Speaking About Nurses Who Moonlight As Dancers

Nurses Headlines

Published

Blonde bombshell Amy Toliver leads a double life to fulfill an incredible dream. The Phoenix resident sheds her clothes several times each week nightly at "iCandy Burlesque" in Planet Hollywood's Miracle Mile Shops and at the new SHe nightclub in Crystals. By day, she dons scrubs for nursing school to follow in her mother's footsteps to become a trauma emergency room nurse.

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2013/feb/06/photos-amy-toliver-double-life-nursing-student-day/

I admire her sense of self and her dedication to achieving her dream.

That being said, it would never, ever fly in the nursing program I am currently in. They've warned us about drinking beyond our common sense in public bars or causing any other kind of scene, they are very strict about our dress codes, and there is a behavior/morals clause in the handbook. They've even declared no alcohol at least 12 hrs before clinicals.

I hope it doesn't impinge on her future career, but I can see how some, not all, employers would be hesitant to hire. It seems like the professional world has been tightening its deathgrip on the employees' lives even as the social world is caring less and less.

xkcd: Dreams

Everyone should read this comic. I believe it is pertinent to the conversation. I'm sure after reading, some of you will scoff at the idea of how stripping can be anyone's dream, but burlesque is now considered more on the art end of the spectrum than just your run-of-the-mill stripping. She clearly enjoys what she is doing, so I would call it a "dream" (she says as much in the article). Anyway, she has her head on her shoulders and knows what she's doing (I mean, she is after all maintaining almost a perfect GPA!). So if she wants to dance, then we should "let" her dance without everyone in the peanut gallery being "concerned" for her and her future job prospects. I would rue the day I actively censor myself in my private life after work hours have ended. I say do what you want (short of bringing harm to a patient) and let the chips fall where they may. She'll figure out a way to live the life she wants, yo.

Specializes in Forensic Psych.

I always catch a burlesque show when I go to Vegas. Sexy, fun, and usually some great dancing. Low on the "dirty."

While she is taking her clothes off, burlesque is a bit different than working a pole at the Dirty Leg, and I would hazard a guess that it probably pays less in exchange for the no-contact perks. The girls are on a stage, performing dance numbers in tiny costumes. I've seen the tops come off, but never complete nudity. She's just a showgirl!

Nearly 4,000 views in just little over a day? Clearly I misjudged some of you peeps out there! *LOL*

Specializes in CDI Supervisor; Formerly NICU.
I'm assuming since you're judging your coworkers' bodies that YOU have a stripper physique?

Dang skippy. My physique will strip paint.

Lighten up, Francis.

Specializes in geriatrics.

Personally, I see nothing wrong with it exotic dancers/ burlesque. You'd probably be surprised to learn how many lawyers, nurses, doctors, etc made a living this way. The only mistake she made is involving the media. If you're going that route....be smart about it and keep quiet.

Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

Very entertaining post - where do I deposit my dollar bills??? LOL

I agree with the "live and let live" bunch - but (you knew it was coming, right?) there is always a 'gotcha'.

Part of the hiring process these days is a check on social media to see what that potential employee has left flapping in the social network. If this doesn't pass that employer's 'smell test', your application will stop at that point. There is no way you'll ever be able to prove exactly why it stopped. So, if you're a big-time pole dancer, founding member of the Young Socialist League, or ardent supporter for legalizing personal drug usage.... it will be discovered and have an effect on your employment opportunities.

Me? heck, even though my pole-dancing days are long gone, I certainly wouldn't have wanted my nursing colleagues to know about it. It's hard enough to establish professional credibility with peers, physicians and other clinicians. I certainly wouldn't want to undermine it by presenting such a confusing message.

Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.
Part of the hiring process these days is a check on social media to see what that potential employee has left flapping in the social network. If this doesn't pass that employer's 'smell test', your application will stop at that point. There is no way you'll ever be able to prove exactly why it stopped. So, if you're a big-time pole dancer, founding member of the Young Socialist League, or ardent supporter for legalizing personal drug usage.... it will be discovered and have an effect on your employment opportunities.

Me? heck, even though my pole-dancing days are long gone, I certainly wouldn't have wanted my nursing colleagues to know about it. It's hard enough to establish professional credibility with peers, physicians and other clinicians. I certainly wouldn't want to undermine it by presenting such a confusing message.

Applause for this post - I'd give it a thousand likes if I could. It is genuinely distressing to me to see so many seemingly unaware of the ways in which they hurt their own credibility.

Specializes in Forensic Psych.

Applause for this post - I'd give it a thousand likes if I could. It is genuinely distressing to me to see so many seemingly unaware of the ways in which they hurt their own credibility.

When people go against social norms there's a sort of, I don't know...push...for you prove you aren't ashamed of what you're doing. Frequently that push means being as public as possible, consequences be damned.

I can imagine someone who would agree to be featured In an article like this would say "Well, that's fine if they don't hire me. I am who I am, and I don't want to work for someone who's closed-minded" yadda yadda yadda.

That's perfectly fine. I'm sure there are plenty of stripper nursing students who keep things private and would love to work for that closed minded employer.

Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.
Personally, I see nothing wrong with it exotic dancers/ burlesque. You'd probably be surprised to learn how many lawyers, nurses, doctors, etc made a living this way. The only mistake she made is involving the media. If you're going that route....be smart about it and keep quiet.

When I went to Vegas, I attended a burlesque show at the Luxor. I never been to one before and since a. we were in Vegas for the first time and b. the slot machine let me win a couple hundred dollars in quarters, we decided to splurge on burlesque tickets and a nice dinner. Yes, there was partial nudity (topless only), but the production was actually very tasteful and well done. I was rather impressed.

However, I agree about the media: by getting the media involved, the dancer/nursing student has now invited judgement to be passed on her and her activities. I fear that not all of this judgment will be fair to her, but she did invite it. It's part of the consequences of her actions that she will have to deal with.

One thing that would worry one is what happens when a former "client" or whatever shows up as an inpatient one day and assumes the nurse in question is no better than she should be and makes lewd demands. Things like a bed bath complete with "happy ending", that sort of thing. Worse if the said nurse had been quiet about her previous (or current for that matter) source of extra income and now the patient either begins to make insulting comments or even goes for extortion.

One thing that would worry one is what happens when a former "client" or whatever shows up as an inpatient one day and assumes the nurse in question is no better than she should be and makes lewd demands. Things like a bed bath complete with "happy ending", that sort of thing. Worse if the said nurse had been quiet about her previous (or current for that matter) source of extra income and now the patient either begins to make insulting comments or even goes for extortion.

Doubtful. But it is a possibility. Even without people knowing her past she will still have perverted patients... I know I do.

+ Add a Comment