Top 10 TV Shows Celebrating Nurses in the Last Decade
- 5 days ago
- 6 min read
The world of television has long been fascinated by the high-stakes environment of hospitals and healthcare. While doctors often take center stage, a number of shows in the last ten years (2015-2025) have shone a significant spotlight on the indispensable role of nurses. These series not only entertain but also offer a glimpse into the dedication, skill, and compassion that define the nursing profession, often inspiring viewers and highlighting the vital contributions of nurses in diverse settings. Here’s a look at ten popular shows that have made a mark:
1. Call the Midwife (BBC/PBS)
Resume: Set in the 1950s and 1960s in the East End of London, this beloved British drama follows the lives of a group of nurse-midwives and nuns from Nonnatus House. Each episode tackles various medical and social issues of the era, from childbirth complications and poverty to epidemics and personal dramas, all through the compassionate lens of its nursing staff.
Positive Impact: "Call the Midwife" is widely praised for its realistic and respectful portrayal of nursing and midwifery. It highlights the autonomy, clinical skills, and profound empathy of nurses, showcasing them as highly competent healthcare providers who build deep connections with their patients and communities. The show has been credited with raising the profile of midwifery, emphasizing the historical and ongoing importance of nurses in public health, and portraying the emotional depth and challenges of the profession. It often underscores the advocacy role nurses play for their patients, particularly the vulnerable.
Link: https://www.pbs.org/call-the-midwife/season-guide
2. Chicago Med (NBC)
Resume: As part of Dick Wolf's "Chicago" franchise, "Chicago Med" follows the day-to-day chaos of the emergency department and various units within a fictional Chicago hospital. While an ensemble drama, it features several strong, recurring nurse characters who are integral to patient care and the functioning of the hospital.
Positive Impact: The show often portrays nurses as skilled, quick-thinking professionals who manage critical situations, advocate for their patients, and collaborate closely with (and sometimes challenge) physicians. Storylines have depicted nurses' crucial roles in patient assessment, treatment administration, and emotional support. Recent seasons have even tackled issues like nurse staffing shortages and the immense pressures faced by the nursing profession, bringing these real-world challenges to a primetime audience and underscoring their "lifeblood of the hospital" status.
Link: https://www.nbc.com/chicago-med
3. Virgin River (Netflix)
Resume: Based on the novels by Robyn Carr, "Virgin River" centers on Melinda "Mel" Monroe, a nurse practitioner and midwife who moves to a remote Northern California town to start fresh after a personal tragedy. She works at the local doctor's practice, navigating the challenges of rural healthcare and becoming a cornerstone of the small community.
Positive Impact: Mel Monroe is depicted as a highly skilled, autonomous, and compassionate advanced practice nurse. The show highlights the broad scope of practice for nurse practitioners, particularly in underserved rural areas. It showcases her diagnostic abilities, clinical decision-making, and the holistic care she provides, often going beyond medical needs to support her patients' overall well-being. "Virgin River" presents a positive and inspiring image of nursing as a profession offering opportunities for leadership and significant community impact.
Link: https://www.netflix.com/title/80240027
4. Nurses (Global/NBC)
Resume: This Canadian medical drama, which also aired in the U.S., follows a group of five young nurses working on the frontlines of a busy downtown Toronto hospital. The series focuses on their professional challenges, personal lives, and the ethical dilemmas they face as they learn and grow in their demanding careers.
Positive Impact: "Nurses" places the nursing perspective front and center, a relative rarity in the medical drama genre. It showcases the diverse responsibilities of nurses, from direct patient care and emergency response to emotional support and interprofessional collaboration. By focusing on early-career nurses, it can inspire students and new graduates, highlighting the learning curve, the development of critical skills, and the profound impact nurses have on patients' lives from the very beginning of their careers.
Link: https://www.nbc.com/nurses
5. The Resident (FOX)
Resume: While often focusing on the doctors and the bureaucratic/ethical issues within the healthcare system, "The Resident" features prominent nurse characters, notably Nurse Nic Nevin (until her departure from the show), who was depicted as an experienced, skilled, and ethically grounded nurse practitioner.
Positive Impact: Through characters like Nic, the show has portrayed nurses as intelligent, capable, and crucial patient advocates who often serve as the moral compass within the hospital. It highlighted the advanced skills and responsibilities of nurse practitioners and showed nurses fearlessly speaking up against system failures or in defense of their patients. This portrayal helps to counter outdated stereotypes and emphasizes the collaborative yet distinct role of experienced nurses in complex care.
