(Press Release) This is an official statement by ANA\California.
The underrepresentation of nurses in media has a gross effect on how the public views our contributions to our communities and the healthcare field. As the largest health professional workforce, nurses’ clinical expertise provides critical and essential perspectives missing from today’s health-related stories and political conversations.
According to the Woodhull Study Revisited (2020), nurses were identified as the source of only 2% of stories, as compared to 18% of physicians, and were never cited in stories regarding health policy.
“Nurses remain invisible in health news media, despite their increasing levels of education, unique roles, and expertise,” said Diana J. Mason, PhD, RN, FAAN, Co-Director of the Center for Health, Media, and Policy.
It is imperative that organizations representing the interests of registered nurses in California provide adequate training and media opportunities to prepare them for changes in healthcare as well as strengthen their role as a patient and nurse advocate. We call upon health reporters, journalists, nursing industry news, and professional nursing associations to establish new best practices that increase
nurses’ presence in media.
Sincerely,
Dr. Marketa Houskova, DNP, MAIA, BA, RN
Executive Director, ANA\California