresses in Tempe raise concerns" by Syleste Rodriguez, or in footage: Quicktime high or low; Windows Media high or low.
Jack White and White Stripes coverage
May 3, 2006 -- Today The Los Angeles Times covered the exchange of mock awards between Sandy Summers and Jack White, of the band White Stripes, with the piece "A Stripe nursing a grudge?" The Detroit Metro Times wrote about it in "Nursing a grudge," on May 3. And Salon covered it on April 26 with "Jack White in slap fight with nurses."
Advance for Nurses: "The Image of Nursing"
April 24, 2006 -- Sandy Keefe, RN, MSN, did a very good article on media images of nursing in this week's edition of Advance for Nurses. The piece relied heavily on Truth executive director Sandy Summers. Summers expressed concern about the handmaiden portrayals (and non-portrayals) of nurses that dominate current U.S. television programming, as well as the continuing prevalence of unskilled angel images, which can infect even the messages of those trying to help nursing. See the article...
The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing editorial
September/October 2005 -- The editor of the American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing, Margaret Comerford Freda, EdD, RN, CHES, FAAN, wrote a flattering editorial about Sandy Summers' work entitled "Another Hero for All of Us." See the editorial...
Medical students attack nurses
July 14, 2005 -- The Edmonton Journal did an article on the controversy surrounding the University of Alberta's Medshow where medical students sang the "Nurses' Song" that featured nurses as "whores" and "bitches" whose "incompetence" threatened to "make our patients die," but that they were qualified to "fill up my coffeepot" and "give good head." The refrain urged nurses to "show me those boobs." Click here to see the article.
April 2005 -- Journal of Neuroscience Nursing editor Chris Stewart-Amidei did her monthly editorial on nursing media images, why they matter and how nurses can work together to change the coverage. Sandy Summers' influence was prominently featured. Click here to see the article.
Women's eNews commentator highlights nursing shortage...in the media
March 30, 2005 -- Today the Women's eNews web site posted a very good commentary by Sheila Gibbons about the low visibility of nurses' work in the media, apart from stories about the nursing shortage. The piece explains why the news and entertainment media's treatment of nurses matters, and suggests that more attention to nurses' real contributions is a key part of overcoming the current nursing crisis. more...
Johns Hopkins Magazine covers Sandy Summers' work
February 2005 -- Johns Hopkins Magazine, which covers its University events, ran an alumni news story on our work. See the article in html or pdf.
Skechers campaign coverage receives worldwide coverage
October 12, 2004 -- There has been a sudden worldwide resurgence in the past week of media coverage of nurses' successful campaign to persuade Skechers to end their use of the Christina Aguilera nurse ad. We are aware of new coverage of the campaign in media outlets from the following nations: United States (including MSNBC, The New York Post, and the Kidd Kraddick syndicated radio show); the United Kingdom (including the BBC and the Sun); Ireland; Germany; [other European], and Mexico. Most of these pieces feature a brief statement of Summers' objections to the ad, often including a quote from Sandy Summers noting that the ad embodied both the naughty nurse and battleaxe stereotypes that have long held the profession back. See our full news coverage on our Skechers campaign.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: "Nursing advocate bringing message of profession's value here."
October 12, 2004 -- Health editor Virginia Linn profiles the work of Sandy and Harry Summers and outlines some basic aspects of their work, with a focus on recent campaigns protesting harmful media images such as the Skechers Christina Aguilera ad and a "Jeopardy!" question that "hit nurses like a wet snowball in the face." more...
