Medical TV Dramas: Love ‘Em or Leave ‘Em?

Yes, I know, it’s totally unfair to post a pic of McDreamy then pose the question “medical TV shows, love ’em or leave ’em?”. But, McDreamy aside, I’m curious to hear your opinions. My husband has been watching a lot of House lately, and I can’t decide if I really enjoy the show. It may be cliche, but I think I prefer to leave all things medicine on the job and completely unplug with other quality TV shows like The Bachelorette, or The Office reruns after a long day in the ER.

Growing up, my physician father never wanted to watch the show ER because, well, as an emergency physician it seemed so fake. I was of course distressed by this fact realizing it meant missed opportunities to oogle George Clooney. Similarly, in college I was enamored with Grey’s Anatomy and never missed an episode. McDreamy, McSteamy…I was obsessed! But, then, once my NP career was in full force, I didn’t find the show quite as engaging (granted the quality of Grey’s has obviously plummeted since its early days).

Now, when faced with the choice of watching House in the evening with my husband or going to bed at 9:30pm, I choose sleep every time. This partially speaks to my level of sleep deprivation, but I think more so speaks to my newfound distaste for medical TV. I can, after all, prioritize an episode of Breaking Bad over a premature bedtime. No, I’m not “too good” or “too smart” for these shows, I misdiagnose practically every one of Dr. House’s patients. It’s simply too difficult for me to unplug after a long day with IV’s and ventilators and crash carts continuing flash before my eyes.

As a nurse, NP, or PA do you find yourself in a similar television viewing situation?