Why did you become a nurse?

[guest042302019]

I was curious why all you guys out there became nurses.

For me, I was tired of construction work and I was on a roof in the middle of winter. Needless to say, I felt like I could do more with myself even though, construction work can be gratifying.

I originally signed up to be an EMT. I later found out that advancement and salary isn't as good compared to other healthcare professions. I volunteered in a hospital and ER and really liked what nurses did. But, didn't fully understand until I was in clinicals during the first level of nursing school. I still don't have a complete grasp.

After volunteering and many clinicals, I really started to enjoy nursing work. I have to admit that money was my main focus for becoming a nurse. Heck, nurses have the potential to make six figures.

However, after nursing work grew on me, my motivations have changed. I really don't care about the money. One can live frugally and still be happy with life. I've learned I can truly make a difference in many people's lives. Initially, it was the money but now, I want to be a nurse because of the infinite potential help and change someone for the better. I feel satisfied with my work almost 99.9% of the time. It's hard to do that.

So, why did you all become a nurse?

[NutmeggeRN, BSN]

It was always there, maybe from the womb...my mom was a nurse, several aunts and one grandmother.....but I really think it was Cherry Ames!!!!! I read and reread everyone of those books! I am a caregiver, always have been always will be.....it is who I am.

[BostonTerrierLover, BSN, RN]

I wanted to enter the mission field. At 16 years old, I got to go to Honduras, Chile, and Peru on a UNICEF mission through a local physician who needed a "Cady." It amazed me how cheap it was to give these children a chance. Health problems such as parasites, Malaria, and malnutrition REAKED, and for about $0.74 per day, they can meet a 2200 Cal diet, all their Vaccinations, and Basic Medical and Dental Care (12 Med Visits, 6 Dental Visits, and 1 Vision Check/Tx/Rx per year!)

I was hooked. I went straight in to an ADN Program immediately after High School, then BSN, then MSN. I have worked all over Central and South America as a Clinician NP (through UNICEF/UN) jurisdiction (NP), and looking forward to a new assignment in Eastern Europe. The Worldwide Economic slump (according to WHO) has introduced another 0.5 BILLION worldwide to poverty. I know I will never make a lasting impact. . .

But it's like that story about the "Thousands of beached starfish," and the boy ran throwing one by one into the ocean. A man said, "You'll never save enough to make a difference, why are you even trying?"

Said Boy picks up the next hastily, throws, and says, "It made a difference to THAT ONE!"

:redbeatheBoston

[reagansm]

I was in christian outreach for 10 years before I decided to go back to school (I have an art degree). I first decided on nutrition, because I find it interesting. Then a nurse friend directed me to sonography, so I started to pursue that. I moved back in with my parents, got my CNA license to patient care experience and began taking pre-reqs. Over the next year, I had lots of nurses ask me why I was not going into nursing. Finally, I began to think that the job market for sonography was probably going to get saturated pretty soon and with nursing there is a lot more flexibility. I realized I could apply at the end of the summer, I did, was accepted and started.

#1 reason: flexibility

#2 reason: decent pay (I did not say great, but it is decent)

#3 reason: you do not have to work 5 days a week to make a living. Work is not my life.

[Thujone]

I'm not a nurse yet, but I wanted to help people is the first reason. After taking so many pre-reqs and and science courses I have fallen in love with the theory portion of nursing, and I am sure I will be just as enthusiastic about the clinical once I get there.

[RURN2O11]

As a little girl I always wanted to be a teacher b/c I loved school & learning, plus my mom was a teacher so it just seemed like a natural fit. However, in middle school I became interested in the medical field as I loved science, especially learning about how the body works, what happens w/ various diseases, & how medications affect the body. As a teenager I volunteered at a local hospital & my experiences there convinced me that the medical field was definitely right for me. However, I struggled to choose between nursing school & medical school. Eventually I decided on nursing b/c I wanted a career w/ a lot of patient interaction, nursing school is cheaper (I got a full academic scholarship for nursing at a highly respected BSN program), & I figured I could always become an NP or go back to med school some day if I eventually got bored w/ being an RN. During nursing school I knew I'd chosen the right path when I found out how much teaching all nurses do. It seemed that my dream of becoming a teacher was happening after all, just in a slightly different way than I'd imagined as a little girl. I started my first RN job last June & I am still very much in love w/ this career. Yes, there are frustrating shifts sometimes & no job is perfect, but the vast majority of days I come home from work feeling like I really made a difference in someone's life. I still think about med school sometimes & haven't ruled out that option entirely, but for right now I am very happy to be 23 & have a great job that pays relatively well & that I really enjoy. At the end of my life I know I will care more about the satisfaction I got out of my career than about how much money I made or how much power I had anyway. Also I have discovered over the past year that I have a real passion for palliative care/hospice & I doubt I would have discovered such an amazing field in med school b/c the focus there is on saving everyone whereas I now know that is not always feasible, practical, or even desirable (for the pt's sake). It still angers me when I think of the people who have told me "You're too smart to be JUST a nurse" but I know in reality they have NO idea the difference I'm making in my patients' lives & that quite often it's the nurses who are saving the pts from the doctors. I know someday, probably sooner rather than later, I will go back to school to become an NP or maybe a nursing instructor but whatever path I take, I plan to always choose the career in which I know I can make the greatest difference while also deriving great satisfaction from my work.

