How many of us are working in healthcare-related professions?

[Chickadee365]

Not sure if anyone's posted/asked about this before, but I'm curious: how many of us on the forum are currently working in or working towards a position in the healthcare field or something related to it? 

I've noticed that hurt/comfort is a really common trope in sneeze fics, and I've heard quite a few people say that hurt/comfort is a big part of their kink. This makes me wonder if our affinity for care-taking and things hurt/comfort have led us to seek livings in professions entirely based on those concepts? Are we by nature just drawn to comfort those who are hurting and making people feel better? (disclaimer: the question I'm asking has nothing to do with whether or not the actual sexual fetish had anything to do with one's decision to work in a healthcare-related profession; as a professional, one's fetishes should be pushed far from the forefront of one's mind while caring for patients whose well-beings should be of utmost importance. I simply want to know if the propensity for liking care-taking, what seems to be a common aspect of many forum members' kinks, has played any part in the decision to work in a field of similar nature.)

I myself am a first-year college student pursuing a BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) degree. I've loved medical science and taking care of others from a very young age and cannot imagine any other job being more rewarding. I wonder if there's some link between the appeal nursing has to me and the hurt/comfort aspect of my kink.

Definitely let me know any thoughts you guys have about this! 

[Sawyer]

Interesting theory! Most of my jobs have been in doctor's offices (administration, though, not as a practitioner), and I'm currently halfway through a clinical degree for mental health therapy (and I'll be working toward a sex therapy certificate once I get my license). It's always been an interest/fascination of mine, mostly because of my personal relationship with mental health and sexuality.

Like you said, I don't get the same feelings from work/school that I get when I'm reading fiction! Hurt/comfort stories offer me a sort of fuzzy, excited thrill, but I'm compeltely detached from that sort of thing when I'm in a professional environment. I'd describe it more as a personal satisfaction -- maybe a little more intimate since I'll be dealing with more sensitive information in my career, but it doesn't hit me in that special place that hurt/comfort fanfiction does. 

Since it's more of a professional/clinical experience (way more boundaries, etc.), I think it would probably feel really uncomfortable to "take care" of someone in a way that I enjoy on my personal time, if that makes sense. (I'm also not anticipating being attracted to my clients -- that wall goes up right away!) I'm sure you feel that way too, as a nurse! Regardless of my detachment, though, I do have a nurturing personality and maybe a predisposition to try and use the resources available to me to make sure that people are comfortable and healthy. I'm really interested in seeing what others have to say, since you're right, there are a lot of people here who are employed in healthcare!

It's interesting how there can be an overlap like this (caretaking kink and caretaking profession) while the person's feelings toward each are totally distinct. Really great thread! I'm interested in seeing what others have to say about it.

[Seniorstatus14]

Ooooh! This is an interesting thread! I will be working in a health care field eventually! (I hope)

I'm a 3rd year college student, also going for my BSN. Monday was my first day of like actual nursing school (well, actually tomorrow is. Monday and Tuesday were orientation) so we'll see how it goes, but I'm extremely excited and they gave us our first "class" lecture a day early and it was super interesting, despite it being a 3 hour lecture I was actually focused for most of it!

I do think my desire from nursing comes from how much I love care taking. I wish you the best of luck with your nursing degree!

[David]

I work with healthcare...more like, work with healthcare employees in mostly insurance-related positions :(.  I do work with some nurses though!   

Edited January 16, 2017 by David

[Alicia2]

I'd like to work in healthcare, I started learning first aid when I was 14 and kind of went from there. I don't consciously think in a fetish way when I'm looking after someone but I do kind of worry that one day I might. My favourite part of first aid is treating more serious conditions like shock and cardiac arrest where there's more to do physically and less conversation, I kind of feel safer with that which makes no sense at all, maybe it's because I get to look after people but I can hide behind my role a bit more and not show so much of myself?