Published Apr 28, 2004
minnielynn
189 Posts
I currently work in a hospital as a secretary and for the most part i have only dealt with paperwork.I have taken a&p I and med terminology and i LOVED these classes and the human body amazes me, i am very friendly and very easy to get along with. I help anyone that needs help, but I am concerned about my choice to become a nurse. Some of my friends are telling me that becoming a nurse is something you are born with and they also tell me that you have to be ready to devote most of your time to your job. currently i am attending school for some remedial courses and i work full time, and i am a mother of 2, and i get some help from family. How did you guys finally realize that nursing was for you? was it during your first semester? I mean right now and i am so much into nursing, but some of the comments I am hearing are giving me seconds thoughts. should i just follow my instincts? I mean really how can i know if i will be a good nurse til' i try it?:uhoh21:
angel337, MSN, RN
899 Posts
i don't think nursing is something you have to be necessarily born to do, but you do have to be a patient person who works well understand stress. as for devoting most of your time at work.. i don't think so, because nowdays alot of nurses work 3 12 hour shifts, which gives them 4 days off during the week to do whatever. i personally think nursing school was more stressfull than actually working. now i go to work and that's it. no more stressing over tests and projects. i think you should go for it. if that is what you always wanted to do and you don't feel challenged in your current secretary job... nursing will definitely challenge you. besides there are so many opportunities you can choose to do just about anything. good luck :)
chris_at_lucas_RN, RN
1,895 Posts
How did I know nursing was for me? Not sure--I was five. I remember the day I knew, but how...?
You sound like an ideal personality for nursing! You are caring and concerned, and you are bright. You like science, and it sounds like you like the application of science (the P part of A&P is a good indicator).
I'd say, go for it! Something you were born to? May be (I think I was, actually), but maybe you were too?
Good luck! (Come on in, the water's fine!)
Chaya, ASN, RN
932 Posts
Minnielyn-
You should absolutely follow your instincts. I let myself be discouraged from becoming a nurse for about 25 years because I also thought you had to have the calling or whatever. I could not honestly say thay I nursed baby birds, or my dollies or that I just knew I was meant to be a nurse from kindergarden on. When I finally decided to go for it however (at the age of 47), I found it was a good fit for me for the same basic reasons as you- I loved physiology and wanted to work with people. Go for it!
thank you all for your support. I have a medical-surgical nursing book that i am reading just to get a feel of what I will be learning, and I am really enjoying it, so I am going for it!!! I will keep you all posted, again thank you all for the postive response.
if you are enjoying reading a med-surg book...that is a BIG clue that you should pursue your dream :)