What they thought would be fun in 'reel' life turned out to be a nightmare in real life for 11 Karnataka's Medical college students. The MBBS students of the Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS), Hubli have been suspended for creating and sharing offensive reels poking fun at nurses on the social media. According to the media reports, the students had filmed a reel within the varsity campus in which nurses they have depicted nurses in a derogatory manner, a student dressed as a nurse was shown engaging in a seductive act.
The students used a Kannada and a Telugu song and enacted a scene from a movie where nurses don’t take care of their patients.
Nursing Association objected to the derogatory reel
After the reel went viral, the trained Nurses’ Association and other nursing colleges expressed strong objections and subsequently lodged a complaint with the director of the Medical Institute.
In a letter to the KIMS the association wrote, "The video not only undermines the tireless efforts of the nurses but also perpetuates the harmful stereotypes demeaning nursing and its professionals. It also undermines the professionalism and dedication of the nurses by presenting them in an unflattering manner and sharing those videos creates disrespect among the general public. We respect your good self to take cognizance and take immediate and swift, meaningful action."
A member of the Nurses' Association said, "Nurses have been depicted in such a derogatory manner. We earnestly request the director to take strong action, and we will consider the matter resolved if appropriate steps are taken. However, should no action be taken, we are prepared to initiate a statewide agitation."
Errant students told to apologise
Following pressure from outside, the college administration temporarily suspended the students for a week and instructed them to extend an apology. The students admitted their error and conveyed their remorse, clarifying that their intention was not to disrespect, but rather to generate amusement.
As reported by the News18, a student said, "Prior to the annual college function, we created a reel featuring doctors and nurses, which we uploaded on Instagram. The Instagram reel was fictional and produced for entertainment purposes. We now understand that this has caused distress within the nursing community. Our intention was never to show disrespect to the nursing community. If our actions have caused anyone harm, we apologise."
