Nursing News

PNA hits TV show for ‘unjust portrayal of nurses’

Philippine Nurses Association (PNA) denounces the comical depiction of nurse-patient interactions in a weekend variety show in national television for its ‘unjust portrayal of nurses’.

In a statement signed by national president Ruth Thelma P. Tingda, PNA called out GMA Network for its ‘degrading and incriminating depictions of nurses’ at one of its segment in Sunday Pinasaya aired October 29, 2017.

The nursing organization was disgusted over the depictions of health workers in the ‘Nurse Honor’ segment which showed the following:

(1.) Nurses slapped the patient and caused physical harm as a form of intervention;

(2.) Nurses need to check the wallet of a patient to check his capacity to pay; and,

(3.) Nurses left their patient to entertain an actor and they were called -malandi by the patient.

“We strongly denounce the segment titled ‘Nurse Honor’ by GMA Network on Sunday Pinasaya aired on October 29, 2017. As one of the two recognized broadcasting companies of the country, we were expecting a more responsible entertainment from GMA Network,” PNA said.

“The PNA has been trying very hard to uplift the image of our Filipino Nurses. Notwithstanding, the reality that most Filipino nurses are still underpaid, underemployed, struggling in dire work conditions, and worst, unemployed.”

“The PNA believes that GMA Network committed a grave injustice in portraying us nurses on national television in the aforesaid manners. Consequently, they owe us an apology and a sincere commitment that from hereafter they will no longer allow Nurses to be portrayed in a bad taste in any of their shows,” the statement concluded.

Here’s the segment:

PNA forwarded the statement to Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) chair Maria Rachel Arenas for ‘much needed action and kind assistance’.

GMA 7 has not posted any reaction or statement yet regarding the issue. What’s your thoughts on this nurses? [Screenshot from Sunday Pinasaya Youtube]