Nurses from an artistic/creative background?

[kammel]

I have been thinking of becoming a nurse for awhile now. I have been having a hard time figuring out if it is right for me or not. I am looking to hear from anyone who can help.

I am M/30, and have always been an artist/painter/musician etc. I'd like to know if anyone out there has become a nurse from an artistic background, and how your experience has been as a nurse.

I feel that I'd like to be doing something more stable, but still flexible, and I'd love to be helping people. I have always been interested in science, medicine, and anatomy, and have considered nursing on and off since high school.

I feel like my main worries are that nursing would "take over" my life, and that it would be too stressful or emotionally draining. I don't think I'd want nursing to be the only thing I did with my life, but I have several friends who are nurses, and one in particular is a writer/musician/filmmaker. He enjoys his work as an ICU nurse, and gets the stability it offers, and he also plays more music and is working on filmmaking more than he ever has. This sounds very appealing to me.

I always feel a deep sense of worth and purpose when helping people and have always felt that I could never have an office job, nor could I ever be a stock broker/accountant/real estate agent, etc. follow me?

Anyway, any advice from current nurses, preferably anyone who has an artistic background? Thanks so much!

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I'm no artist, but I've enjoyed writing since early childhood. I find that my years of working in nursing have somewhat dampened my creative spirit, but not all the way.

It's difficult to conjure up the eagerness to write after having worked three 12-hour night shifts in a row.

[Emergent, RN]

I sold artwork in galleries and fairs while in nursing school. I also play music, but never made money from it. I also did furniture art finishing for a high end furniture shop

I went to nursing school over 20 years ago and that gave me the money to own a home and do projects for me instead of selling my work and living hand to mouth.

[Rocknurse, MSN, APRN, NP]

I've always been a musician long before I was a nurse. I sing in a heavy metal band and we've managed to open for some of the biggest metal bands in some awesome venues, record two albums, and win Best Metal Band 2 years in a row in the Connecticut Music Awards. In fact, we just opened for Buckcherry last night and yet here I am at the crack of dawn just getting in to work! It can be done but it's a lot of work. I'm in grad school too so I really have to juggle to make it doable, but I can sleep when I'm dead I guess. About 10 years ago I was in another band and we toured all over the US and Canada constantly and I worked PRN in an ICU so I could manage my schedule. You just have to priorotize what's important to you, and pick and choose the best shows and opportunities that fit with your life. The best part is I can afford all the cool gear I want. I've spent thousands in Guitar Center, while most of the musicians I know are flat broke. I think I made the right decisions.

[JulsGirlBoss, RN]

Bumping this thread.

I've been a nurse since 1992. I've gotten back into art these last couple years and currently researching how to put Art and Nursing together. I'm a com.college school nurse and also teaching paint parties. I found painting very healing for grief when I lost my mom 2 yrs ago and thought perhaps helping others be creative can help them thru grief, stress, etc. I'm having a hard time finding much info! Anyone else looking into this area of nursing?