What draws non-nurses to AN.com?

[roser13, ASN, RN]

Just saw a thread from a fairly distressed RN who fears losing her first nursing job. The very first response was from someone who stated "while I am not a nurse, I think ...."

It made me stop and think - I wonder what draws non-nurse, non-medical people here? And to give advice? I can't imagine being interested enough in an engineering forum, for example, to hang out on it, let alone offer advice in an area in which I have no experience or training.

Don't get me wrong, I have no issue with anyone posting on any forum. I just find it curious. Perhaps my worldview is too limited and I need to expand my Internet browsing beyond AN.com?

[wish_me_luck, BSN, RN]

Are they a nursing student?

[roser13, ASN, RN]

Are they a nursing student?

Don't think so. They described themselves as a "non-nursing outsider."

[jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B]

Aw, Roser, you don't want to discuss building code with engineers????

Nursing is a profession that reflects all sorts of human conditions. Sometimes it is a "I am not a nurse but I play one on TV" mindset, sometimes it is a "I have been treated not so great by nurses, so I want to understand how they tick" or sometimes it is "nurses are compassionate, I think I need to discuss this with professionals". Even though TOS prevent medical advice giving, it can be emotional support someone is seeking.

Then there are the "watchdogs" who want to assure themselves that there are nurses in the world who are up on professionalism, improvement, that when one brings little Joey in for an earache they can "speak the language".

Then there are the "I think I want to be a nurse so I am gonna hang for awhile and see..." or "I always wanted to be a nurse"

Multitude of reasons, sometimes I think that it is interesting how others see nurses and a nursing profession. Sometimes it is annoying. But the magic of threads is the ability to answer to and hopefully set straight some misconceptions, celebrate in the successes.

And engineering is A+B=C most of the time. In nursing, A+B can equal 972,456 except when the lab values are off......

[chrisrn24]

I have no idea!!!

[JBMmom, MSN, NP]

I think Google gets them here, but I have no idea what would make them stay (or participate).

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

I think a lot of the non-nurse members come here just to seek medical advice. They think we're the cheaper/faster/convenient/more private alternative than going to their own healthcare provider.

As far as non-nurses who come here and give advice...the fact that they are not a nurse doesn't mean their advice should automatically be discounted. Sometimes it's the perspective of someone not directly involved in the field that is the one we need to hear.

[ArrowRN, BSN, RN]

maybe they have an interest in the nursing field and just scared to make the career change...I was a cable technician and I always used to "stalk" AN lol now I'm a nursing student.

[OCNRN63, RN]

I think a lot of the non-nurse members come here just to seek medical advice. They think we're the cheaper/faster/convenient/more private alternative than going to their own healthcare provider.

As far as non-nurses who come here and give advice...the fact that they are not a nurse doesn't mean their advice should automatically be discounted. Sometimes it's the perspective of someone not directly involved in the field that is the one we need to hear.

​If I'm asking for advice from a nursing peer, then that's who I want to hear from.

[ktwlpn, LPN]

Some apparently have unresolved issues with the medical community in general and we offer them a free and user friendly forum to come and inappropriately vent their anger.

[ktwlpn, LPN]

Oh,yeah- I remember the freaks of AOL and Yahoo,too.I got a real education about medical fetishes. I know I can make a living if I have to get out of bedside nursing.

[BrandonLPN, LPN]

I think they're just disgruntled physicians and med students, trolling.