[RURN2O11]

I LOVE the starfish story & I think about it ALL the time in relation to my nursing career. :)

[applewhitern, BSN, RN]

I had a business degree from the 70's. I had a wonderful job as a manager, with my own office, got to dress up and wear heels! (In the early 80's we all looked like we just stepped off the set of "Dallas" with tons of makeup, big hair.) My employer spoiled us~ sent us to Disneyworld, sent us to Las Vegas for a week, etc. He had a stroke and the company ultimately closed; there I was, without a job. Couldn't find one. My degree in the 70's was before computers came about, and I felt I was not really qualified anymore, so I took a bunch of computer classes. Still didn't help. All the job ads in the newspapers (that is how they advertised jobs back then) were for RN's. Boy, if you were an RN the world was your's! (haha, last laugh on me.) I got accepted in nursing school and the rest is history. I never thought about this as being "a job to help people." I always felt you could "help people" in your daily life, and I still feel that way. I do my job and I do it well, but I never had the overwhelming passion about it, like some people claim. A lot of the autonomy of nurses has been taken away. Now we are told what we can say, what we can do; of course we can only do what the doctors order and follow policy.

[guest042302019, BSN, RN]

Fantastic stories. All of you! Thanks for your input!

[ixchel]

(quietly whispers...... Please disregard my earlier post. I didn't see what forum this was in LOL!)

[WongRN-4lyf]

I wanted to enter the mission field. At 16 years old, I got to go to Honduras, Chile, and Peru on a UNICEF mission through a local physician who needed a "Cady." It amazed me how cheap it was to give these children a chance. Health problems such as parasites, Malaria, and malnutrition REAKED, and for about $0.74 per day, they can meet a 2200 Cal diet, all their Vaccinations, and Basic Medical and Dental Care (12 Med Visits, 6 Dental Visits, and 1 Vision Check/Tx/Rx per year!)

I was hooked. I went straight in to an ADN Program immediately after High School, then BSN, then MSN. I have worked all over Central and South America as a Clinician NP (through UNICEF/UN) jurisdiction (NP), and looking forward to a new assignment in Eastern Europe. The Worldwide Economic slump (according to WHO) has introduced another 0.5 BILLION worldwide to poverty. I know I will never make a lasting impact. . .

But it's like that story about the "Thousands of beached starfish," and the boy ran throwing one by one into the ocean. A man said, "You'll never save enough to make a difference, why are you even trying?"

Said Boy picks up the next hastily, throws, and says, "It made a difference to THAT ONE!"

:redbeatheBoston

OMG, I know who you are! This is so wild, you wouldn't remember me, but I was assisting Nurse Practitioners working for the UN, your from the South aren't you. We met in the Czech Republic when you were working on the Meningitis Outbreak Research with Conyers!! It is so good to know your still around. It was because of what we spoke about that I pursued Grad School- Now I work in Voyansk, Ukraine if your around that way. I remember you real Kute too;)! One Awesome Lecturer on Infectious Disease as well. PM ME!!!!

That must be little Tag in the picture. He's a cute one!

[guest042302019, BSN, RN]

OMG, I know who you are! This is so wild, you wouldn't remember me, but I was assisting Nurse Practitioners working for the UN, your from the South aren't you. We met in the Czech Republic when you were working on the Meningitis Outbreak Research with Conyers!! It is so good to know your still around. It was because of what we spoke about that I pursued Grad School- Now I work in Voyansk, Ukraine if your around that way. I remember you real Kute too;)! One Awesome Lecturer on Infectious Disease as well. PM ME!!!!

That must be little Tag in the picture. He's a cute one!

Glad I indirectly helped you two touch base. That's awesome!!! Neat situation!

[mindlor]

I am becoming a nurse because I have a deep and profound love for my fellow human beings and I want to spend the rest of my life caring for the them