| Course | NUR 460 The Art of Nursing |
|---|---|
| Module | Module 3 |
| Paper type | Presentation, slides with speaker notes |
| Length | About 699 words, 5 pages |
| Format | APA 7 slide deck with speaker notes |
| School | Arizona State University |
| Program | RN to BSN |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for NUR 460 Module 3
Angel, Handmaiden or Expert? The Image of Nursing in Media and Why Nurses Help Create It
Student Name
Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Arizona State University
NUR 460: The Art of Nursing
Instructor Name
Month Day, Year
Slide 1: Three Images
The angel: selfless, gentle, sacrificing. The handmaiden: the doctor's assistant who follows orders. The expert: the clinician who assesses, decides and leads. Which one does the public see?
Speaker notes: When I searched for images of nurses in film, television, advertising and social media, three pictures kept appearing. The first is the angel, the kind, self-sacrificing woman in white, which became especially common during the COVID-19 pandemic with the language of heroes. The second is the handmaiden, the nurse who carries out physicians' instructions and rarely makes decisions. The third, less common, is the expert: a knowledgeable professional who assesses patients, makes judgments and leads. This presentation asks which image dominates and why it matters.
Slide 2: The Angel
Pandemic billboards and thank-you campaigns. Admiration, but also an expectation of endless sacrifice. Angels do not need staffing ratios.
Speaker notes: The angel image is flattering and widespread. During the pandemic, hospitals and businesses posted signs calling nurses heroes and angels. That gratitude was real, and it is not new: historians describe nurses in the 1918 influenza pandemic being honored while working with few protections (Keeling, 2021). But the image has a cost. If nurses are angels, their work is a calling rather than a skilled profession, and their exhaustion becomes part of the story rather than a problem to fix. An angel does not need fair pay, safe staffing or protective equipment.
Slide 3: The Handmaiden
Medical dramas: nurses at the edge of the frame, physicians making every decision. The skill of nursing judgment is invisible.
Speaker notes: In many medical dramas, nurses appear in the background, handing instruments or reporting a change in a patient's condition so that a physician can act. Viewers rarely see a nurse recognize early deterioration, catch a medication error or teach a family how to manage care at home, even though these are among the most important things nurses do. The handmaiden image hides nursing judgment, which shapes how patients, policymakers and even other professionals understand what nurses contribute.
Slide 4: What the Research Says
A discussion paper reviewing 18 studies found the public image of nursing diverse and contradictory, partly self-created by nurses' invisibility. Nurses' self-concept and identity draw on that public image.
Speaker notes: A discussion paper (ten Hoeve et al., 2014) reviewed 18 studies on the public image of nursing, self-concept and professional identity. The authors found that the public image of nursing is diverse and incongruous, and that it is partly self-created because nurses are often invisible and absent from public discussion. They also found that nurses derive their self-concept and professional identity partly from that public image, along with their work environment, values and education. In other words, how the public sees us affects how we see ourselves.
Slide 5: How Nurses Can Change the Image
Explain what you are doing and why. Introduce yourself by name and credential. Speak publicly and in media. Use social media to show real nursing work.
Speaker notes: The same authors suggested that nurses work harder to communicate their professionalism to the public, including through social media, and increase their visibility in organizations (ten Hoeve et al., 2014). In daily practice, this can be as simple as explaining my reasoning to patients: "Your oxygen level dropped, so I am increasing your oxygen and calling the provider." Introducing myself as a registered nurse rather than just "your nurse" helps too, and it fits the code's expectation that nurses represent the profession with integrity (American Nurses Association, 2025). On a larger scale, nurses can speak to local media, serve on boards and share accurate stories of their work online.
Slide 6: Question for the Class
Which image do your patients seem to hold? What is one thing you do, or could do, to show them the expert?
Speaker notes: In my rural hospital, many patients know me from the grocery store, which makes me more visible than nurses in big cities but also more likely to be seen as a helper than an expert. I would like to hear which image your patients hold and what you do to show them the knowledge behind your work.