Nurseweek interviews Sandy Summers
September 20, 2004 -- Bree LeMaire, RN, MS, interviewed the Truth's executive director in a piece entitled "5 Minutes with Sandy Summers" in this week's issue of Nurseweek. see the article
Nursezone profiles work of Sandy and Harry Summers
June 2004 -- Nursezone writer Debra Wood covered the work of Sandy and Harry Summers featured on Nursezone's news pages. see the article
AJN editorial urges support for Summers' work
May 2004 -- In the main editorial in this month's American Journal of Nursing, nursing leaders Claire Fagin, PhD, RN, FAAN, Pam Maraldo, PhD, RN, FAAN and AJN editor-in-chief Diana Mason, PhD, RN, FAAN called on readers to celebrate Nurses Week by supporting the work of Sandy and Harry Summers, who were then at the Center for Nursing Advocacy. The editorial explained in detail how Nurses of America, a project spearheaded by Drs. Fagin and Maraldo in the late 1980's and early 1990's, pursued diverse strategies to improve media coverage of nurses and had a real impact on public understanding of the profession. The editorial argued that nurses today, in the midst of a shortage that has become a "major public health crisis," must likewise "sustain a collective effort to shape media portrayals of nursing." see the editorial
"Passions" soap opera campaign media coverage
February 7, 2004 -- Sandy and Harry Summers' campaign, who were then at the Center for Nursing Advocacy, have received press coverage on their campaign to end the use of the monkey nurse on the soap opera "Passions." The story was covered in the TV Guide in February 2004 and December 2003, and in the New York Post in December 2003.
February 7, 2004 -- This week's TV Guide includes a special box below Michael Logan's "On Soaps" column about the efforts of NBC's soap "Passions" to have BamBam, the orangutan who plays Nurse Precious, be considered for a daytime Emmy award. The box also mentions Sandy and Harry Summers' campaign protesting the show's degrading vision of nursing--wrongly claiming that we had "blasted" BamBam himself, rather than the producers--and has a quote from "Passions" creator James E. Reilly (above) that beautifully captures the show's attitude toward nurses and monkeys alike. more...
TV Guide covers Nurse Precious campaignDecember 26, 2003 -- TV Guide's online "Soapsnews" column, written by Delaina Dixon, this week included a "daytime tidbit" about the campaign protesting the use of an orangutan to play Nurse Precious on the NBC soap opera "Passions." This tidbit read in its entirety: "People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has paired with the Center for Nursing Advocacy in its ongoing campaign to get Precious the orangutan removed from Passions." more...
New York Post reports on Center's "Nurse Precious" campaignDecember 18, 2003 -- Today the New York Post ran a brief item by Michael Starr about letter-writing campaigns by Summers and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) protesting the use of an orangutan to play a private duty nurse on NBC's soap opera "Passions." more...
American Journal of Nursing publishes the Center's "Viewpoint"
February 2004 -- The American Journal of Nursing published an op-ed on our "ER" campaign in this month's issue. The piece was written by Truth's executive director Sandy Summers and senior advisor Harry Jacobs Summers. see the op-ed
New York State Nurses Association profile
February 2004 -- Diane Pineiro-Zucker, the Assistant Director of Communications & Public Relations for the New York State Nurses Association profiled the work of Sandy and Harry Summers for the February edition of the NYSNA monthly report. see the profile
"ER" Campaign receives international press coverage
February 2004 -- Sandy and Harry Summers' campaign to convince "ER" to portray nurses more accurately has sparked press coverage around the world. A Washington Post article sparked much of the press coverage. It was also covered by Agence France Presse, in Italy, the UK, Canada, Australia, Spain and many others. Our full "ER" press coverage is below.
Center's "ER" campaign earns extensive press coverage in print and broadcast outlets
December 30, 2003 -- Following the Center's distribution of a press release on November 10, numerous print and broadcast outlets have covered our campaign to persuade the NBC show "ER" to portray nursing more fairly. click here for updates ...
December 16, 2003 -- This week's issue of the Hollywood tabloid "Star" ("NOBODY KNOWS THE STARS LIKE THE STAR!") has a brief, somewhat ambiguous item about the Center's "ER" campaign in its "It's been a good week for...It's been a bad week for..." feature. more...
Agence France Presse reports on Center's "ER" campaign
December 04, 2003 -- Today the Agence France Presse reported on the Center's campaign to convince ER to portray nursing more accurately. more...
