Hi everyone! I'm currently a brand new nurse on a busy step down unit and I'm having some thoughts that this area of nursing is not the right fit for me. I would love input from similar people who have ever felt the same way, and have made a career in nursing doing something more unconventional. This might get political but please don't comment trying to start a fight with me over Donald Trump or something. That's not why we're here.
About me- I became a nurse because I want to help people. I'm pretty socially liberal and feel passionate about the environment, the disenfranchised, and pretty much any other social injustice. I used to be a waitress which I looooved and feel very nostalgic for those days. It never gave me stress, even on the busiest Saturday night. I felt so free spirited. I feel like the culture in a hospital is so different, because I'm CONSTANTLY on edge and my life outside work feels very different.
Here is what I mean: my sister is a waitress and very much like me. She is going to go out to Standing Rock to protest the pipeline for a week next month. Yes people there are getting arrested, and as a waitress, she is ok with that sacrifice for her. I want to go, but I definitely can't. As an RN, I cannot IMAGINE what would happen if I got arrested protesting something. Would I be fired? Would I ruin my chances of ever being hired again? Would I lose my license?
It feels like these two worlds just don't mix. Also, I work on a unit with a lot of people who have different beliefs from me, especially my preceptor. I have a feeling many nurses tend to be conservative? (Anyone else get that feeling? Its something I've noticed back in nursing school) I can surely tolerate different points of view from my own and keep quiet about my beliefs in the workplace, but I was hoping to have more in common with my coworkers.
I'm not starting this thread to discuss politics with anyone. I'm looking to see if any nurses out there were like me and made careers in nursing fit with a more liberal lifestyle. Are there any jobs out there where I can be a nurse AND an activist? Have any nurses gotten jobs with organizations that do humanitarian efforts? BTW I don't mind a decrease in pay. I also plan to stay in the hospital setting for at least 2 years to get my well-rounded med surge experience before focusing on any specialty. Also, I live in NYC if anyone thinks of specific jobs. ALSO (sorry for so many alsos), I do like working at the bedside and interacting with patients, so I'm not trying to be like some person at a desk or anything.
Specializes in Community and Public Health, Addictions Nursing.
Loving this thread right now! OP, there is so much out there in the world of social justice and activism that fits into nursing perfectly. My specialty in nursing is pediatrics, so after working for a few years at my local children's hospital, I carried those skills I learned into community health nursing, and I haven't looked back.
I've worked in community health centers while volunteering with domestic violence and childhood lead poisoning agencies. Right now, I'm a visiting nurse who works with at-risk parents of young children, while also finishing a Masters in Public Health. The job settings I've worked in as a community health nurse have connected me to members of our society that many often look down on- substance users, adolescent mothers, the formerly incarcerated, immigrants (documented and undocumented)- when in reality, they're people just like you and me who can benefit from some really great healthcare in their lives.
I'm going to keep working in the field as much as I can, but my MPH degree is also going to allow me to pursue policy change, program development, and other forms of change on a much bigger scale. I think a lot of community groups could really benefit from listening to a nurse's perspective, and OP, I'd really encourage you to look further into community-based health opportunities.
I am so beyond stoked to see all positive comments on this thread. It's really touching and rare to be in an online community that has no negativity. All the suggestions are unique and amazing and make me feel excited to be a nurse. I'll post in a few weeks if anyone is curious what happens to my sister lol. I can tell you for certain I won't be going and I am def going to steer clear of things that will get me in trouble. Gotta keep that license!
UrbanHealthRN, BSN, RN
243 Posts
Loving this thread right now! OP, there is so much out there in the world of social justice and activism that fits into nursing perfectly. My specialty in nursing is pediatrics, so after working for a few years at my local children's hospital, I carried those skills I learned into community health nursing, and I haven't looked back.
I've worked in community health centers while volunteering with domestic violence and childhood lead poisoning agencies. Right now, I'm a visiting nurse who works with at-risk parents of young children, while also finishing a Masters in Public Health. The job settings I've worked in as a community health nurse have connected me to members of our society that many often look down on- substance users, adolescent mothers, the formerly incarcerated, immigrants (documented and undocumented)- when in reality, they're people just like you and me who can benefit from some really great healthcare in their lives.
I'm going to keep working in the field as much as I can, but my MPH degree is also going to allow me to pursue policy change, program development, and other forms of change on a much bigger scale. I think a lot of community groups could really benefit from listening to a nurse's perspective, and OP, I'd really encourage you to look further into community-based health opportunities.