Passages into the world of nursing

Featured in the Summer 2013 issue of Scrubs
When the economy started to tank in 2007 and the market for his work dried up, sculptor David Torgoff looked for a backup plan to make ends meet. That’s when he first considered nursing. The hands-on aspect appealed to his tactile nature and, as he explains, “I had always been good at reading people.” A BA in fine arts, an MA in landscape architecture and 20 years as a working artist gave
him “a strong knowledge base,” but not the science credits necessary to apply to nursing school. After three and a half years of intense study—first fulfilling entrance prerequisites, then attending nursing school—Torgoff became an RN. “It really suits me. I love it.” In an intertwining of his two professions, Torgoff has been commissioned to create a series of outdoor sculptures for the hospice facility where he works. “Whether it’s as an artist or as a nurse, I rely on creativity to connect with people in a meaningful way.”