Link: https://www.fox.com/the-resident/
6. New Amsterdam (NBC)
Resume: Inspired by Dr. Eric Manheimer's memoir "Twelve Patients: Life and Death at Bellevue Hospital," "New Amsterdam" follows Dr. Max Goodwin as he becomes the medical director of one of the oldest public hospitals in the United States, aiming to reform its bureaucracy and provide exceptional care. While doctor-centric, it has featured recurring nurse characters.
Positive Impact: Though sometimes criticized for sidelining nurses, "New Amsterdam" has, particularly through the character of ER nurse Casey Acosta, shown nurses as competent, experienced, and essential members of the healthcare team. Casey is often portrayed as a calm and skilled presence in the chaotic ER, capably assisting and sometimes guiding the physicians. The show, at times, acknowledges the broader hospital staff, including nurses, as vital to patient care, and Max's reformist agenda sometimes touches on improving conditions for all staff.
Link: https://www.nbc.com/new-amsterdam
7. Code Black (CBS)
Resume: Airing from 2015 to 2018, "Code Black" was set in an overwhelmed and understaffed emergency room in Los Angeles, based on a documentary of the same name. The series depicted the medical staff's efforts to treat patients under extreme conditions. A prominent character was Head Nurse Jesse Salander, the "Mama" of the ER.
Positive Impact: The show consistently highlighted the immense skill, resilience, and leadership of emergency nurses. Luis Guzmán's character, Jesse Salander, was a powerful portrayal of an experienced, compassionate, and authoritative charge nurse who was central to the ER's functioning and the training of new residents. "Code Black" showcased nurses' critical thinking, triage skills, and ability to manage chaos, presenting them as indispensable leaders in emergency care.
8. Lenox Hill (Netflix)
Resume: This 2020 docu-series provides an intimate look into the lives of four doctors (two neurosurgeons, an emergency physician, and a chief OB-GYN resident) at New York's Lenox Hill Hospital. While the primary focus is on the physicians, the series naturally captures the environment in which nurses are indispensable. A special COVID-19 episode was also released.
Positive Impact: As a documentary, "Lenox Hill" offers a raw and unfiltered view of hospital life, inherently showcasing the constant presence and vital work of nurses in every aspect of patient care, from the ER to the OR to labor and delivery. It underscores the teamwork essential in healthcare and allows viewers to see nurses performing their duties with professionalism and dedication in real-life, high-pressure situations, which can be more impactful than fictional portrayals. The COVID-19 episode, in particular, highlighted the bravery and commitment of all frontline healthcare workers, including nurses.
Link: https://www.netflix.com/title/80201728?source=35
9. Transplant (NBC/CTV)
Resume: This Canadian drama centers on Dr. Bashir "Bash" Hamed, a Syrian doctor with battle-tested skills in emergency medicine who flees his country and tries to rebuild his career in the emergency department of a fictional Toronto hospital. The series features a strong ensemble cast, including dedicated nursing staff.
Positive Impact: "Transplant" portrays a realistic hospital environment where nurses are clearly essential to the ER's operation. Nurse characters like Claire Malone are depicted as highly competent, experienced, and integral to patient care, often working seamlessly with the physicians and providing crucial support and insights. The show values the contributions of the entire medical team and can help viewers appreciate the collaborative nature of modern healthcare, where nurses are key players.
Link: https://www.nbc.com/nbc-insider/transplant-season-4-nbc-premiere-date-cast-details
10. Nurse Jackie (Showtime)
Resume: While the series concluded in June 2015, its final season falls within the last decade, and its impact on the portrayal of nurses (though controversial) is noteworthy. The show starred Edie Falco as Jackie Peyton, a brilliant but deeply flawed emergency room nurse in a New York City hospital who struggles with addiction.
Positive Impact: Despite the controversy surrounding its depiction of an drug-addicted nurse, "Nurse Jackie" was also lauded for showcasing the incredible skill, quick-thinking, and fierce patient advocacy that nurses often embody. Many nursing professionals acknowledged that Jackie, when not impaired, represented a highly competent and compassionate nurse who fought tirelessly for her patients, often navigating complex ethical and systemic challenges. The show, at its best, highlighted the intelligence and autonomy nurses can possess, though always shadowed by the protagonist's personal demons.
🔖Conclusion
These TV shows, in their diverse ways, have contributed to a broader public understanding and appreciation of the nursing profession. They remind us that nurses are not just assistants but highly skilled, compassionate, and critical thinkers who make a profound difference in the lives of patients and their families every single day. For those considering a career in healthcare, these portrayals can offer a glimpse into the challenging yet deeply rewarding world of nursing.
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