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The author reflects on issues over the superhero narratives given to nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly the dangers they face due to poor working conditions and lack of personal protective equipment. Topics include the flaws of some nurses like ignoring or transgressing rules, the lack of appreciation of the role of mental health nurses, and the need for systemic change to address the flaws in the healthcare system that were revealed by the pandemic.

As the world prepares to commemorate the centenary of the First World War, it is timely to discuss meaningful learning activities that students of nursing could be engaged in to encourage them to reflect on the nurse's role then and now. Several films and television series about the war and featuring nursing have already been aired. No doubt there will be many more stories to come. Such stories have the potential to do more than eulogise nursing for students and practitioners. Stories, such as The crimson field, have potential to stimulate serious contemplation about values and cultural practices that have remained constant or have changed and to assist students to develop and articulate values that will be fitting for contemporary practice. Recently, excerpts from the series were examined with a group of nursing students and key learnings were found. These are shared in this paper for the benefit of educators planning to utilise public discourse as triggers to engage nursing students in discussions about nursing values, nursing history and representations of the profession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]