[etterjones]

I decided to become a nurse when I was about 20 years old. I first worked for 2 years as a nurse tech, then decided to proceed on to LPN school. After working as an LPN for 9 years I felt the desire to further my education. I will graduate in December with my Associate Degree in Nursing.
I always wanted to be in a career that I could really make a difference in someone elses life, what better career than nursing. To help others and feel great about it is the most rewarding thing in life.

[shamegs]

For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to be a nurse. My mom was an LPN at a local nursing home and I used to go to work with her to visit with the "old people." When I got to jr. high, I started volunteering at this same place, and when I turned sixteen I jumped at the chance to work as a CNA. Though it was hard work and took its toll on my lower back, I still loved it. All through high school I worked as "bath girl" a few nights a week.
I decided I wanted to be an Oncology nurse after being with my mom through her experience with cancer. She was diagnosed with Leukemia when I was in first grade. She had a long battle and was actually doing well for a while. She developed Scleroderma which eventually took its toll on her internal organs. I believe it was my freshman year of high school when she went into renal failure and had to go through dialysis. Eventually it progressed on to her respiratory system and so on. She passed away during my junior year of high school.
I am still a nursing student, but will graduate this December with my BSN. It is getting so close that I can actually see it as a reality and when I feel like I need that extra push or a little motivation, I think of my mom.

[N.S.46]

Originally Posted by shycarol

Hi Everyone,
I'm new here, Love to read about all of you. Ive always had a love for nursing I could write a book haha. I have had a love for the nursing profession all my life and after three marriages. The first one ran off with a high schooler, the second had a CVA and the third is a nurse who is putting me through school (guess he is a keeper)I am now 50 years old and getting to realize my dreams can come true and I am and get to take LPN boards in July and go on to RN in the fall. I don't know who is more surprized about the whole change I have taken me or those who have known me for years. I have noticed that there is a definite difference between the young student and the older student, I studied 60 hours a week they partied the same amount of time and got A's. Nursing is sooooooo much different than my career of 30 years as a heavy equipment operator. I used to get grease under my nails now I wear gloves and have clean hands, washed god knows how many times a day. This is all so very exciting too me, I come home grab my husband and tell him about my exciting day he smiles pats my hand and says how happy he is for me and can't wait for me to get 10 years experience under my belt and have the conversation again. Congrats to all of you. May all that you aspire too become reality may the happiness never leave your chosen career and may all that you dream as nurses be reality.

It's nice to know I'm not the only "wiser" (I won't say older ) person going into the new career of nursing. Cheers to us!!!

[N.S.46]

I've read most & cried through some of the posts so I decided to share my story, much briefer than real time, I hope.

In high school I started working at our drs. office as a file clerk. Had always done well in school in the sciences. His nurse encouraged me to go to nursing school.

Flash forward a few years, marriage, child, divorce, remarriage, he got laid off, had a chance to go to school.

Enrolled in a medical assistant program. Loved it & my instructor. Graduated at the top of my class with a very bitter husband. My mother passed from CA out of state & I wasn't able to be with her. Devastating.

Worked at a medical clinic for a short time but was stuck up front which I wasn't crazy about, I wanted to work with the patients. Got a job with a cardiologist & loved it. I was always fasinated by the heart in school. Worked there for a while until a friend from the school I attended said she was appoached about a job at one of the hospitals. There were 2 openings & did I want to go with her to apply. We did, got hired because we were willing to work part time & 3rd shift. I started out with a combined position of nursing asst. & unit sec. & eventually got the full time position. I found my place on the Med/Surg unit. I had wonderful nurses to work with & they were willing to show me how to do tx., pass meds, change IVs, & at one point gave me my own patient. I learned so much from them. It was those wonderful nurses who encouraged me to go to nursing school, the 1st time.

Applied to nursing school, got accepted, worked full time, attended school full time until the then husband decided "he couldn't take it any more" & was packing his bags when I came home from work. Mind you, he still wasn't working .

Flash forward, life happened, had to quit school, quit my job to "make the marriage work" & moved out of state since he got a position back with one of the big 3 (Dumb move, literally, on my part).

Flash forward again, marriage failed, moved back to MI, got a job in a shop to support myself & my son. Moved to AL to care for father, remarried (a wonderful man), moved back to MI, tossed around the idea about going back to nursing school. Started our own business, got out of it. Got a flier in the mail that a nearby school was started an LPN program at that particular campus. Hubby called & had them send the info. I enrolled, started pre req's & hope to start the nursing part in the fall of 2006, if accepted.

Whatever you do, don't give up on your dream. I'm now 46 yrs. young. My hubby is behind me 100%, always encouraging me on. He says when I start talking about when I worked at the hospital, he can't shut me up & he sees me glow. The experiences in my life happened for a reason, I'm a firm believer of that.

When I think back to being with a person who died with no family, but they didn't die alone. Holding the little old lady's hand for just 5 minutes at a time while running between other pts., but knowing I was able to give her some comfort & ease her fear about being in the hospital. Pts. apologizing for throwing up on me, they were so sick they couldn't help it. Taking care of the man I took to the smoking lounge who had a seizure, I was able to handle the situation on my own until help arrived, & the drs. thought I was his nurse. I sure was proud of myself for that one.

