Can’t Believe in ‘Angels’

As an oncology clinical nurse specialist, I had high hopes for “City of Angels” but made it through only three episodes before becoming an ex-viewer (“ ‘City of Angels’ Tries a New Treatment,” by Greg Braxton, March 8).

It had some very good points--the scene in which the experienced surgeon chastises the residents for laughing at the patient with the Golden Globe Award in his rectum was outstanding, and talk about the upcoming Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) survey gave a touch of realism--but those points could not compensate for the weaknesses. I found the portrayals of the professional roles of the characters to be laughingly, embarrassingly and annoyingly unrealistic.

For example, no hospital administrator has time to look at all the tests that have been ordered in the hospital and scold a resident physician for ordering an expensive one. No medical director carries the entire burden of JCAHO survey preparation and hand-delivers memos. And, most important, where are the nurses? Nursing is virtually invisible in the media, but “City of Angels” could do so much with nursing roles such as supervisors, ER coordinators, transplant coordinators, discharge planners and nurse practitioners.

I would suggest that the “relatively inexperienced” writing staff work more closely with nursing advisors. It would give a much more accurate portrayal of how a hospital runs and how physicians function in that setting.

PATRICE MARCKS

Santa Ana