Do Nurses Have Good Survival Skills and Can They Survive in the Wilderness?

Nurses are many things: resourceful, caring, and strategic with their time. They know their way around the human body and can quickly diagnose health problems. These qualities seem like they would come in handy in the wilderness, but do nurses have good survival skills? Most of us wouldn’t last more than a few days stranded in the middle of nowhere. We asked millions of nurses to see if they would do any better and here’s what they said:

I’d make it for a little bit. I’d probably do something amazingly stupid like try to tame a mountain lion or something and die a horrific death. 🤦😂

Christy

Just fine. I live on a homestead now, grow my food, hunt, and fish the rest… process all of it.

Deborah

I was always obsessed with the idea of survival… Maybe that’s why I eventually chose nursing…

Sarah

Just because I’m a nurse doesn’t mean I want to go adventure camping.

Athena

No problem. I’ve been preparing for disaster scenarios my entire life. Some of us are very resilient and know health is the most integral thing. That includes emergency preparedness in all forms.

Athena

As an ex-Scout, I feel pretty damn good in a wilderness survival scenario. Honestly it seems like a nice holiday from ward nursing at this point 😂.

Amme

I’d survive. As a teen, I went on a month-long wilderness survival program. Learned a lot.

Cara

I wouldn’t be able to get the day off… sooooo… not an issue 😂😂😂😂.

Karen

Middle of nowhere and I’d still hear those bells 🙈.

Aimee

As long as I have a roll of tape, I can do anything! 🤣

Morja

Night shift on a psych unit IS the wilderness.

Lori

Stay hydrated. You can’t live more than 3 days without water. I’d eat whatever I could find. I have a pretty good sense of what can and can’t be eaten in nature. I volunteered as a junior forest ranger as a teen. I also have a daughter who is into horticulture.

Jami

I would die, within a few hours, tops 🤷🏾‍♀️.

Aisha

Nurses would be queens of the wilderness, and be worshiped as the goddesses that they are, by all of the creatures great and small.

David

I could use my pockets full of alcohol swabs to clean any nicks and serve as part of the fuel for starting a fire.

LeeAnne

Most old Night nurses can get by on little sleep, play MacGyver with first aid supplies. Not eat or go to the bathroom for long stretches. We are used to the dark. If everything goes sideways just give me a syringe, some chloral hydrate, and some sodium Amytal!

Brian

I mean. We critically think, are proactive, know how to handle hypothermia and other ailments. But… I would definitely die if left alone to my devices in the wilderness. Max 2 days until I simply pass away. Especially since it wasn’t an approved order from the physician. Might actually have to call down to the pharmacy real quick first. Plus, I don’t know where tacos grow. So that might be an issue.

Katie

Nurses have learned to “MacGyver” things their entire career. Give me a pen, thermostat, and a pair of scissors and I’ll be back into civilization by morning.

Shannon

We would use critical thinking and never go ALONE IN THE WILDERNESS!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Brandi

I wouldn’t eat the hospital food so how would I eat bugs??

Linda

I would sleep. So glad to not hear any call bells or anyone yelling a code and knowing I didn’t have an admission, discharge or any paperwork… ah sweet sleep!!!!

Jeannette

Listen…. “wilderness” is such a strong word… let’s not be rash here… could I survive, sure…do I want to try… no, no I don’t.

Sylvia

I’ve trained myself through nursing to not need food, water, or rest. It’s gonna be fine.

Dan

Alone in the wilderness looks more appealing than the life of a nurse at the moment. Maybe that’s just me 🤔.

Christina