Top 20 Nurse Shows According to Nurses
Looking for some bingeable nurse shows? Nursing and medical shows range from edge-of-your-seat dramas to wry comedies, and depending on your mood, you might be looking for one over the others. Whether you roll your eyes at blatant inaccuracies (like physicians placing IVs, for example) or you’re all-in on the drama, check out our lists of top nursing shows and shows with nurses.
The 10 Best Nurse Shows
1. Call the Midwife (2012–Ongoing)
Set in London’s East End in the 1950s and 1960s, Call the Midwife is one of the top nurse shows on TV today, and follows nurse-midwives as they provide care to women and families in a rapidly changing postwar community. The series offers a historically grounded look at nursing, public health, and social issues, with a focus on midwives and nurses. It’s an emotional, thoughtful watch that highlights the profession’s impact beyond hospitals.
Learn more about Call the Midwife.
2. The Pitt (2025–Ongoing)
The Pitt is a gritty, fast-paced medical drama set in a Pittsburgh emergency department. The entire season is told hour-by-hour over the course of a single shift. While physicians are central to the story, the show also highlights the crucial role nurses play in keeping the ED running under intense pressure, and several healthcare workers have praised its accuracy. It’s a good pick if you’re looking for a realistic, high-stakes hospital drama that imitates the chaos of frontline care.
Learn more about The Pitt.
3. Virgin River (2019–Ongoing)
If you’re looking for nurse shows that feel like Hallmark movies, Virgin River might be the one for you. It follows a nurse practitioner who relocates to a small, remote town in Northern California. The series highlights the broad scope of practice required in rural nursing, where NPs can serve as primary providers, informal counselors, and community leaders all at once. With its slower pace and strong emotional focus, Virgin River is a good pick for nurses looking for a softer, reflective take on caregiving.
Learn more about Virgin River.
4. Ratched (2020)
While it’s technically a movie and not a show, Ratched is a must-watch for nurses who love a dark thriller. This psychological drama pulls back the curtain on one of the most memorable nurses from cinema, Nurse Ratched of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. And while it’s far from a realistic portrayal of psychiatric nursing, it’s visually striking and thought-provoking — especially for nurses interested in the history of psychiatric care and how nurses have been portrayed in popular culture.
Learn more about Nurse Ratched.
5. Hawthorne (2009–2011)
It didn’t have a long stint, but Hawthorne is one of the few nurse shows that focuses on a nurse leader, and follows Chief Nursing Officer Christina Hawthorne. The series highlights nurses as multidimensional characters and advocates, showing how clinical expertise and emotional intelligence shape outcomes behind the scenes. While it’s certainly very dramatized, it’s a solid watch for nurses who want to see their profession portrayed with authority and autonomy.
Learn more about Hawthorne.
6. Nurse Jackie (2009–2015)
If you’re looking for TV shows about nurses, this one takes a darker, more complex look at nursing through the lens of an ER nurse navigating addiction, ethics, and the realities of high-pressure hospital work. The show doesn’t shy away from flawed characters or messy situations, with a more raw and sometimes uncomfortable portrayal of bedside nursing. It’s a compelling watch if you’re interested in the emotional toll of the job and the gray areas of nursing.
Learn more about Nurse Jackie.
7. Mercy (2009–2010)
Mercy only got one season on TV, but has some great dramatic depictions of the nurses operating with competency and autonomy in acute care. It follows three nurses working at a New Jersey hospital, two of whom that have recently returned from service in Iraq. Grittier and more character-driven than many medical dramas, Mercy stands out for placing nurses — not physicians — at the center of healthcare.
Learn more about Mercy.
8. Getting On (2009–2012; 2013–2015)
Getting On is a darkly comedic look at the lives of clinicians caring for geriatric patients. The humor is sharp and even uncomfortable, but it’s grounded in real issues that nurses in geriatrics and palliative settings may recognize. It’s a smart series for viewers who appreciate satire that doesn’t shy away from the harsh realities of healthcare, and there are two versions — the original British show, and a slightly newer American version.
Learn more about the original Getting On, and the American version of Getting On.
9. Outlander (2014–2016)
A World War II–era combat nurse finds herself transported to 18th-century Scotland in Outlander. Claire’s nursing knowledge and clinical instincts frequently place her in healer roles, highlighting how assessment skills and improvisation transcend time and technology. While the show is not a medical drama in the traditional sense, nurses may appreciate how it portrays caregiving, ethical dilemmas, and the historical period.
Learn more about the original Outlander series and the ongoing prequel series, Outlander: Blood of my Blood.
10. M*A*S*H (1972–1983)
Set in Korea during the Korean War, M*A*S*H follows the medical staff in an army hospital. The show still holds the record for the biggest audience for its finale episode, with 105.97 million total viewers. I grew up watching M*A*S*H on public television — it’s got a great mix of humor, drama, and real wartime tragedy. And while some of the jokes don’t age well, it’s got some interesting commentary on life in the military as a healthcare worker.
