Nontraditional Options
by Donna Cardillo, RN, MA

Dear Donna,

Before entering the nursing profession, I was a physical education teacher, coach, and athletic director. Today, I continue to bike, run, and swim. I've been in nursing for 13 years and have experience in orthopedics, community mental health, and noninvasive cardiology and cardiac rehabilitation. Cardiac rehab has enabled me to incorporate my teaching experience with nursing and my passion for exercise and healthy nutrition. I haven’t had success finding a job that would allow me to contribute to the fight against the obesity epidemic or another preventive cause. Am I looking in the wrong places, or am I just not qualified on paper? I have a BS in education, an associate degree in nursing, and 23 master’s degree credits in teaching analysis and sports psychology.

Fit RN

Dear Fit RN,

What a great background! You are well-qualified to work in the specialty of fitness nursing and/or obesity treatment. I suspect you’re just looking in the wrong places for opportunities.

Many health care systems, especially the larger ones, have their own fitness, longevity, and obesity treatment centers. They employ nurses in a variety of positions. That would be an ideal setting for you to work in. In some cases, these services are even combined with cardiac rehab. I would suggest you start contacting all hospitals and health care systems in the area (find them in the yellow pages of your phone book) to inquire if they have fitness centers and/or obesity treatment centers. RNs are also working in spas, holistic wellness centers, and private fitness centers doing similar things. In some cases, you may need to develop your own job description.

You might consider adding certified personal trainer (CPT) to your list of credentials. This is a growing trend among nurses working in the fitness industry. While it’s not necessary to have the credential in all cases, it may further expand your opportunities and marketability in this hot and growing specialty. You should also finish up that master’s degree while you’re at it. Persistence and determination will always win out in the end!

Donna

Dear Donna,

I read a letter to you from the “Nurse on Horseback” that inspired me to write to you as well. I have a BA in social work and a BSN. After working in med/surg for the first three months after school, I became a dialysis nurse. In seven years, I’ve worked my way from staff nurse to team leader, and I work with a fantastic team of professionals. However, I have been thinking about the “Nurse on Horseback,” and it has rekindled a spark in me regarding my love of dolphins and the ocean.

Before I became a nurse (and social worker), I was an avid scuba diver and wanted to be a marine biologist. But circumstances prevailed, and I never achieved that dream. I read an article about a social worker who worked with dolphins and autistic children and thought how wonderful it must be to combine one’s career with what one loves. I am wondering now if there is also a way to do this as a nurse. Is there any information you could give me that could steer me in the direction of combining my love for nursing and my love of the ocean as a work environment? I would really appreciate it!

Dreamer

Dear Dreamer,

Your dreams can come true. Dolphin therapy is very popular these days as therapy for adults and children who are ill, dying, and disabled. Do an Internet search for “dolphin-assisted therapy” and “dolphin therapy” to learn more. Here’s a web page with related resources: http://healing. about.com/od/dolphintherapy.

To investigate these programs in your area, contact agencies and schools for autistic and disabled children, as well as hospices, and ask about water-related programs in your area. Municipal aquariums might also be able to help.

As with any complementary method of treatment, it’s important to understand that while lay people may be able to provide this service, as an RN you have so much more to bring to a program like this. You would not be changing professions, but instead enhancing your professional practice. Nursing goes well beyond drugs and dressings.

You might also want to connect with the American Holistic Nurses Association about your idea.

Donna

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