Healthcare Union Experience Helpful or Harmful when applying to Schools?

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So, I'm currently taking pre-reqs for Nursing school ,and reallllllyyyyy want to go to SUNY Downstate. I've been reading on here that they are hella selective and place a lot of value on prior healthcare experience. I only have a 3.25 GPA, so I'm applying other places as well in case I don't make the cut.

Regarding prior healthcare experience, I've been working with RN's and other healthcare workers as a union organizer and representative for like 3 years (will be 4 when I apply). I spend all day in the hospital working with RN's around how to improve patient care. I also have intimate knowledge of all the really dark sides that can come up in hospital settings (workload, disrespect, etc).

But for the school programs do you think I should mention it and is it ok to frame it as my primary reason for wanting to be a nurse? Like, spending so much time with nurses has brought me a real perespective on the work and the joys and stuggles of it. (I know when applying for jobs I know I should not mention it).

(Also I don't talk to the RN's and others I work with about it as it would be kind of weird "Hey - I'm quitting in a few months!")

Thanks for any input!

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