Travel nursing has its perks – you get to explore new cities, meet lots of great people, expand your professional expertise and, most importantly, offer stellar care for patients. However, between traveling and managing patient health for extended shifts, nurses need to be able to relax and enjoy some much-needed entertainment during their down time.
Fortunately, Hollywood has been promoting all things medical for the fall TV season with several great shows making their debut in the next few weeks. Call it the "ER effect," or maybe people just can't get enough of "Grey's Anatomy," but it seems that most U.S. TV watchers love medical shows. If you're looking for some excellent drama that pertains to your daily life, check out these fall TV medical shows that are perfect for winding down after a long day:
1. 'Code Black'
According to NurseZone, this show's premise is based around "the busiest and most notorious ER in the nation," Angels Memorial Hospital in L.A. Be sure to see a lot of high-stakes drama during the premiere. If you're a travel nurse, you're likely familiar with the term code black, as it refers to an emergency situation when there are too many patients and not enough medical professionals and supplies to offer adequate care.
Although no one wants a code black situation to happen in real life, it will likely make for some pretty great TV viewing. Marcia Gay Harden will be playing the residency director at Angels, along with a team of ER medical staff that will almost certainly be scrambling to save lives. Grab some popcorn, relax and enjoy. "Code Black" will premiere Wednesday, September 30th at 10 p.m. ET on CBS.
2. 'Chicago Med'
If you've already been watching NBC's hit dramas "Chicago Fire" and "Chicago P.D.," get ready for the third highly anticipated installment, "Chicago Med." Many of the characters from the previous two shows will be playing starring roles in "Chicago Med." In fact, according to the Hollywood Reporter, a backdoor pilot for the show was released in April during a screening of "Chicago Fire," which has given NBC a huge ratings boost.
The cast is nothing short of impressive, either – especially with Emmy-nominated Oliver Platt being chosen to play Dr. Daniel Charles. Yaya DaCosta, the runner-up on cycle 3 of "America's Next Top Model," will be playing Nurse April Sexton – so you'll get a chance to see the nursing profession well-represented with this next Chicago franchise installment. Be prepared for a lot of "ER"-esque scenes, such as shots of the L train and snowy (but busy) nights at the trauma center.
"Chicago Med" will officially premiere at a special time of 10 p.m. ET on the evening of Nov. 10. Tune into NBC for all of the suspense, organized chaos and likely romantic relationships that will ensue on this new medical drama.
3. 'Grey's Anatomy'
Oh, Grey's. Now with it's decade-long stint on ABC, "Grey's Anatomy" has become an institution. Even though so many of these storylines would likely never happen in a medical setting, that's not to say it's not a fun escape for a travel nurse.
Set in Seattle and teeming with romance, "Grey's Anatomy" stars Ellen Pompeo as Dr. Meredith Grey, a headstrong and competitive doctor who continues to wow audiences year after year. "Grey's Anatomy" was a project originally conceived from one of Hollywood's best creative minds, Shonda Rhimes (who has since worked on another hit ABC drama, "Scandal," and more recently, on ABC's newest show "How to Get Away with Murder").
It's probably best to tune into Grey's with a glass of wine and a nice meal, as this is medical drama at its finest. Sure, it's not very realistic – but what medical show is? "Grey's Anatomy" will return on Thursday, September 24th at 8 p.m. ET.
4. 'Heartbreaker'
There's a chance that you've heard of Dr. Kathy Magliato, a Santa Monica-based doctor who is best known for her work as a heart surgeon and her memoir "Healing Hearts." Her story is so compelling that NBC has decided to go all in on making a loosely based drama about her life and achievements.
In the NBC version, we are introduced to Dr. Alex Panttiere, one of the few female heart surgeons in her field who is also considered a trailblazer, as she is the chief innovations officer of her hospital. According to NurseZone, the character will also be managing "a complex personal life," so expect to encounter a lot of the shenanigans found in many other fall TV shows on this list.
"Heartbreaker" was planned to premiere in the much-envied 9 p.m. slot this fall on NBC, but Melissa George, the lead actress on the show, announced that she was pregnant, which has lead the network to move the show to midseason, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Stay tuned.