Space Nursing

[Michael_Espelin]

Hello all:

I was curious, anyone here interested in the Universe? Humans have longed for the chance to go to space, build space hotels, live on the moon, mars, and other planets, but also to travel in space. All that stuff fascinates me. And it was really cool when I discovered there's a lot of people out there who like space and nursing.

There's fields that are similar like space medicine, aerospace medicine, flight surgeons & nurses also work for companies like NASA on how to care for the astronauts. But I feel like in the not so distant future, space tourism will be a huge part of our life--with people all over the world buying tickets into low earth orbit. And not to mention the space flights to Mars that will surely be taking place if we are to ever visit the planet.

This is all pretty far-out, I know. But I can't help but wonder how this will impact nursing. To me, it's a new frontier in nursing. Space Nursing. Nursing that caters to the environment of space and how space effects our bodies.

Anyone else curious about it? I hope to be able to be involved with some research opportunities down the road. Just wondering if there are any fellow space enthusiasts out there but are also interested in healthcare.

-MRE

[Heylove, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

Yes, me. I live in Mojave, California, just one block away from the Mojave Air and Space Port, where private companies are working to send private citizens into space. We moved here because of our love of commercial (non-governmental) space exploration. My goal is to become a space nurse. :)

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

This is one of my fave threads - I poke back in here each time someone posts.

I have an acquaintance (PhD RN) who was employed at NASA Clear Lake. Her work focused on the study of (um, er) the effect of weightlessness on bodily functions, and determining what (if any) adaptations would have to be made. Typical nurse, right? We're usually focused on the 'stuff' that seems too basic for high-flying researchers.... but . . . Her work proved that women could thrive in weightless environment by disproving the (male) opinions that our lady-parts would just implode if we strayed from a normal gravitational field. Hmm - that was the same sort of reasoning that forbid HS girls to play full-court basketball until the 1970's, but I digress.

The work also involved the study of peristalsis. Think about it - how uncomfortable would our intrepid space pioneers be with intractable constipation or urinary retention? Would the gall bladder even function? Yep - all very 'nursey' stuff. Not exactly the sort of thing that inspires poets or songwriters. Proves once again that nursing (at any level) is not associated with public acclaim.

[MK LVN]

YES! You're the greatest. Anything related to space and universal theories and possibilities excite me and intrigue me.. I didn't know nursing can actually tie into it!! Do you know any good resources I can look into to learn more about space nursing (whatever the actual term may be)?! Feel free to msg! Thanks!

[H2right]

Glad this chat is out there, though it seems to be inactive at the moment. I am looking at different fields to go into with my nursing career and this is one I am particularly interested in. Got a ways to go but I am optimistic that it will become a bigger field for nursing in my lifetime.