Not sure where this topic goes, since I'm new this website, but here goes:
I'm trying to get in University of North Florida's nursing school. I've completed all the required course prereqs to go into the program, and taken the TEAS test. I have one more hurdle to go before I'm accepted: THE INTERVIEW!!!!! I'm preparing for what could probably be the most important interview of my life. I'm currently preparing for that interview, by going through this website, and asking people that went through this process how it was like. What has me concerned is a most probable(if not the most important) question in the whole interview process: why do you want to become a nurse? I have an answer to this question, but I'm afraid it might cost me this coveted spot in the nursing program if I answer honestly. Before I get to my answer, a little about myself.
I have a bachelors in business administration from Stetson University, graduating in 2006. I specialized in creating websites, and managing databases. Basically, I wanted to go into the computer tech field. After graduation, I began looking for a job. I sent my resume to a ton of places, and did many interviews. Unfortunately, my lack of actual skills was my downfall(this was before the recession). No one wanted to give me a chance. Luckily, I was working at a retail store, the same store that I worked at while I was not at college(summer and winter breaks). They were pretty cool with me working there and looking for another(better job) at the same time. I've been working there ever since I graduated from Stetson, which brings us to today.
As many of you should already know, we're in a recession. Jobs are drying up, going away, and more people are out of work. This has caused people to switch careers. I'm one of them. I want to go from the retail/computer career into a nurse. It's "relatively" secure job, compared to some other careers. During these bad economic times, job security is in everybody's minds.
If I was at the interview and was asked the question "why do you want to become a nurse?", my honest answer would be something like this:
"Well, I want to become a nurse b/c I want to be in a secure field that will last a long time, SECURE, and will offer great benefits and rewards as time passes by. I tried going into other fields that I thought would benefit me the most, like the computer industry. My current job at my retail store isn't doing so well right now, with people spending their money on more important things. And with the current economic recession, I had to rethink my career."
Or something like that. This is my honest, truthful answer with no BS attached. This is also the answer I feel will make me loose the nursing spot at UNF. I feel that if I give this answer, I'll be calling a nursing a "last ditch" career that everyone goes through if they fail at life. I'd be insulting nurses, calling them the "easy way out." Basically, I feel that I'd be giving nursing a bad name with my answer. I know for a fact that nursing is a great career. I've met a lot of them that enjoy their career, who wake up in the morning ready for whats to come. Sure, there are those bad days(who doesn't have one of those?), but that doesn't stop them from quiting their job.
So this is my dilemma, what type of answer should I give to the question: why do you want to become a nurse? Should I give my truthful, honest answer? Or a more refined answer that will guarantee me spot in the nursing? I apologise for giving a lengthful passage, but this question has been bugging me, and I can't seem to answer it. Thanks for reading, and hope to hear from you.
PS: If anyone is going to UNF's nursing interview May 21st, 2009, let me know. Thats when my interview will be held
