Planned Parenthood and nursing

[rhiannonwolf]

Hello,

I am a new nursing student and eventually I want to be a WHNP. In order to do this though, I would like to gain some experience. I have tried to volunteer with OB/GYN offices and the like and no one wants me, probably because of HPAA. What I am wondering is this, I would really like to volunteer with Planned Parenthood. I hold alot of the same political ideals, etc, but my mom says that this would be like 'career suicide'. She thinks that if anyone had found out that I volunteered for them I would blackballed from other jobs because of pro-life vs. pro-choice issues. Does she have a valid point? I don't have alot of experience within the nursing field like she does-(RN/BSN for 30 years).

Advice for this would be appreciated!

Thanks,

Rhiannon

[Gompers, BSN, RN]

Agree with everyone above. Planned Parenthood is an excellent organization and if you're planning on going into women's health it's going to be a wonderful experience for you. Don't listen to your mother. I also work with a lot of older nurses who associate PP with abortions, but they really have no clue what kind of place it really is. Providing sexual healthcare to women in the community regardless of their financial status - what in the world is wrong with that? Go for it!

[crankyasanoldma]

I understand your mom's fears because of the politics involved, but PPH would be a great learning experience and a great place to work. Surely your mother knows of the many valuable services PPH provides?

All my nursing career has been in women's health. I love the field and won't work any other.

Our PPH has not had opeinings when I've applied. One of the very best NP's I ever worked with worked at PPH prior ot working at the clinic where I was at the time.

My current job has a very nice patient population- they are educated, compliant, insured, etc. I love the job but sometimes feel a pang of guilt because I know my services are valued at my current place, but needed somewhere else.

Try it!!

[nurseshanti]

I too am interested in women's health and what Planned Parenthood has to offer but I never thought to ask about volunteering there.

Can anyone tell me what types of experience you can get by volunteering at a PP, what you can do?

Hey, :)

I think it depends on what services the PP offers and what type of volunteer program they have running. At the one where I volunteered they had 2 volunteer positions. There was a clinic position which involved labelling specimens and making sure the lab req was with them and properly filled out, cleaning/preparing rooms between patients, re-stocking supplies, bringing patients down to the rooms, and a lot of filing/pulling charts. The phone position basically involved answering phones, booking appointments, putting together packets of education materials, and greeting patients who came for their appointments or drop-ins. Oh, and putting together ECP packages. I believe that some other clinics have volunteer programs that are more extensive (such as doing sex-ed presentations, etc., which I only did when I was a paid intern there).

The atmosphere and everyone who worked there was what made it so much of a great experience though. I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in that type of nursing!

[rhiannonwolf]

Thank you to everyone's responses on this thread! I am excited because I decided just to go for it. I already talked to the head of PP where I live and they are excited that I want to volunteer. I begin this week! My mom, who is also conservative, is not happy; but she'll just have to deal with it!

Rhiannon