[peridotgirl]

the ability to heal, comfort, restore hope, and communicate with pts and their families.

the fascination with the human body and how it works

the ability to gross people out with nursing stories (or my experiences in clinicals)

the satisfaction I get from helping people and knowing that I made a difference in someone's day even if they don't thank me

the smell of alcohol wipes.

I get to "play" with needles.

that I have one thing in life that will always keep me happy. Tis' better to give than to recieve.

[jlcole45]

That I can go home at the end of most days from the hospital and feel good about my work - unlike many other types of jobs such as management, sales, or marketing.

I love the flexible schedule, the face pace, and the fact that I can work only 3 days a week (and have a life outside of work) and make decent money.

[helenrnurse]

The feeling of satisfaction I get at the end of the night. I work nights to avoid the doctors & politics. Nights are more patient focused rather than paperwork.

[Irish339]

I can talk to a person with an arrow sticking out of their head...and it seems normal.
I have eaten salad during ER potlucks out of emesis basins...and that seems normal.
I know which hospitals around me serve red jello.
We get to go to work in our pajamas.
I am thankful for even mediocre coffee.
I get to take the pain away. I get to make a small difference in someones' life..... Probably a difference we aren't even aware of.

[swiftdr]

I came to nursing in my mid 30s and love my career. I touch people's lives positively everyday and I make a difference everyday.

I was a paramedic for several years, got a BS in Education, taught paramedics at the community college full time for several years.... then my daughter was born... I looked at how much I was working in my full time job (60-80 hours/week) added to that my part time medic job (12-24 hours/week) and how much I was making (50 K/year)... two years later I was an ADN RN working three days/week and making more than I had been as a full time college instructor and a part time medic. My daughter is 7 next month and I am the Clinical Coordinator of a 24 bed step-down unit at a academic/magnet hospital and I have an amazing life - both professionally and family.

If I were to tell any young person a career to look at it would be Nursing. It certainly is not for everyone and I think the wrong types of people are being attracted to the profession (either not physically, mentally or emotionally capable of being a nurse) but if you have what it takes this is an amazing profession...

In Upstate NY where I live, this is the only career where jobs are readily available and starting pay is in the mid $20/hour with an Associate's Degree... There is extraordinary flexibility and diversity in this field (school nurse, flight nurse, ICU/SCU/CCU, clinic nurse, research nurse, et cetera ad infinitum) potential advancement -- NP, Clinical Nurse Specialist, CRNA and most institutions are paying for education...

My long term plan is to attend CRNA school. My institution has tuition agreements with 5 schools AND they will pay me a living stipend while I am in school. They start CRNAs out at $140,000/year...

What other profession are jobs readily available, there are diverse opportunities available, education is paid for and pay is above average?

[zuzi]

You can make a difference in a people life. What I love is that you could think, analyze and action, and comunicate with your team in the same time for your patient good. Your good thinking analyzing and actions could help people .

When I will be not able to do all this four ((thinking, analyzing, actions and communication) involving my slef and all that I am in people care , I will renonce at nursing carrier!

[mashael]

i love every thing about nursing ,because nurses are as angels so i think angels do every things good......

[squirlkeeperCCRN]

always having the funniest story at the camp fire..."come on...tell us another nursing story" lol!

[MyPurposeDrivenLife]

I am so happy to have found positive things said about being a nurse. I went back to school 2 years ago to pursue my desire to become one. I was excited to have found this website a few months ago but lately I've found a lot of negative postings about being a nurse. It was starting to make me doubt my decision. Since this is my second career in life, I want to make sure I am choosing the right profession for me. I am very patient, caring and love helping others. I love learning and teaching as well. I've been wanting to become a nurse for over 15 years now but I am finally serious about doing it. I hope to continue loving it once I finish school. Some positive reinforcement along the way helps keep me motivated. This was very helpful. Thanks to all. I hope to find more postings like this.

[djbrn17]

what i love about nursing is that you have a chance of meeting different kinds of people not only your patients but your co-worker. nursing can teach you a lot of things which can help you to become a better person..one thins is very important to us is the tender loving care that we are rendering to our patient.