I Worked A Movie Set as a RN!

Published

I just finished spending the last 4 days (did I mention LONG days?) as a RN doing medical standby for a movie set. It is for a new series called The Next X and will premier on Disney XD, a new Disney channel, in June. It was filmed at a camp that I live near so I was able to drive home every night and not have to hotel it. The camp director knew that I did medical standby for special events and recommended me to the film company. And they hired me!

It was long, cold, windy, rainy, and hailed with about 1/3 shot outside. But it was fun and I learned a lot. Amazing how they would set up everything in the am, only to break it all down every pm. I had the run of the set, sat in "Video Village" and watched the live feed, had to work near the jib, learned what Greek drinks were (H2O/Sports drinks with the labels removed), found out how heavy film cameras are, watched the sound guys, and didn't think to turn down my cell phone-oops! Sorry! Newbie on the set! :uhoh3:

I only treated a few people...did a few splinter removals, treated an hand abrasion, had a child with a nosebleed and gave another OTC's for a cold, checked out a kid who fell off a skateboard, and applied a steri strip to the chef from a knife laceration, pushed sunscreen, H20 and chapstick. Oh--and I sewed someone up! No, not sutured...had a bike rider whose pants were too low in the back so I tacked his tee shirt to his belt loops in the back with a sewing kit I carry in my medical bag. :lol2:

The crew was very easy to work with, very kind and treated me well! They ended up paying me as an employee (after I filled out a mountain of paperwork) instead of a vendor so I hope that means they will use me again!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Oncology, Triage, Tele, Med-Surg.

How cool for you! :yeah: Sounds like a breath of fresh air! Hope they use you again and again. Enjoy!:up:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Geriatrics.

that sounds very interesting. You had a good hook-up.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Intensive Care and Cardiology.

Wow, very cool!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in DOU.

How did you get involved in something like that? It sounds like so much fun!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

DO NOT forget to turn off that cell phone!!!! :) Glad you had fun!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Acute Care/ LTC.

That is pretty cool! I hope you get to do that again!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I was also able to bring my 13 yo daughter with me too! She helped out running errands for me. She thought it was pretty cool!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU, Infection Control.

VERY cool!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Nurses get to do the coolest things!

I had a blonde moment, though. LOL. I thought you were hired to "play" an "extra" nurse, like in a hospital scene in the movie. LOL! It would kinda make sense, wouldn't it? To use real nurses as extras in scenes that require a lot of medical personnel? They'd have some idea what they were doing, at least, and the scene might be really true to life.

I'm thinking it would be cool to be a medical advisor (for medical accuracy, etc.) to any of the TV shows or movies about life in a hospital.

How cool that you had this experience! Do you work elsewhere -- I guess what I'm getting at is, did you have to take time off from another job to do this one?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I do a little of everything to get by: a baby nurse for newborn twins a few weekends a mth (pays well!), I do medical standby for special events, teach CPR/First Aid, a little private duty and a camp nurse. I work by myself (see my first post and you will see why) and freelance.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I believe every life deserves a touch of glamor in it! Glad you got yours! Friends where I work volunteered for nursing at Burning Man last year - at 54, I considered myself too old for a party on the playa and never went to Burning Man, but I must admit these kinds of opportunities sure beat the heck out of floor nursing!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion