"Nursing" a calling, a career, or a combination of both

[wildtime88]

Did you enter nursing as a calling, a career, or a combination or both, or something else?

[mustangsheba]

Nursing is a calling for me. It really has nothing to do with wanting to help people. For me it is a visceral response to a health need. When I'm confronted with dis-ease, I have always instinctively started through the nursing countdown: assess, etc., etc. It doesn't matter where I am or what other jobs I'm doing, the nurse in me is always hovering close by. And when I engage in other jobs for very long, I start feeling anxious and restless. When I return to nursing, it's like coming home. Part of this is probably that when we do something well, we tend to want to continue doing it. Part of it must be Karma.

[Stargazer]

I wasn't able to vote in your poll because like Huganurse, I'm right about at 50/50. Although it started out as a calling--I've wanted to be a nurse since I was 5 years old!--even as a kid I recognized that there would always be a job market for nurses and that with the enormous variety in practice settings and specialties, I would never be bored.

[CindyJRN]

I like to think that the calling took over the career part. For me it was an "AHA" moment in LPN school that this is really what I wanted to do. I've never had another job except as an LPN/then RN. I've had moments when I wondered if I would be happy or be good at anything else. I would also like to believe that for all of the Nurses who have stayed in the profession it is a calling.:)

[micro, RN]

Originally posted by CindyJRN

I like to think that the calling took over the career part. For me it was an "AHA" moment in LPN school that this is really what I wanted to do. I've never had another job except as an LPN/then RN. I've had moments when I wondered if I would be happy or be good at anything else. I would also like to believe that for all of the Nurses who have stayed in the profession it is a calling.:)

I agree, nurses that stay must feel like it is a calling!!!!! It is too tough of a job, to just do it for the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ tee! hee!

micro, popping in:p :p

[Mijourney]

Hi. I entered nursing mostly as a calling, but quickly gained a career focus as well. I found the health and medical area as an exciting place for me to be, and I wanted to do my part to help others in need. I did not go into nursing out of necessity. My income reached close to the livable stage on the basis of the cost of living at the time. That livable wage along with aspects of general patient care was later zapped by a changing economy. Maybe for good or bad, after so many years, due to increased knowledge of what drives health and medical care, nursing became a job with many calling and career features. Most of the time, I still find health and medical care exciting and adventurous. I do find the changing dynamics of health and medicine very exhausting and frequently irritating. I also find what I perceive as stagnation of the nursing profession to be irritating at times.

Just like other occupations, those of us who have stayed in nursing have found our "comfort zone", if you will, and have found the expanded opportunities for nurses appealing. Nursing, like many other professions, offers the opportunity for me to stay at the bedside if I want and doing alot of required administrative work as most bedside nurses have to do anyway. Or, I can go completely administrative whenever the opportunity presents itself. I can work part time as I do now or seek FT work.

[Dplear]

I guess I am going to be in the minority here but I entered nursing strictly as a career. It pays my bills and allows me to have the lifestyle pretty much that i want and it is also pretty recession proof.

I alos know that i am going to take some heat for my next comment but those that know me will uinderstand me. it is nurses that keep thinking of this field as a calling are holding back our ability to get better wages. If you think of this as the BUSINESS that nursing is you gain strength in negotiations.

Healthcare is a business and we are part of that business. whether that is right or wrong is a different subject all together.

Hospitals know that when you think of something as a calling you are willing to settle for less because you feel that this is what you were meant to do and would do it no matter what. Get out of that mindset. Think that I need to take care of myself first and last.

just my thoughts on this.

Dave

[Mijourney]

Hi dplear. There are many nurses who enter nursing as a calling and work not only to advance quality patient care and their own career, but they also try to help advance nursing as a profession.

I started out as a diploma nurse before ADN and BSN programs became all the rage. I've since obtained a BSN. As many of the nurses who come on this bb, I've served in a variety of patient care and administrative level positions. I've been a member of nursing and health-related organizations and other activities. I came into nursing not out of necessity or because I was looking for a way to promote myself, but I chose nursing because I found something that would allow me to stretch my talents to the fullest in the public's interest. In pursuing my own agenda, I did not allow that to stop me from seeing the big picture where patient care and nursing was concerned. I've watched the dynamics of health care and the impact of the economy on the healthcare delivery system change as the years go by, and have tried to address it as I go. Therefore, your assertion that those who come into nursing as a calling are responsible for holding nursing back doesn't hold water.

[wildtime88]

Dplear and Mijourney,

Take the time to carefully inspect the individual posts under "Would you recommend nursing as a career?" On this bulletin board, then come back and debate this.

Actually this debate would be better served with it's own topic as to not keep others from stating how they actually feel or felt when they joined nursing?:)

[micro, RN]

I do not feel about nursing now, as I first did when I choose to go back to school and first entered the profession. Just don't know what else I would do and have equivalent pay, etc.

Still love nursing and caring for people, don't get me wrong, but my personal, family life and sanity come first.

Anyone relate?????

just micro:p :p

[Mijourney]

Hi Wildtime. Need clarification. Are you saying my first post missed your point? The second one, I can take up somewhere else. Thank you.

[wildtime88]

I am not saying either.

You two have come up with a great topic for debate and it should be explored a little more in depth.

By debating this issue on this this poll, it might actully keep someone from honestly expressing the reason they entered nursing.

So set up a new topic and go for it. There is plenty of substance on this bulletin board to fuel that debate.:)

[Dplear]

Wild..

I don't think MIJOURNEY and I were trying to start a new debate on this thread. We were just stating our opinions as related to your question. I even said that it was a different subjuect and all......

I respect her opinion and will defend her right to say it.

Dave:p