Nursing students’ perspectives on media portrayals of healthcare violence: Ethical and professional concerns

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Abstract
Background: Media portrayals of violence against healthcare professionals may influence nursing students’ perceptions of the profession, yet little is known about how such portrayals are experienced and interpreted. Research aim: To explore senior nursing students’ experiences of media portrayals of violence against healthcare professionals and their emotional, professional, and ethical implications. Research design: Descriptive phenomenological study. Participants and research context: Fifteen senior nursing students from four universities in Türkiye participated in semi-structured online interviews. Data were analyzed using Colaizzi’s seven-step phenomenological method. Ethical considerations: Ethical approval was obtained from the Ethics Committee of a University (Decision No.: 25/5, 29 September 2022). Written informed consent was obtained from all participants. Findings/results: Three themes emerged: the dual role of media coverage, media impact on professional futures, and expectations for institutional and media responsibility. Participants described media coverage as both a source of awareness and a contributor to concerns about the normalization of violence. Exposure to violence-related news generated fear, insecurity, and concerns about future professional practice while increasing expectations for responsible media reporting and stronger institutional protections. Conclusions: Media portrayals of violence against healthcare professionals influence nursing students’ professional identity development, perceptions of workplace safety, and future career expectations. Nursing education and responsible media practices may help reduce these negative effects and support professional development.

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