Yes, you run your @ss off, don't get lunch most of the time, & have a ton of paperwork to do, but I'm going into this with my eyes wide open & I can't wait to have a patient again. I want to go into either geriatrics and/or hospice. When it's all said & done, it's the little things that make being a nurse worthwhile.

And it's NOT true that the patients sleep on 3rd shift, at least not on a Med/Surg floor .

[Sue7573]

Originally Posted by shamegs

For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to be a nurse. My mom was an LPN at a local nursing home and I used to go to work with her to visit with the "old people." When I got to jr. high, I started volunteering at this same place, and when I turned sixteen I jumped at the chance to work as a CNA. Though it was hard work and took its toll on my lower back, I still loved it. All through high school I worked as "bath girl" a few nights a week.
I decided I wanted to be an Oncology nurse after being with my mom through her experience with cancer. She was diagnosed with Leukemia when I was in first grade. She had a long battle and was actually doing well for a while. She developed Scleroderma which eventually took its toll on her internal organs. I believe it was my freshman year of high school when she went into renal failure and had to go through dialysis. Eventually it progressed on to her respiratory system and so on. She passed away during my junior year of high school.
I am still a nursing student, but will graduate this December with my BSN. It is getting so close that I can actually see it as a reality and when I feel like I need that extra push or a little motivation, I think of my mom.

yours is a beautiful story.

[tonet0908]

Ever since I was little I was always interested in the body especially when something was wrong with it. I can remember in kindergarten when I was 5 years old, one of my classmates fell and cut his knee and I offered to help the teacher to clean and bandage it. When I was in high school I thought I wanted to be a doctor so I went to college and declared premed as my major. Then as the semester went on, I noticed that that was not what I wanted to do because, it was going to take too long, it had too many hard sciences which I hated and doctors don't spend as much time with the patients like I like doing. So I dropped out of college after the first semester and then worked for a year then I did a Medical Assistant Program for nine months and worked for one year as an MA. Then I decided that I wanted to do more than just help the doctors with the patients and I went to nursing school for 4 years. I graduated in May 2005 and passed the boards August 2005. And I am very excited to start working in the Telemetry unit in October 2005.

Originally Posted by brian

Everyone has his or her own story about how or why they became a nurse. What's your story?

Please be as detailed or as short as you wish. It'll be interesting to hear everyone's stories.

[BaconLPN]

Well I wanted to be a doctor and then changed my mind after learning all the things they go through (which is why they are so darn cranky). I became an aide senior year. I also got pregnant at senior prom. So my aunt is a wonderful wonderful nurse so I looked it up. I never knew that nurses made as much money as they do or do as much as they do for people. So I went to community college pregnant and all. My husband and I moved into our own pad. I had the baby but never followed through with my plans to become a nurse. Then I got pregnant again. I went to community college pregnant and all again determined to get through. After not being accepted into the program there because I didn't have all my pre reqs I went to become an LPN. I take LPN boards Halloween. I have applied to Barnes Jewish School of nursing and thanks to all my hard work when I was pregnant, I have most of my pre reqs. I eventually want to work in Maternal-Newborn nursing and become a FNP. Allthough my husband and I are young (23) and my kids are young (4,2) and my husband is in school as well, I know that I will achieve my dreams one day but hopefully before I'm 30! Any advice out there let me know!!!!

[june-pearl]

I was often sick as a child. I have some connective tissue disorders and Celiac disease (an inability to metabolize glutens), which results in a chronic nutritional imbalance. Obviously this can cause many different kinds of health issues. In me, it manifested as chronic stomache aches, headaches, and intense fatigue. I also had a weak immune system and caught every cold and virus that went around my school. Since these things could be (and were, generally) attributed to hypochondria by my doctors, I went undiagnosed untill I was seventeen. My health grew increasingly worse up to that point, so I was in and out of the doctor's office and Children's all throughout my childhood.
I remember how much better my nurses always made me feel. While the doctors would ask me questions, the nurses would have conversations with me. They always made me feel that they really cared, and I appreciate that more than I can say. When I decided to go into the medical field I originally wanted to be a doctor, but as I thought about it I realized that I want to have the more personal relationship that nurses have with their patients. I want to be to somebody what my nurses were to me. So that's why I decided to go into nursing.

[amnesia]

For me, it is a calling, always has been and I pray it always will be!:hatparty: I consider myself lucky to have followed this path.

[SweetieRN]

It was either this or the "other" world's oldest profession
Just kiddin' of course!

I find it most challenging to turn the most crankiest, nastiest, and sickest forms of human life into sweetest people you would ever want to meet! When other nurses state that Room # such and such is the meanest person in the world who is impossible to deal with, I say "bring it on!". Seriously, I love getting to the bottom of why some patients are so darned difficult. Maybe I should work in Psych rather than OB!