Why did you become a nurse?

[Valerie99]

I'm just wondering what inspired others to become nurses (or why you are aspiring to become a nurse).

Were you attracted to the lifestyle of long shifts condensed to one portion of the week and opening free time through the rest of the week? The payment? Desire to help people? Family encouragement? Geographic mobility via contracts?

There's no interviewer here to impress, so I'm curious about people's REAL answers.

Cheers!

[amoLucia]

My Mom was the one to push for nursing. I truly think her deep down reason was that she expected to gain an MD son-in-law.

[MrsICURN14]

Flexible schedule, multitude of options if you get bored with one specialty, it involves talking to people, and it's constantly going to engage my learning. Those were my reasons.

I sat behind a desk every day and did accounting for 3 years after my first bachelors and it was hell. I got fat, lost my motivation to improve at work, and flat out felt like my job didn't matter, and I really think I lost brain matter doing that job.

So with the help of my husband I went back to school for nursing and graduated a few months ago and it was the best decision I've ever made.

It wasn't the best decision I've ever made because nursing is some :wonderful: job that gets me excited waking up in the morning, but I knew I would never be bored at work and most of the time it engages my brain. The few and far between moments where I feel like I'm helping someone or making a difference makes it worth it, even if that's only once in 3 shifts.

ETA: for those of you who did it for the money..... We don't get paid nearly enough for the crap we deal with!! I made the same amount working in accounting with a Bachelors in Business. I can honestly say the pay wasn't a driving factor for me.

[Dranger]

money/flexibility

[NurseStelri]

My mom is a nurse...my grandma was a nurse...and my great-grandma was a nurse!

Although I always said, "I'm not smart enough to be a nurse." When I was preparing to graduate from college with a Psychology degree I applied to a nursing program as kind of a "Oh, what the hell" type of thing and ended up being accepted. So fast forward a few years I guess I became a nurse 10% because it was a goal I never thought I'd accomplish and 90% pure luck/fate ;)hahaha

[enchantmentdis, BSN, RN]

I had to be talked into it by a former high school counselor. I was a waitress, medical assistant, optometric assistant prior to nursing, while taking classes at community colleges and a university. My fiancé died in a car accident; and it was then that my counselor said "you have all the courses to get in the RN program, you should do that". I never thought it was a good idea but the lure of making double the money I was making made me trudge to the local state university to apply.

[richardgecko]

Got pregnant in pre med.

[LouBean]

Got pregnant in pre med.

Good one.

[aespinosa07]

Mines a bit corny but here it is. I'm hoping for acceptance for this spring but I wanted to be a nurse because of what a nurse had done for me. I was originally majoring in computer engineering but that changed when I became pregnant with my son and lost him mid pregnancy. I had such a compassionate nurse that helped me through the most difficult time in my life. I realized, THAT is what I want to do.

[SubSippi]

It seemed like a good idea at the time

[emtb2rn, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

Spent 1st career in corporate management. Wanted a change. Love the flexibility, but we're very underpaid for the responsibility shouldered.

[Stephalump]

Got pregnant in pre med.

It's my true story ?

[Pepperandeggs]

I love the flexibility in scheduling. I work 3 12s in a row with 6 off. I know that won't last forever, but right now I love it.

Plus, I am constantly challenged as a nurse. I love to learn and I loooooooove science.

Also, I work with kids and overall it's a rewarding career. Yes, there are days which are truly awful and make me fantasize about living alone on a tropical island. But once reality sets in, I know I'm doing what I need to do.