"Oprah" features nurse expert on domestic violence, but show does not identify her as a nurse

September 25, 2002 -- On an "Oprah" show about the allegedly domestic homicides recently associated with the Ft. Bragg military base, Oprah Winfrey interviewed Johns Hopkins nursing Professor Jackie Campbell, RN, Ph.D., FAAN. Ms. Winfrey introduced her as "Jackie Campbell--who is an expert on domestic violence and homicide. She is also on the Pentagon's domestic violence task force." The on-screen identifier listed her as "Jackie Campbell, Ph.D., Domestic Violence Expert, Johns Hopkins Univ." Dr. Campbell provided a valuable perspective on the problems of domestic violence on military bases, unfortunately, she was not identified as a nurse or as a professor at JHU's School of Nursing.

The Center is very pleased when prominent nurses like Dr. Campbell (right) make such high profile media appearances, and we commend "Oprah" for consulting Dr. Campbell, who is a member of the Center's advisory committee. However, we strongly urge producers to identify nurses as nurses in such appearances. Otherwise, common misperceptions that nurses cannot hold Ph.D.'s and cannot be health experts may continue, and the public may not realize that a nursing career is a good choice for the best and brightest students.