I have spent a magnitude of time pondering the reasons why I have chosen nursing as a career. With many, this is a simple question to answer. They can pinpoint a specific moment in their life, when nursing just clicked with them personally. I, on the other hand, can not. Looking back, I struggle to recall times when I did not plan to pursue nursing. So, when I receive this question, I proceed to explain my childhood hobbies.
My parents were worried. It was a valid conclusion to make, as I watched them stare with widening eyes. As a little girl, I spent a vast amount time injuring my barbie dolls, stuffed animals, and my infant brother. I remember tearing limbs off my collectable dolls I had received for Christmas. I recall seating my stuffed animals in remote control cars and purposefully ramming the vehicle into walls. Then I would proceed to fly it off of a 'cliff', which typically, was the staircase. I used my mother's scrapbook supplies to artistically paint 'blood' all over my brother's tiny limbs.
After inflicting my toys and brother with fictional pain, off I would go with a blood pressure cuff in one hand, a first aid kit in the other, and a plastic stethoscope hanging around my neck. After tearing off arms, I would take gauze from the kit to mend the breaks. I would bandage the car wreck victims. I would clean the painted wounds off my baby brother. My parent's were never very pleased, as the first aid kit was constantly needing to be restocked. As a five year old, I never understood why they found my actions to be strange. Honestly, I still don't. As a child, I strived to heal others. To this very day, that has not changed. What has changed, however, are the following two things. First, the desire to have two significant letters following my name: Nurse Nancy, RN. Second, the passion to expand my knowledge of medical care past the first aid kit.
I never had that click when choosing nursing. That is not to say I have not experienced it, though. It clicks when I visit my nurse practitioner, Christi. While she talks me through the procedures she performs on me, it clicks.. When I enter a hospital and fill with excitement and ambition, it clicks. The decision was practically innate. Regards to the debate of nature versus nurture, Plato, I would have to side with you. I do not know why I chose nursing. Somedays, I believe it chose me.
Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN
20,908 Posts
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