"ER" campaign hits Italian press
December 1, 2003 -- Today Italy's TV Sorrisi e Canzoni ran a piece by Antonio Mustara about issues facing "ER" in its tenth season, including the Center's campaign to persuade the show's producers to portray nursing more accurately. more...
Chicago Tribune: "'ER' nurses 'handmaidens?'"
November 30, 2003 -- Today the Chicago Tribune ran a short but very fair article by its television reporter Allan Johnson about the Center's "ER" campaign. more...
British Medical Journal highlights "ER" campaign
November 29, 2003 -- This week's issue of the British Medical Journal has a substantial article by Jeanne Lenzer about the "ER" campaign. more...
Spanish-speaking nations' press covers Summers' "Urgencias" campaign
November 25, 2003 -- The "ER" campaign has been the subject of recent articles in prominent newspapers in Spanish-speaking nations, specifically Spain's El Mundo and Venezuela's Clarín. more...
November 25, 2003 -- Today the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ran an abridged version of Sandra Boodman's November 18 Washington Post article about the Center's "ER" campaign and a huge sidebar with excerpts from some of the Center's movie and television reviews. more...
Globe and Mail covers "ER" protests by Canadian blindness group and the Center
November 22, 2003 -- Today Canada's Globe and Mail ran an article by Guy Dixon that was primarily about the Canadian Institute for the Blind's protest of the November 13 "ER" episode, but that also reported on Sandy Summers' campaign about the show's portrayal of nursing. more...
Sydney Morning Herald reports on Sandy Summers' "ER" campaign, situation for Australian nurses
November 20, 2003 -- Today's Sydney Morning Herald carried a piece by David Dale, "Maybe it's something about the uniform...," which discussed the campaign to persuade "ER" to portray nurses accurately and the extent to which Australian nurses confront poor images in the media. more...
HealthDay summary on "ER" campaign appears on many health information sites in U.S. and Switzerland
November 20, 2003 -- A summary created by the widely distributed HealthDay news service about the November 18 Washington Post story on the "ER" campaign has appeared on many health information web sites, including the U. S. government's Healthfinder site, numerous U.S. press sites, and the Swiss Health on the Net Foundation site. more...
Roanoke Times editorial misstates basis of "ER" campaign, then attacks it
November 19, 2003 -- Today the Roanoke Times dismissed the Center's campaign to persuade "ER" to portray nursing more fairly in an editorial that appeared to be based on a misunderstanding of the previous day's Washington Post article about the campaign. more....
Washington Post highlights Center's "ER" campaign
November 18, 2003 -- Today's Washington Post ran a lengthy, very good piece by Sandra G. Boodman, "Nursing a Lousy Image--RNs Blame Crisis on TV's 'ER,'" as one of the lead articles on the front page of its weekly Health section. more...
Pasadena Star News: Summers' "ER" campaign and new California staffing law
November 17, 2003 -- Today the Pasadena Star News published a good article by Michelle Rester, "Nurses want more accurate portrayal on 'ER' TV show," which reports on the Summers' letter-writing campaign and related efforts by a Pasadena nurse to improve the profession. more...
New Zealand Nursing Review profiles Summers' work
September 2003 -- Fiona Cassie's long profile of the Sandy Summers' work for the New Zealand Nursing Review appeared this month. more...
Nursing Spectrum profiles Summers
August 11, 2003 -- Today's issue of Nursing Spectrum featured a lengthy article about the work by Sandy and Harry Summers to improve the image of nursing. See the article.
Sandy Summers appears live on WBAI radio's award-winning "Health Styles"
August 1, 2003 -- Sandy Summers discussed the media advocacy today on New York City radio station WBAI's Health Styles program, hosted by American Journal of Nursing editor Diana Mason, R.N., Ph.D., FAAN. more...
American Journal of Nursing profiles Summers' work
May 2003 -- This month's issue of the American Journal of Nursing, the official journal of the American Nurses Association, includes a full-page profile of Sandy Summers work to improve the media's treatment of nurses. more...
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