Am I getting into nursing for the right reason?

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Not even in RN school yet (I start in 3 months) but I am having second thoughts.

Just curious, especially for other males, why did you get into nursing?

Going to be brutally honest, nursing do not really interest me (only the idea of ER, ICU, CCT, Flight, etc nursing interest me because of the "rush" and how cool it is). The idea of caring for someone in a non critical situation does not interest me. Of course I care about people, but unless they are about to die or in serious condition, it doesn't really interest me.

I am mainly getting into nursing because I am a bit older (late 20's) and need to find a stable, good paying career. I would like to have a family one day and want to make enough money to live comfortably and be able to take care of my family. I have some medical experience through the military so naturally I look into this as the next step.

My true "passion" for medicine lies with military/tactical medicine, and paramedicine. I can't do the military thing forever, and paramedic don't get paid enough for what they do. So here I am pursuing nursing.

I don't hate it, but I am definitely not "passionate" about it coming in.

 

Did you guys get into nursing because of pure 'passion'? or what was your motivation?

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.

First disclaimer, not a man here. That being said if you are thinking of nursing only for the specialties that provide the "rush" run the other way because you 99.9% won't get that right out of school or at anytime during your career. 

You might be lucky and land an ED or ICU position as a new grad, that seems to happen more now than it used to but it's not all about the adrenaline rush or "cool" factor in any nursing job anymore. For every moment of rush you'll have 10 times that, probably more in redundant and tedious charting. 

Then there is the chronic and widespread staffing shortages, The "work smarter not harder" mentality which is only corporate speak for we are going to dump an impossible workload on you and expect you to get it done. 

Nursing wages and benefits have been stagnant for years and even with the current shortage which is reaching crisis level in many areas the wages have not significantly increased with the noted exception of travel nursing.

Contracts bordering on predatory are not uncommon for new hires. If you go the nursing route read any contract very carefully before signing on the dotted line. Especially if there is a big bonus or some other great benefit attached. If it seems too good to be true it probably is.  If there aren't any strings attached then it's because it's likely an absolutely horrible place to work and they can't get staff without offering something above and beyond the norm. 

The one plus for those entering nursing now is for the first time in a long time there is an actual nursing shortage instead of a manufactured shortage so finding that first job shouldn't be difficult and finding it in a preferred area of practice is much easier than it was even a few years ago. Of course there's no guarantee that will still be the case in a few years when you are done with school but I have the feeling it will be. 

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Specializes in Oncology, ID, Hepatology, Occy Health.

Have you thought of becoming a fire fighter?

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Specializes in Hospice, corrections, psychiatry, rehab, LTC.

I went into nursing because my mother and my sister had done it, and I was tired of the dead end job that my bachelor's degree in psychology had landed me. I figured that this is a profession in which if I absolutely hated the specialty that I wound up in, I could move into something completely different without having to go back to school and get another degree.

If you're in it for the rush, then you aren't going in for the right reasons. It can be a good career, but you will only get out of it what you put into it. I have done this for 26 years, and it has been a good career. I don't regret making the move.

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Specializes in ICU.

Agree with most of what is said here, I have to admit though; at first it was just a paycheck for me (CNA) But the work never ended and they never stopped asking me to work overtime, in 30 years.  I will point out; those "rush moments": you are PERSONALLY LEGALLY LIABLE  for knowing what to do, doing it, and remembering to document it in detail. Because 3-5 years later, when you're subpoenaed into court, you won't remember the details.  You will face this every day.  Kinda puts the damper on the "rush".  Boring days are cool.  

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Specializes in ICU.

Come to think of it; whenever anyone asks me, or even just suggests they are thinking of going into nursing; I advise them to get there CNA and work, or even just be a volunteer.  Get an eyeful of what it's about before you go sinking 4 years of your life into it; it's not for everyone, for lots of reasons. 

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Specializes in Med nurse in med-surg., float, HH, and PDN.

A "cool rush"? Only on TV.

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On 10/9/2021 at 2:33 AM, ZombieMedic123 said:

 

I don't hate it, but I am definitely not "passionate" about it coming in.

So you are going to go through 4 years of nursing school with no interest in helping others. Hopefully you will be humbled quickly in NS. 

 

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Specializes in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation.

A year old topic, curious to see if the OP ever made it through.

I can say myself I wasn't that passionate about nursing school when I got in and started. I have been blessed with a pretty good life in general and never really experienced the "bad" of life. I remember the first day where everyone introduced themselves and 99% of my classmates all had some sort of life changing event that motivated them to get into nursing (mostly it was having a loved one pass away or taking care of a very sick loved one). I, myself didn't have anything to introduce other than nursing ran in my family and it was a family push for me to do nursing because it's a very stable job and pays well. 

I was scared, anxious, worried, but also excited because I was finally getting my career started. But, I think I can see why the OP is not passionate about nursing. I think I can say I was in his footsteps as a young 22 year old starting nursing school. I had many other things on my mind and nursing was a way for me to achieve those things.

7 plus years later, my passion for nursing is a trait I quickly picked up when I was finally thrown on the floor and saw the real world of health care.

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Nope. It has to be your one true passion otherwise you can’t do it.

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On 11/29/2022 at 5:05 PM, S8317823 said:

Nope. It has to be your one true passion otherwise you can’t do it.

ROFL. Sure. LOL

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Specializes in LPN student.

As a fellow vet, absolutely don't try to chase the adrenaline rush you had when you I served. I promise you, nothin compares to it. My service was exciting, and the relationships I formed with others were stronger than any I've formed or ever will form. But that's just it. It's temporary. You have to find another purpose, and learn to define yourself in ways that are detached from the military. I've had too many friends who couldn't do that and ended up lonely, miserable and angry. I am getting into nursing for most of the reasons you mentioned, but technical expertise is what I'd rather attain. There's tons of interesting things about most of the nursing specialties if you are genuinely interested in medicine. If you aren't, don't do it. Most of the students I go to school with either do it because it pays well, or because they want to work in the ER/ICU. They already hate nursing and they haven't even started their first jobs. Good luck if you do attend school anyway.

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