The article “Nurses’ Voices in Media: Strategies for Chief Nursing Officers” in The Journal of Nursing Administration (JONA) attempts to frame how Chief Nursing Officers (CNOs) can guide and support nurses in engaging with the media. While the intent may be positive, the underlying premisethat nurses need institutional oversight or directives to participate in mediais exactly why nursing continues to lag in public representation.
The Reality: Nurses Are Already in MediaWith or Without Institutional Approval
The assumption that nurses need CNOs to facilitate or approve media participation is outdated and restrictive. In reality, many of us are already in mediawriting, speaking, podcasting, consulting, and appearing as experts on national televisionwithout the permission or involvement of our employers. And we should be.
The issue isn’t whether nurses should be in the media but rather who controls the narrative. For decades, hospitals and health systems have strategically controlled public messaging, often using nurses for promotional materials but rarely empowering them as autonomous voices. The idea that CNOs should “prepare” nurses for media engagement implies that nurses cannot represent themselves professionally and competently without their guidance. This is not only condescendingit’s completely untrue.
In fact, CNOs are not the best people to decide or guide what nurses should be speaking about in the general media. While they may play a role in messaging for hospital-driven initiatives, their involvement in mentoring nurses for broader media engagement can quickly shift into censoring free speech and suppressing original, unbiased content.
What Really Happens: Fear, Gag Orders, and Missed Opportunities
Hospitals and healthcare systems often discourage nurses from speaking publicly unless the messaging aligns with institutional branding. Nurses are often contractually obligated not to engage with the media without permission. Even when nurses want to highlight workplace issuessuch as staffing shortages, unsafe patient ratios, or the mental health crisis in healthcareadministrators respond with silence, PR-friendly messaging, or, worse, retaliation.
This is why nurses, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds, are not well-represented in mainstream media. The hospital structure discourages independent thought and limits the ability of frontline professionals to discuss issues that affect public health.
But let’s be clear: The public trusts nurses more than hospital executives or administrators. Nurses consistently rank as the most trusted professionals, according to Gallup polls. Why, then, do institutions not allow us to lead these conversations? Because an independent, vocal nurse is a threat to the status quo.
Actionable Responses: What Needs to Change
Instead of relying on hospitals and CNOs to be gatekeepers of media access, we need to take control of our own platforms and opportunities. Here’s how.
1. Stop Asking for Permission to Speak
Nurses do not need CNOs to “allow” them to engage with the media. If you have expertise, lived experience, and insights to share, share them. Write that op-ed, start that blog, pitch yourself to journalists, and use your social media platform to educate and advocate. If you are concerned about legal or professional risks, consult an attorney or media expertbut don’t let hospital politics silence you.
2. Build Your Own Brand Outside of the Institution
Your professional identity is not limited to your employer. Many nurses have successfully built media brands that allow them to control their own narrativeswhether through podcasting, health journalism, social media education, or public speaking. Consider starting your own media platform, joining independent networks, or collaborating with organizations that truly support nursing voices.
3. Educate Yourself on Media Law and Ethics
One legitimate concern is ensuring that media engagement does not violate HIPAA or patient privacy. However, many nurses are scared into complete silence because they don’t fully understand their rights. Knowing what you can and cannot say allows you to navigate media spaces with confidence and without fear of employer retaliation.
4. Leverage Alternative Media Channels
Traditional news outlets are not the only way to get your voice heard. Independent digital mediasuch as YouTube, Substack, and TikTokhas given rise to many nurse influencers and educators. These platforms allow for more autonomy and less institutional control. If hospitals won’t let you speak on CNN, build your own audience.
5. Challenge Institutional Narratives
When hospitals use nurses in PR campaigns, they highlight only the feel-good stories, ignoring workplace struggles, patient safety concerns, and systemic issues. We need to push back against this selective storytelling. Nurses should publicly discuss the triumphs and challenges of healthcarewithout fear of institutional retribution.
The Future of Nurses in Media is Independent
CNOs and hospitals should support, not suppress, nurses who want to engage with the media. But whether they do or not, nurses must move forward independently. Healthcare is changing. The public is looking for trusted professionals to help them navigate complex health issues. Nurses already hold that trustit’s time we use it without permission from an institution that benefits from our silence.
If CNOs truly want to support nurses in the media, they should focus on dismantling institutional roadblocks rather than acting as media gatekeepers. Otherwise, they risk being complicit in suppressing the most needed voices.
The era of nurses waiting for hospitals to approve our voices is over. It’s time for us to take control of our own narratives, advocate for change, and ensure that wenot just administratorsshape the future of healthcare media.
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