“Nurse Jackie” Renewed Despite New York Nurse Protest
Nurse Jackie, Edie Falco’s new Showtime Original drama, has been picked up for a second season just days after its premiere — but the series is already drawing protests from one nursing group.
On Monday, the critically acclaimed show became the most-watched series premiere in Showtime history. Jackie stars Falco, the former Mafia Wife of TV’s Tony Soprano, as a pill-popping, adulterous medical professional, who engages in ethically questionable behavior at the New York City hospital where she works. This week’s series premiere was watched by approximately 1 million viewers.
However, the show has come under fire from a group of real New York nurses, who insist it portrays medical staff in a negative light. The concept has been slammed by members of the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA), who want a disclaimer added to the end credits.
“We believe that the public’s view of nurses is influenced by TV dramas, and we have yet to see an accurate portrayal of what nurses really do,” NYSNA’s CEO Tina Gerardi wrote in a letter to Showtime this week. “It is our responsibility as the state nurses’ association to speak out on behalf of our profession, which often is misunderstood and marginalized by the media.”
Showtime, on the other hand, beliebes viewers will be able to differentiate between reality and fiction.
“This is a show of fiction, and its purpose, first and foremost, is entertainment. We are confident the viewing public will understand that and can differentiate between a work of fiction and a documentary, which this clearly is not,” reads a statement from the channel.

