Ever heard someone say nurses just follow doctors’ orders? Or that nursing is what you do when you didn’t get into medical school? These myths aren’t just outdated; they’re wildly inaccurate. They paint a narrow picture of a profession that is, in fact, rich in knowledge, skill, diversity, and humanity.
In this feature, we’re busting some of the most persistent myths about nursing, with real voices from the 2025 National Nursing Forum (NNF) and a healthy dose of evidence. But we want to go beyond shifting attitudes; this is a call to action. So, let’s equip you with practical responses: what you could say when someone throws out these misconceptions and others, and how to confidently set the record straight.
It’s time to change the conversation, and we need your help.
Myth #1: Nurses are just assistants to doctors
Fiction: Nurses follow orders and play a supporting role.
Fact: Nurses work autonomously and collaboratively across settings to improve health through advocacy, evidence-informed decision-making, and culturally safe, therapeutic relationships. They provide people-centred, compassionate care and offer advice to medical practitioners and multidisciplinary teams, exercising professional judgment rather than simply following instructions (International Council of Nurses, 2025).
Let’s be clear: nurses don’t just “help out”. They’re educated to make critical decisions, often in high-pressure environments. From triaging patients in emergency departments to managing chronic conditions in community settings, nurses are the foundation of health care in Australia.
As one nurse at the NNF put it:
“Being a nurse is part of my whole personality and identity; it’s not what I do, it’s who I am.”
Another added:
“Being in a position that gives me a voice and place to advocate is so important.”
Nurses are leaders, educators, and advocates. They’re not just in the room; they’re shaping the conversation.
Myth #2: Nurses only work in hospitals
Fiction: All nurses work in wards or emergency rooms.
Fact: Nurses work in aged care, schools, research, telehealth, politics, Non-Government Organisations (NGOs), environmental health, and more.
Think nurses only wear scrubs and work shifts in hospitals? Think again. Today’s nurses are everywhere, from remote telehealth consultations to Members of Parliament in Canberra.
Others are working in climate health, Indigenous health, research and even space medicine (Becker, 2025). Nursing is a passport to diverse careers that touch every corner of society.
Myth #3: Nursing is a fallback career
Fiction: People become nurses because they couldn’t be doctors.
Fact: Nursing is a respected, intentional profession with its own pathways and specialisations.
This myth is not only wrong, it’s insulting. Nursing is a deliberate choice, often driven by a deep desire to care, lead, and make a difference. It’s a career with its own rigorous academic and clinical pathways, offering specialisations that span diverse areas such as mental health, community health, aged care, emergency care, and critical care (Moghbeli et at., 2025).
One nurse proudly shared:
“It is a huge part of my identity. I am a third-generation nurse… it really is part of who I am.”
Nursing isn’t a Plan B, it’s a powerful Plan A.
Myth #4: Nurses are accurately portrayed in media
Fiction: TV and movies show nurses as they really are.
Fact: Media often underrepresents nurses or depicts them in stereotypical roles, sexualised, subservient, or overly emotional. Their expertise is rarely highlighted (Garcia & Qureshi, 2021).
From Grey’s Anatomy to ER, nurses are often relegated to the background, portrayed as assistants or emotional support characters. Rarely do we see their clinical expertise, leadership, or the emotional labour they carry.
A rare exception? The 2021 documentary series Nurses, which offered an authentic look into the profession, showing the real decision-making, life-saving care, and emotional resilience nurses bring to the job every day. Other portrayals, such as the drama series All Saints and the mini-series RAN: Remote Area Nurse, have also highlighted the breadth and complexity of nursing roles across different Australian settings.
But let’s be honest: one documentary isn’t enough. It’s time for the media to catch up with reality.
Myth #5: Nursing is an apprenticeship
Fiction: Nurses learn on the job like tradespeople.
Fact: Nursing is a regulated profession governed by national standards, codes of conduct, and evidence-based practice. It requires a science-based degree and clinical placements.
Nursing education is no joke. It involves years of study and hands-on experience, whether through university programs for registered nurses or vocational education and training pathways for enrolled nurses. Both require professional experience placements and ongoing development. Nurses are educated in areas such as anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, ethics, and leadership. They’re held to national standards and must maintain registration through continuous learning (International Council of Nurses, 2025).
It’s not just hands-on, it’s head-on. Nurses are scientists, strategists, scholars, and skilled clinicians.
Myth #6: Nurses are passive and lack authority
Fiction: Nurses simply carry out tasks.
Fact: Nurses are key decision-makers in health care. They lead care teams, manage services, and shape health policy.
Nurses don’t just “do what they’re told”. They lead multidisciplinary teams, run clinics, and influence national health strategies. In fact, many nurses hold executive roles in hospitals, government, and NGOs.
They’re also shaping the future of health care through research, innovation, and advocacy. From designing new models of care to influencing aged care reform, nurses are at the forefront of change.
Closing thoughts: The real heart of health
Nursing is not just a job, it’s a calling, a science, and a cornerstone of health care. It’s about compassion, yes, but also about competence, courage, and leadership.
As Val Saintsbury once said: “Nurses dispense comfort, compassion, and caring without even a prescription.”
That quote (University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences, 2024) perfectly captures the essence of nursing. It’s a profession built on empathy and expertise, where every action, whether clinical or emotional, can change a life.
Dispelling myths helps us better understand and value the profession. Whether in aged care, policy, or emergency rooms, nurses are leaders, advocates, and experts. It’s time we saw them that way.
So next time you hear someone say “nurses just follow orders”, feel free to set the record straight. Because the truth is: nurses are changing lives, shaping systems, and redefining what health care looks like, one patient, one policy, one breakthrough at a time.
The authors would like to thank Caitlyn Moore MACN, Liam Jackson MACN and Mitchell Bannah MACN for reviewing drafts of this article.
This article was originally published in the Autumn 2026 edition of ACN’s quarterly member publication The Hive. Members can access all past editions of The Hive on MyACN. Non-members can get a sneak peek by viewing our open-access articles.
Author: Matthias Williams
ACN Policy Advisor
Author: CJ Cabilan
Director of Occupational Violence Prevention and Management Office of the Chief Operating Officer, Metro South Health, Brisbane and Nurse Researcher, Emergency Department, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane
