So why do you want to be a nurse?

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I am just curious to hear stories or thoughts about this. For me: there is nothing else that I can imagine doing with my life. Have you ever seen the movie "Pay it Forward"? I guess that's how I describe my desire to become an RN. I was a preemie born in 1979. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for wonderful nurses that helped keep me alive. I also have 3 children of my own now. And had wonderful nurses help me through preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, placenta previa and delivery. I want to give to others, what has been given to me!

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Specializes in Oncology, Med-Surg, Nursery.

It's honestly something I have wanted to do since I was in about 7th grade and started thinking about what I might want to do after high school. My Dad has had serious health problems since I was a little girl and so hospitals became my 2nd home pretty much. I really can't explain it, it honestly just feels like this is what I am supposed to do with my life and I've felt content with this path ever since I chose it.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Cardiac, ICU.

I haven't want to be a nurse since I was little or anything, but I can't imagine doing anything else at this point. Sitting in an office is not for me, maybe later, but not right now.

Nursing is hands on and I like being busy.

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Specializes in Acute Care.

I have a couple different reasons. But here is the big one:

When I was in 3rd grade or so, I had to get my tonsils removed, and the hospital I was being dragged to had this neat program teaching kids how to say "anesthesiologist" and also meet our surgens. At the time, I had an incredible fear of mad doctors/scientists. Think tall, skinny, with glasses, lab coat, and one of those reflector head thingies. So in walks my surgeon, looking exactly like the mad doctor of my nightmares. :eek: I was in the pre-op area, IV in, all ready to go and was absolutly convinced that doctor was up to no good. So I started freaking out.

One of the nurses got the doctor out of sight, and came over to calm me down. She explained that there would be nurses in the OR to protect me and keep the doctor from trying anything sneaky. I believed her and everything went fine from there...

From then on I had this image of a super hero-ish nurse protecting people and making them feel better. Here I was, a scared little kid in a busy pre-op area. The fact that that nurse took time to make me feel better instead of drugging me or something made a huge impression on me. And even after seeing the reality of nursing practice, I just hope I can do something like that for my patients some day.

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i love these threads. they make me laugh and then get teary eyed too.

here's my story (warning... long):

people ask me, "what made you choose nursing?"; and, why do you want to do pediatric nursing? i had a daughter born with a congenital heart defect. her chances at survival weren't ideal, but as a family we stood together and hoped for the best while our bailey's tiny heart underwent "reconstruction".

the first stage of the surgery went smoothly and we were days from being discharged. bailey's cardiac nurse was teaching me how to insert her ng tube so i could change it once a week while at home. i was horrified. there was no way i could do that to my baby girl! her nurse calmed me down to a point where i wasn't shaking in my skin and explained that i had to learn how to do this for bailey; bailey needed me to learn to do this. we ended up taking our daughter home days later and i knew how to insert her ng tube, among a ton of other things. her nurse empowered me. for once, i didn't feel helpless as a mom watching other people taking care of my daughter.

unfortunately, bailey unexpectedly passed away at 5 months of age due to a virus which complicated her chd. even though that was years ago and bailey has long been gone, i still remember her nurse's sincere words to this day.

there would be days when we'd have excellent nurses; i felt i could go to the ronald mcdonald house to take a shower and a quick nap without worrying. but then there were the not-so-great nurses- the ones who made me feel as if it were detrimental to stay up all night to watch bailey's stats on her monitor because i felt as if they were incompetent to do so (one shut off her display monitor when i was sleeping so it wouldn't beep. that didn't go over well with mommy, haha).

i want to be the nurse who cares for kids and their families. i want to give back what was given to my daughter and i. this is my calling in life (besides parenting two of the meanest boys alive!).

so, that's my story. before she passed away, i was perfectly content to be an at home mom. now, through her, i want to make this world a better place.

dani

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I haven't want to be a nurse since I was little or anything, but I can't imagine doing anything else at this point. Sitting in an office is not for me, maybe later, but not right now.

Nursing is hands on and I like being busy.

Same.

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Specializes in Med surg, cardiac, case management.

Until about 3 years ago I never considered being a nurse.

But then I was so impressed by the hospice nurses who cared for my mom in her final weeks, and a longtime family friend (and retired nursing professor) encouraged me to consider nursing. And 3 years later, I'm about to start classes.

I guess I have similar motivations to those above; I care about people, and want to help heal them both physically and emotionally. I feel it's something that I have to do, a payment for all the care and kindess shown to me by my family and friends. Other people accomplish this by caring for their children or spouses; as I have neither it seem my destiny to accomplish this by caring for my patients.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
if you'd like to see my little angel, click it to big it.
bailey was absolutely gorgeous! :saint:
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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

I have to be perfectly honest: nursing is not my life's passion. I would define a passion as something that would make one's life worth living. Truthfully, I'd be just as content and happy doing something else for a living, so I can live without nursing. In other words, I was not "born to be a nurse."

However, I have decided to pursue nursing further because of the flexibility in scheduling, money, and advancement opportunities. I would be able to take comfort in the fact that I could relocate to almost any state, and find a nursing job soon thereafter. Also, jobs that require a "human touch" are hard to outsource to other countries that offer cheaper labor.

However, I am not so naive as to think that corporations wouldn't find a way to import the cheaper labor into the U.S. They're already doing it, albeit on a smaller scale.

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I chose nursing for several reasons. I love the thought of having a job that constantly makes me think, and is a challenge. I can help people through difficult times, and offer support. And I'd be lieing if I didn't say that the flexible schedule, money, and benifits didn't factor in as well. I've always been interested in the process of pregnancy, especially after having my 2. I just feel so lucky that nursing perfectly fit all the "requirements" I had in what I wanted from a career! I can't wait to begin nursing classes!

Have a Great Day!

Chancie

dabibanani~Your post made me cry! Bailey was absolutely beautiful, and I think it is amazing that you chose to turn a heartbreaking situation into a dream to help others! I truely admire you, and I wish you all the luck in the world! I know you will make a wonderful nurse!!!

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1. Because I like a job where you have to use think.

2. Because I find other medical proffesions boring.

3 .Because of a different possibilities nursing creates.

4. Because of the skills nursing teaches you, you can be valuable in envinronment all around the world.

5. Because I like helping people in pain.

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I have wanted to be a nurse every since I was young. I was a candy striper at the local hospital when I was 15. I guess when I spent more time at the hospital volunteering than spending the summer with my friends, well I was hooked. I had so much respect for the nurses and the hard job that they had to do. Who ever thinks nursing is an easy job haven't worked as one or around nurses on a daily basis. I volunteered alot in the baby nursery. Even though I was only washing bassinets and putting seals on birth certificates, I felt as if I was doing something special. It has been a long time coming (I'm 38) and I can't wait until I can join the ranks of other hard working nurses.

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