Musicians, Artist career changers?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Hi there,

I'm working towards going into nursing as a second career, coming from a performing arts background. For those of you who are also artist, I have some questions:

Did you ever regret your career change?

Why did you change careers?

Do you ever desperately miss your old life?

How do you fulfill your artistic needs while working as a nurse?

Thank you so much for any thoughts!

Science to a Nurse is like the knowledge of the media to an Artist. Both the Nurse and the Artist need to know how to apply this information in order to manipulate the media and achieve a desired goal.

There is an Art to Nursing.

talk to me more about the art of nursing. I hear this phrase but I'm curious as to what all it means.

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Specializes in Emergency.

I was a Graphic Designer for 10+ years before switching to healthcare and I don't regret it thus far. I changed careers because I grew uninspired sitting through marketing meetings and working on a computer all day... I needed to be challenged both mentally and physically and nursing definitely gives me that. I don't miss it at all and I still remain creative through photography and videography.

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Specializes in ICU.

I think it's my creative and artistic side that gives me compassion to be able to do this. I always try to fill some part of my off time from class and clinical with fulfilling that creative side.

I just couldn't make enough money in what I was doing. It was one thing when I was married, I considered it my little extra, but now I'm divorced, have a 10 year old, buying a new house.... Unfortunately, the bank wants to see income for me to obtain a mortgage!!!

I had always wanted to be a nurse and help care for people, plus I love science!!! You can be science minded, and a free spirit all in one. I've always been told I'm more of a free spirit type of person. I just kind of go with the flow, which is a good quality to have in the high paced nursing world that is constantly changing. Oh I had 4 patients, but now 5, and it's an hour before I leave?? For me, I can flow with that because time doesn't matter a whole lot to me. I'm always early for work and commitments, but other than that, I don't watch the clock.

I think your qualities could be beneficial. It's all how you channel it. There will be some ways you will have to adapt, but if you can, you may love nursing.

And you will learn first semester about the art of nursing. Nursing is a practice. How well you practice it is the art.

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I'm a successful award-winning musician and have been for as long as I've been a nurse. I managed to do both rather well and it doesn't have to be an all or nothing situation. I've managed to tour the country, play with some of the biggest names and record two albums, while simultaneously pursuing two nursing degrees and three nursing certifications. What I love about music is the artistic expression and energy, but it doesn't pay the bills, and as I don't like to be poor, I work. A lot of other musicians I have worked with didn't consider Plan B and are following true to the starving artist cliché. That's all fun when you're 20 but as you get older it gets harder. I'm glad I made the decisions I did. I'm still playing music while in grad school. I'm nominated for an award at the New England Music Awards in April, which is a week after a big exam. Gotta love my crazy life.

Dude/Dudette... who ARE you?

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talk to me more about the art of nursing. I hear this phrase but I'm curious as to what all it means.

Actually, one of the first textbooks you will probably have to read in Nursing 101 is called The Art of Nursing.

The Art of Nursing: A Practical Introduction: 9780721682167: Medicine & Health Science Books @ Amazon.com

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I am also a "go with the flow" kind of person, so I'm glad to hear this can be a benefit!

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Specializes in Critical Care and ED.
Dude/Dudette... who ARE you?

Haha...I am....ROCKNURSE! headbang.gif?t=1308788451

Successful does not equate with famous, but if you're interested, be my guest: debbieseymour

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Haha...I am....ROCKNURSE! headbang.gif?t=1308788451

Successful does not equate with famous, but if you're interested, be my guest: debbieseymour

I'm a metal head. This is awesome.

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Specializes in Critical Care and ED.
I'm a metal head. This is awesome.

Sweet! I just knew we were kindred spirits! :woot:

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Hi Elsa,

I have not an artistic bone in my body. I hope you can still appreciate my response.

I am wondering why you want to pursue nursing. It is vastly different from any artistic form. Nursing is 99% science.

The 1 % could be acting..acting like you care.

don't go into nursing unless you're completely ready to give up on being a professional artist, and you're legit happy to do art as a hobby or "on the side". the OP sounds like she is, and has real interest in nursing aside from just the money, so it will probably work for her. :)

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Specializes in Psych (25 years), Medical (15 years).
talk to me more about the art of nursing. I hear this phrase but I'm curious as to what all it means.

Watching a Nurse, or any Artist for that matter, perform their duties with a certain grace, to be into the process, the aesthetics of the transitory, is what it's all about. Once we know a process, then we can intertwine our personality, our right brains, into that process.

That's the gist of it.

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Watching a Nurse, or any Artist for that matter, perform their duties with a certain grace, to be into the process, the aesthetics of the transitory, is what it's all about. Once we know a process, then we can intertwine our personality, our right brains, into that process.

That's the gist of it.

I like this.

So, are you saying only experienced nurses can do this, or are there prodigies?

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