“Nurse Jackie” Renewed Despite New York Nurse Protest

June 10th, 2009 by Castina

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.

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12 Responses to ““Nurse Jackie” Renewed Despite New York Nurse Protest”

On August 19th 2009, shannon wrote:

What the hell is wrong with people? I worked in an emergency room for ten years, I saw drug abusing nurses, ethically questionable nurses and nurses who should have been doctors! This is total crap. This group of people need to focus on real life nursing problems such as: insurance cut backs, hospital cut backs, patients who are drug abusers and nurses who are drug abusers!
On August 19th 2009, kim bridge wrote:

it’s only a t.v show for crying out loud i love it along with a couple of my friends, its about time they did something like this instaed of it always being about doctors. i laugh in every episode and i will be buying it when it is released on dvd. did i say i laugh alot i love nurse jackie. can’t wait for the second season.
On August 30th 2009, Mark wrote:

I agree with both parties (NYSNA & Showtime), I think it wouldn’t hurt to add a few lines to the end credits and on the other hand I do think that most if not all viewers understand that it is a fictional television show. I love the show and am surprised the first season was so short and can’t wait for the next season.
On September 13th 2009, George wrote:

It is time to remove the mystery and magic from the nursing profession. I like the show and while nurse Jackie is one fictional nurse; the circumstances she finds herself in are things that really happen everyday. I believe her drug addiction is meant to be seconday to a back problem. A publically known back issue could cost a nurse her job and livelihood; she takes pain meds (and does what she must do to get them) because otherwise she would be cast away like the rubbish.

Many nurses get off on the aura of awe they can inspire in certain circumstances. The public would rather think of us a special little angels than people who deal with “Nurse Jackie” senarios day after day. If they public faced the reality, then they would also have to face the patronisation, the disrespect, the poor pay and the fear they have of winding up in the care of a group of professionals they have disregarded and treat as glorified waitress their entire lives.
On September 14th 2009, Chuck wrote:

“Showtime, on the other hand, beliebes”

This is 2009, get a spell checker.
On September 23rd 2009, maxsmom wrote:

i am a fairly new nurse but have heard of plenty of nurses abusing pain killers. it IS reality nysna!!! and the show is not so get over it. love the show and would love to work with those characters. my day would be much easier or at least more bearable lol
On October 9th 2009, Lacy wrote:

I LOVE NURSE JACKIE! BEST SHOW EVER!
On October 11th 2009, Janet Hemnes wrote:

Nurse Jackie is a delightful show to watch! The only complaints that I have are that it should be an hour long and that I am having to wait too long for the 2nd season.
On October 21st 2009, Feldman wrote:

The members of the NYSNA are absolutely right. Nurse Jackie is flawed, but deeply committed to her patients and compassionate. Having been to NY hospitals I can say I witnessed very little of those traits.
On October 29th 2009, Larry wrote:

The best show, it has always been about doctors what about Dr House he takes Vicodin ii po qid or even ii po q4h when u are watching it you see him taking his pills because needs to work and performed his JOB and does nurse Jackie and BOTH do a GOD job, we nurses are to take care of patients, cure them, doctors just diagnose them, the rest is up to us.
On November 7th 2009, emily wrote:

That’s rubish.
It doesn’t “portray medical staff in a negative light”. I find they’re exagerating.
If they could only try and understand that serie writers do not plan to “criticise nurses” in any way.

This is a story about someones life. Not about “a nurse”.

Sorry. Can’t accept //
On November 17th 2009, judy wrote:

Nurse Jackie is a great series. Anyone with half a brain knows it is fiction. If we wanted a true to life show of nurses in emerg we’d watch documentaries.
To all you nurses…..stop getting your stethoscope in such a twist. It’s good fiction!