Patients receive electroconvulsive therapy every day in the United States but negative media representations of the therapy put doubts in the minds of potential patients as to whether or not they should go through with the therapy or not. The purpose of this study was to explore how health care providers perceive the influence of media on patient decision-making regarding whether or not to receive electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and how they might address the perceived effects of said media. A total of 16 articles were analyzed in a literature review regarding the media's portrayal of ECT and/or how it affected patients and one interview with a physician was conducted. It was found that while the current literature still largely focuses on the negative media and its implications on patient decision-making, the physician had a more positive viewpoint. As a whole, the literature and physician agreed that media played a role in patients' decisions, but the media's portrayal of the therapy was not seen as negatively by the physician.

The stigma associated with mental illness has been and continues to be a considerable issue of concern in the care of persons with mental illness. Stigma affects not only those with mental illness, but also their families, healthcare personnel, the social community, and policy formation. Common themes of stigma associated with mental illness are fear, social rejection, stereotyping, negative impact, and a lack of knowledge and awareness of mental illness. Despite a more accurate understanding of mental illness, stigma still exists. Interventions to help reverse the stigma associated with mental illness include education, awareness and an environment of inclusion. Toward this end, a PowerPoint presentation will be gifted to Arizona State University College of Nursing to be shown during the psychiatric mental health rotation outlining mental illness and stigma, and what nurses and future nurses can do to combat this stigma.