Making a difference from the inside out

Nursing leaders, researchers, and activists have called for change in mass media depictions of nurses since the 1980s, but some nurses are not sure they should make any effort. This article offers a focused look at the trajectories of 2 individuals: Theresa Brown, a clinical nurse and author who writes for the New York Times, and Larry Deutchman, the Executive Vice President of Marketing and Industry Relations at Entertainment Industries Council, Inc. Both Brown and Deutchman were motivated to acquire skills and to take risks to think creatively, and/or to collaborate with other professionals in media to benefit nursing and health. Analysis of their paths offers ideas for action, growth, learning, and collaboration for nurses in relation to the ways that nursing is represented in written and visual media.