Learn more about M*A*S*H.
The Best Shows That Feature Nurses
11. Scrubs (2001–Ongoing)
In the same comedic vein, Scrubs is a buddy comedy set in a hospital, and while it originally ran between 2001-2009, its tenth season revival was announced in 2025. While the show focuses on medical residents, it also has some good nurse representation, and it’s a solid watch if you’re looking for something lighter than intense medical dramas.
Learn more about Scrubs.
12. Grey’s Anatomy (2005–Ongoing)
As ABC’s longest-running scripted primetime show, Grey’s Anatomy is known for high drama and interesting (if extremely improbable) medical cases. The show focuses more on physicians than nurses, but with over 300 episodes, it’s a great show for bingeing on your recovery days after work. Bonnie, one of our nurse writers, says, “I used to watch Grey’s Anatomy and House and enjoyed them for the interesting patient cases, however unrealistic they happened to be.”
Learn more about Grey’s Anatomy.
13. House (2004–2012)
This show follows a perpetually cranky physician and his interns as they diagnose and treat a broad array of obscure patient ailments. The show consulted several physicians and nurses, maintaining as much medical accuracy as possible. One of our nurse writers, Anne, says this is her favorite medical show: “I’m fascinated by the world of complex medical diagnoses — the clues, the investigative thinking, and the puzzle-solving side of healthcare. The show brilliantly blends medicine with mystery, making each case feel like a high-stakes intellectual challenge.”
Learn more about House.
14. The Night Shift (2014–2017)
The Night Shift follows the overnight staff of a busy hospital, combining fast-paced emergencies with the personal lives of staff who work when most of the world is asleep. Nurses play a visible role on the unit, and the show highlights the unique camaraderie, autonomy, and chaos that come with night shift work. While it leans more toward high drama than realism, it’s an entertaining pick if you enjoy action-heavy medical shows with a strong ensemble cast.
Learn more about The Night Shift.
15. ER (1994–2009)
Set in a county hospital emergency department, ER helped define the modern medical drama with its rapid pacing and emotionally charged storylines. Nurse manager Carol Hathway (Julianna Margulies) is often ranked as one of the most accurate representations of nurses on TV. The show highlights the constant coordination and competence required to keep the ER running. It’s a more intense watch, but for nurses interested in dramatized emergency care, teamwork, and long-shift exhaustion, ER remains a classic.
Learn more about ER.
16. China Beach (1988–1991)
Fans of M*A*S*H might also love China Beach, set at an Army evacuation hospital during the Vietnam War. The series focuses on military nurses and healthcare personnel, exploring trauma care, moral distress, and the emotional toll of treating wounded soldiers in a combat zone. China Beach is a gritty portrayal of nursing under extreme conditions and the lasting impact of war on caregivers.
Learn more about China Beach.
17. Chicago Med (2015–Ongoing)
Part of the Chicago franchise, Chicago Med follows the high-pressure environment of a major urban hospital’s emergency department. While physicians drive the show, nurses are shown as essential team members who keep the department running through constant crises. It’s a fast-paced, dramatic watch that leans into ethical dilemmas and split-second decisions, making it appealing to nurses who enjoy intense, contemporary medical dramas.
Learn more about Chicago Med.
18. The Good Doctor (2017–2024)
The Good Doctor centers on a surgical resident with autism, with surgical nurses shown in supporting roles. The series explores communication challenges and ethical decision-making — areas where nurses can bridge gaps between patients and physicians. While the focus is largely on doctors, nurses may appreciate how the show highlights teamwork, compassion, and the importance of understanding patients as whole people.
Learn more about The Good Doctor.
19. The Knick (2014–2015)
Set in the Knickerbocker Hospital in 1900, The Knick is an Emmy award-winning show with a gritty, unflinching look at medicine before antibiotics, modern anesthesia, or standardized training. Nurses and caregivers operate in a harsh, hierarchical system, often providing hands-on care under dangerous and ethically questionable conditions. It’s a darker, graphic watch, but nurses interested in medical history may find it both fascinating and unsettling.
Learn more about The Knick.
20. Emergency Room: Life and Death at Vancouver General Hospital (2014)
This documentary takes viewers inside Vancouver General Hospital’s busy emergency department, with an unvarnished look at real-life patient care. Nurses are shown managing critical cases, triaging patients, and coordinating with physicians under intense pressure. Unlike scripted medical dramas, this series highlights the realities of hospital life, making it an essential watch for anyone interested in authentic depictions of nursing and emergency care.
Learn more about Emergency Room: Life and Death at Vancouver General Hospital.
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Photo: Warrick Page/HBO Max