References
American Nurses Association. (2025). Code of ethics for nurses. https://codeofethics.ana.org/
Keeling, A. W. (2021). Nurses on the front line: The 1918 influenza pandemic and COVID-19. Nursing. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NURSE.0000756352.39139.16
ten Hoeve, Y., Jansen, G., & Roodbol, P. (2014). The nursing profession: Public image, self-concept and professional identity. A discussion paper. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 70(2), 295-309. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.12177
Reading the NUR 460 Module 3 assignment instructions
The current NUR 460 syllabus gives Module 3 to nursing in art, media and literature, covering the image of nursing from past to present and public attitudes, and the graded work is a PowerPoint on the image of nursing posted to the discussion board. The module relies on your own internet search, so the presentation usually asks you to find examples of how nurses are portrayed, analyze the messages they send, connect them to sources on nursing's public image, and invite classmates to discuss. Check Canvas for the slide count, whether images must be included and properly credited, and how many peer replies are required. Some sections ask for a historical example as well as a current one.
How this NUR 460 Module 3 example is built
The deck is organized around three recurring images rather than a list of shows or ads, which turns examples into an argument. Two slides examine the angel and handmaiden images and what each hides. A research slide summarizes a discussion paper on public image and professional identity, quoting its main points in the presenter's words. The fifth slide offers practical steps, from explaining reasoning at the bedside to speaking in local media. The final slide asks classmates a question tied to their own patients. Speaker notes carry the explanation, keeping slide text brief. The slides credit the research where it is used and keep each idea to a single slide. A reference slide closes the deck.
Reading the NUR 460 Module 3 grading rubric
Image of nursing presentations are generally graded on the quality and variety of examples, the depth of analysis of what those examples communicate, the use of scholarly sources, clarity of slides, and the discussion that follows. Graders look for analysis that goes beyond describing a show or advertisement to explain its effect on public perception and on nurses. Proper credit for any images used, and APA citations for sources, are expected. A presentation that offers concrete ways nurses can improve their image usually earns more than one that only criticizes media. Instructors may also reward a balanced view that recognizes accurate, positive portrayals as well as distorted ones. Replies count too.
NUR 460 Module 3 help from the desk
Students often fill slides with screenshots and little analysis. Choose a few examples and explain what each says about nursing. Another mistake is treating all positive images as good; the angel image can undermine claims for staffing and pay. Credit images properly and avoid copyrighted material without attribution. Use at least one scholarly source on public image. Close by asking something your classmates can answer from their own shifts. The desk can turn the media examples you collected into a structured deck if you share them with the prompt. Limit yourself to a few strong examples rather than a montage, and say what each one teaches. Keep narration within the time limit, and close with a question classmates can answer.
Write yours, or have the desk draft it
This paper is an original model document written by our desk, not a submitted student paper and not an official Arizona State University document. Read it for the moves, then write your own to the instructions in your classroom. If you want one built to your exact prompt and rubric, the first custom sample is free and arrives in 24 to 48 hours.
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NUR 460 Module 3 questions, answered
Where can I find a free NUR 460 Module 3 sample paper?
The image of nursing presentation is on this page as six slides with speaker notes, covering the angel, handmaiden and expert images, research on public image and steps nurses can take, with references.
What examples can I use in the NUR 460 image of nursing PPT?
Television dramas, films, advertisements, news coverage, social media posts and historical posters all work. Choose a few and analyze what each communicates.
Why does the image of nursing matter?
Public image affects how patients, policymakers and other professionals value nursing, and research suggests it also shapes nurses' own self-concept and identity.
Can I use pictures in the NUR 460 presentation?
Usually yes, if you credit them properly and follow copyright rules. Check Canvas for any requirements.
How can nurses improve the image of nursing?
By explaining their clinical reasoning to patients, introducing themselves by credential, speaking publicly and sharing accurate stories of nursing work.