Essay: Stereotypes in depiction of nurses and nursing

A stereotype is a preconceived notion about a person or people based on numerous factors such as gender, race, religion, or age. In 2007 the gum brand Dentyne Ice aired a commercial portraying a young, attractive male patient alongside an older, heavier male patient both chewing on Dentyne Ice and capturing the attention and erotic interest of two different nurses. The younger patient, who is in a full leg cast, presses his call button and proceeds to hobble over to a table to get a piece of Dentyne Ice gum. An attractive young nurse enters and is immediately drawn to him. The older patient proceeds to act accordingly and the cycle continues with another nurse closer in age to the patient entering and showing sexual interest in the patient. The ideas embedded in the visual text are much more than what meets the eye, the commercial is ridden with subliminal stereotypes. Through further analysis, the Dentyne Ice commercial as stated above, though appearing to be humorous, attacks the professionalism of nurses in the workplace by showcasing their erotic intent, their provocative uniforms, and the generalization that only woman are nurses. Though it may appear to be a simple chewing gum commercial the display of nurses is done quite poorly by objectifying them as sexual objects. Upon entering the room the nurse sits down on the patient’s bed displaying an act of unprofessionalism. By sitting down the nurse is exhibiting an interest in the patient beyond his medical care. This simple initiative demeans the duties of a nurse to nothing more than a sexual plaything at a male patients beck and call. Subsequent to the nurse sitting down on the patient’s bed, she is also in close proximity to his face. This close proximity unveils a sexual interest in the young male patient by just barely being close enough to kiss him. These minor actions are all playing a role in a much bigger picture. Following the nurse and the patient’s almost kiss, they both remember the older male patient laying in bed right beside them in the room, prompting the nurse to rise and close the privacy curtain. This idea that nurses are available for pleasure degrades the true goal and intent of what a nurse is and does. By closing the curtain the nurse is further exemplifying her interest in the patient and her unprofessionalism in the workplace. Under those circumstances the portrayal of nurses is nothing more than a sexual object with erotic desire regardless of the relationship in the workplace and the unprofessionalism it displays.
Reading into the clothing an actor or actresses wears can also give insight into hidden and subliminal messages or ideas. As well as showing a lack of professionalism and decorum this visual text also advertises the female body in small, subtle ways. Our nurse is seen to be wearing her white dress uniform, unzipped and showing some cleavage. A detail as minuscule as an unzipped uniform plays a larger role in the bigger picture. The unzipped uniform indicates that the nurse is open to attention from her patients further diminishing her true role. In like manner this ad reinforces the stereotype that nurses are frivolous, sexually available females by the shortness of the nurse’s uniform dress. For decades the notion that nursing wasn’t serious played a role in the practicing of the field and the potential nurses. The length of her dress can be deemed unprofessional and depicting her in this manner is undermining. Correspondingly, the visual text goes on to give the idea that no matter the age or experience in the field providing workplace sexual services is not something nurses ever get past. Both nurses are rendered interested in their patients, despite the difference in age the younger and older nurse are submissive to workplace sexual services. This inadvertently sends a message to viewers that despite your age or years spent in the nursing field you will still find yourself susceptible to sexual advances in the workplace. In short, small details such as what an actor or actress is wearing can still send a message, the Dentyne Ice commercial continuously degrades nurses with every aspect of their commercial.
Equally important as the body language and uniforms worn by the nurses is the fact that they are both women is unconsciously sending a message. The visual text displays two female nurses coming to the aid of their male patients, enhancing the idea that the nursing field is designed for women. To this day nursing is still seen as a less prestigious profession, requiring less education and training. This medieval way of thinking is still relevant as the number of men in the nursing field is still low, this ad by Dentyne plays on the fact that mostly women are nurses by casting two female roles. The concept that women are dominant in the nursing field has slowly been diminishing, but with ads just as this plaguing the career it can send a message that disinterests its viewers. A trivial detail such as this can send yet another hidden idea in this commercial. Sexism in the nursing career should not be an ongoing subject, the lack of respect shown to nurses in this ad is continuously sending subliminal concepts. Both nurses are depicted as readily being available to their male patient’s advances, if two male nurses were cast the scenario would be quite different. The stereotype that nurses are less qualified and less important of a profession goes hand in hand with the message Dentyne Ice is sending by showcasing such poor work ethics. All in all, the commercial attacks nurses and their professionalism. In brief, many factors have played a part in this ad and has ultimately sent an obdurate message to its viewers that the nursing career is less prestigious, trivial and nurses are sexual playthings at our disposal.
Commercials just like any other form of media is always filled with subliminal messages and ideas that we may not understand at first, but with further analysis we can start to uncover these hidden meanings. The sexual desire displayed by the nurse further demeans and lessens the importance of their profession. Similarly, the uniform choice and the tiny details of having an unzipped dress sends another message about the nursing career, as well as depicting two female nurses emphasizing how the nursing field is dominated by women because of it being supposedly less prestigious. The Dentyne Ice commercial unknowingly sends degrading messages about nurses through its lack of professionalism displayed by these nurse actresses. Consequently, all media these days are ridden with hidden messages and this commercial is just one of many. The nursing career is prestigious and demands respect whether the attacks were made unconsciously or not.
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