title: Diversity, fulfilment and privilege: the image of nursing.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the image that nurses have of nursing and the image of nursing held by the public to determine the difference between the two and the impact of this on nurse recruitment.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Recruitment and retention nurses are important to the Strategic Health Authority for London (NHS London) who commissioned a study to explore the image of nursing.
  
  
  METHODS
  Qualitative survey research was used. Data were collected from nurses and from the public.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three themes emerged related to the image of nursing held by nurses. These were diversity, fulfilment and privilege. However, the public image of nursing does not reflect these. The public appear ill-informed of what nurses do, purporting to respect nursing but would not recommend nursing as a career choice for themselves, their children or their pupils. This study could have been enhanced through the use of questionnaires to gain quantitative data about the image of nursing.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The public image of nursing appears positive but also has negative aspects. The public image is different from nurse's image of nursing and is based on myth, misconception and stereotype. This may influence recruitment of nurses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study offer a way forward to develop recruitment strategies that target changing the public's image of nursing.
authors.affiliation: London Strategic Health Authority, NHS London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Trish
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Morris-Thompson
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shepherd
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Plata
authors.forename: Di
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Marks-Maran
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002321:Career Choice; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008131:London; D009729:Nursing; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology* / Q000600:supply & distribution; D010560:Personnel Selection; D011639:Public Opinion; D036301:Qualitative Research; D013240:Stereotyping