My Favorite TV Nurses

Favorite Nurses from Old and New Shows Alike

Diane Zoller-Ciatto, Yahoo! Contributor Network
Dec 17, 2009 "Share your voice on Yahoo! websites. Start Here."

It seems that nurses have always been a part of my life. My aunt, my mother's older sister was a nurse and way back when, my mother who was the "other" child was not afforded the luxury of going to nursing school like her sister. Well, that did not stop her...at fifty-five years old, she graduated from nursing school fulfilling her lifelong dream. Now my sister works at the local heath center in our community and works with five nurses who are just sweethearts. I volunteer there and always love seeing them who along with my dear sister are serving the public over and above the call of duty.

So I have been a fan of "Doctor Shows" from as far back as Dr. Conrad Steiner on "Medic", played by Richard Boone long before he was Paladin on "Have Gun Will Travel". Boy am I old! So here goes:

My favorite nurse of all time was Nurse Kellye played by Kellye Nakahara on one of the best all time shows, M.A.S.H. She did not have a major part, but she was always there and gave support and comfort to both the doctors and especially the injured soldiers and civilians alike.

But my favorites are truly becoming the three stars of Mercy, a new show this year on NBC. This program is not just the run of the mill medical show and because it is filmed in Northern New Jersey where I hail from, I recognize a lot of the scenes from the show like I did on the Sopranos. So the main character is Veronica Flanagan Callahan played by Taylor Schilling. She is a married nurse who recently returned from her tour in Iraq where she had an affair with another doctor who just happens to work at Mercy. She is suffering from post traumatic stress disorder, alcoholism and now faces a tight-knit Irish family, her father's Alzheimer's disease and a husband who found out about the affair. What I like the most about her, is her flaws, she is far from perfect but a kind and caring nurse and will break the rules for the sake of her patients.

Another of the nurses of Mercy is Sonia Jimenez played by Jaime Lee Kirchner. She plays a Puerto Rican girl from the neighborhood who is tough on the outside and totally warm and professional on the inside. She is also a good friend.

My last choice is also from Mercy, Michelle Trachtenberg who plays Chloe Payne a new nurse who makes mistakes and learns as she goes from both her friends. She is naive about life but is starting to catch on to hospital routine.

I truly hope that Mercy lasts as long as M.A.S.H. so we can see these three characters grow. I hope Veronica gets back with her hubby, Sonia finds true love and Chloe just stays as sweet as she is.

Sources: NBC.com

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Published by Diane Zoller-Ciatto - Featured Television Contributor

Most recognize me as JerseyNana, I love being a freelance writer and poet. Avid lover of family and friends of all ages. Enjoy being a baby boomer, a conservative thinker and unapologetically American. View profile

My Favorite TV Nurses

Favorite Nurses from Old and New Shows Alike

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