Nurses as foster parents

[HisTreasure, BSN, RN]

I don't know how to read this. I called to get information about foster care/foster adoption. My husband and I have been considering doing this for some time and feel we will start the process in a year or so when our children get a little older and our oldest starts school. Although I was just getting general information about what the general process and timeline was like the woman on the phone began interrogating me.

"How many children do you already have?" "How large is your home? How many bedrooms?" "Do you rent or own?" "Do you plan a move anytime in the near future?" etc. I found the questions odd since I am not ready right now, but I answered them anyway. I guess my answers were sufficient because she started giving me more information about the process and gave me the address to pick up a flyer listing class days. Then she stopped and asked what my husband and I did for a living and what type of hours we had. I told her my husband was in sales at Verizon Wireless and his schedule changed from day to day. She said that was fine. Then I told her I was a nurse. All of a sudden her demeanor changed, her voice got sort of funny, and she said that nurse's schedules are normally not conducive to raising foster children. She then said these children need a lot of attention and support, so would I consider another profession or staying home if we fostered. I explained that I work per diem, the hours I work are around my husband's schedule, but I need to work because we still have three biological children to support. I also told her that I was in school online for health administration and those positions are sometimes daytime hours. By the time I receive my bachelor degree all my children will be in school, and we are looking to foster adopt preschool or school age sibling group. Then she seemed to resume her initial tone of voice.

Anyhow, sorry to be so long winded, but I guess my question is: Are any of you wonderful nurses foster parents?

[SchoolRN,BSN]

Hi,

I am not a foster parent, but used to do the licensing for our local DFCS several years ago. I can tell you we used to jump for joy when we had persons with a medical background want to become foster parents. Specifically, we had several nurses as foster moms & they were fabulous.

I wish you luck as you pursue this. It can be an extremely rewarding experience if you find the right agency to work with your family. Make sure you do as much research as possible about not only the agency, but the actual foster/adopt experience as well. Talk to other foster families, join the state organizations where you are, & try to find a caseworker that you trust.

Blessings,

Heather

[mom and nurse]

Hi - My husband and I foster adopted several years ago two older children (6 and 7 year old siblings) before I was a nurse. We already had biological children and took in a couple of foster children. I am sure you would make a great foster parent. The only reason that I can think of that she may not have seemed too enthusiastic about you being a parent may have been a personal bias she has.

I will say this though. Being a foster parent of older children was hard work. I was my adopted son and daughter's 4th "mommy" (my husband was the first real "daddy" they remembered well).... we met them at age 6 and 7 and as teenagers they still struggle with issues, some of which may have been related to the lack of a stable environment in their younger years. Over the past 10 years, there have been therapy appointments, court cases, unexplained rages, etc. etc. (And I was a stay at home mom at the time we adopted them until they just beginning high school age). I can honestly say that chances are whether I worked or not, they would still have had problems in their teen years. The best advice I can give is to know as much as possible of the history of the parents of the children you choose to foster adopt....and even with this knowledge know that children do not always have the same health problems as their parents, though they may be predisposed to certain things (think of the genograms we drew in community health as students....).

I wish you well.

Mom and Nurse

[stevenking, BSN, RN]

Hi - The best advice I can give is to know as much as possible of the history of the parents of the children you choose to foster adopt....and even with this knowledge know that children do not always have the same health problems as their parents, though they may be predisposed to certain things (think of the genograms we drew in community health as students....).

Truer words can not be spoken...

I am a former foster parent and do not plan to EVER go that route again.

thekingster