why did you decide this career field?

SingDanceRunLife · Apr 18, 2009

In a nutshell:

I've always been fascinated by anything related to medicine, and I've always wanted to do a job that would help people.

An excerpt from one of my application essays:

I am often asked “Why nursing? Why not just be a doctor?” While it an obvious fact that doctors are crucial to the medical profession, something that is often overlooked is how crucial nurses are too. I believe nursing is just as rewarding as being a doctor because in nursing, you interact with a variety of people on a very personal level, and truly become invested in the patient. Even if only for a moment, making a difference in someone’s life can have long-term benefits and rewards, both for the patient and the nurse.

Coriander, BSN, RN · Apr 18, 2009

I was originally going into Kinesiology... and then my grandmother became very ill and was put on Hospice. Those few days were extremely hard, but the hospice nurses and staff made her transition a lot easier on our family because of the gentle care and love.

I changed my major a month afterward to Nursing and haven't looked back.

I worked for some time in an Alzheimer's facility and it further cemented my desire to be a nurse.

chloejean104 · Apr 18, 2009

I was kind of in the same boat as you when I decided I wanted to pursue a career as a nurse. At the time I was all set on going to school for my hobby, a horse trainer, but it just wasn't something I was passionate about enough for it to be my sole career, so I did some thinking. I had always shown interest in the medical field but sort of brushed it off for various reasons. I ended up choosing nursing just because I love helping people, along with having an interest in medicine, and I really just enjoy that person to person contact. That feeling you get when you know you just did something good for someone in need is amazing, so nursing it was.

guiltysins · Apr 18, 2009

I don't know why I initially decided to be in the health sciences, but it was always something that interested me. I of course had that idea of being a doctor but then decided that I wanted to be a nurse. The reason was I didn't want the full responsibility of a doctor but I still wanted to be helpful. My mom spent a lot of time in the hospital and I realized that aside from the specialty doctors, nurses were the main foundation of the patient care. They got to know their patients a little more than the doctors and gave the support and that's what I wanted to do. I wanted to have more of a patient level than it seemed doctors have. Not to mention I don't think I could have afforded going to med school.

I've always been interested in the medical field though, something about it just interests me and I've never been the one to do a desk job. Caring for people I think is the right passion to have that some people don't have for this profession. However, you should make sure that you're okay with being in a hospital, dealing with blood and other incredibly nasty things you'll encounter and be okay with the fact that you may not be working with kids or the elderly. If you're okay with that then I say go for it.

kitti419 · Apr 19, 2009

My 2nd pregnancy was the fire under my behind. I've always been curious about the medical field. I thought I would be a veterinarian one day but by the time I got my guts up for a career change, I felt like it was just too late to go back for so many years and go such much more in student debt, plus I didn't feel I would be competitive enough for vet school (little did I know how competitive nursing would be!). I have 2 small children to care for and wanted to get into something quickly. I had to think long and hard about my career path. I had been taking care of animals for years in various fields, and, while enjoyable, when I compared human medicine with animal medicine, I simply felt that my time was better invested with people. I am fascinated with L&D and I hope that I will get into nursing school and eventually specialize there. The journey has been challenging and incredibly fascinating and I don't feel regret ever, no matter how hard it has gotten thus far. The other major factor in my decision was the variety one seems to have going into the field. I have also pictured myself as one day teaching at the college level and I love the idea that nursing will allow me to make a decent living, continue my education, and spend my time in a capacity I find meaningful to the greater good of humanity. I feel proud and honored to be on the path to nursing. I look forward to one day delivering babies.

Agrippa · Apr 19, 2009

I chose this field because I can honestly say that I know what I will be doing will be unambiguously good. I will know that when I look back on my career, it mattered to at least one person. I could never see myself is something like "business" or "advertising." I would be ashamed to be on my deathbed to see that I spent a huge part of my adult life being a whore for a corporation just to make money for the stockholders.

freesia29, ASN, RN · Apr 19, 2009

As a child I dreamed of being a nurse, once in highschool, I thought I would be a doctor....but was easily disueded by my parents (cost of med school...having a mother who belives getting her daughters married and having babies is enough (yes don't get me started on THAT one!))....so I let it go.

But I have always been fascinated with the human body and disease and prevention, I read alternative health type books voraciously....and then thought about being a naturopath....but then I am still always drawn to being in the hospital....and ND's don't really go in there.....

After my 2nd baby, at 5 days postpartum I started up with a very high fever, my 3 yo son had it first.....and dd was very jaundiced, so we both ended up back in the hospital. They were worried about meningitis so my poor dd had to have a spinal tap....she was in the incubator with the lights and an iv in her head.....and the worst part was, I was in isolation, so I could not see her, hold her or nurse her for 24 hrs.....it was hell. You can imagine around day 5 is when those post partum blues kick in.....it was the worst night of my life......

Anyway...to make a long story short.....if it hadn't of been for the peds nurses that kept coming up to tell me how she was doing.....and then of course help me down to see her after the 24 hrs...once my fever broke and tests came back neg.....I bawled cuz she wouldn't latch on again after having a bottle with formula for 1 day.....and again, the most amazing nurse helped me....

I knew right then and there...that was it for me....I no longer had any doubts....

tfleuter, BSN, RN · Apr 19, 2009

I started out in customer service and then made a jump to vet tech b/c I found a real passion for animals; owning, training, care of, ect. While I enjoyed being a vet tech, I was quite frustrated by the lack of advancement, inability to specialize, low pay, ect. I knew I needed to find something else once I realized that the majority of my paychecks went to taxes, gas and childcare. I was working so I could afford to work. I knew I loved interacting with the animals, but I really enjoyed the medical aspect as well! I also had little interest in becoming a Vet. As I was researching other health professions, nursing was the one the offered me the best opportunity for advancement (start at LPN/RN, and continue on till I'm happy), opportunity to specialize (in the vet tech field, you are exposed to many things, but usual on a basic/general level) and good pay.

I can't say I always dreamed of being a nurse, I didn't. I dreamed I would grow up to marry a well-to-do man and have 5 kids and live on a beautiful farm with all the animals I could wish for and an apartment in the city when I got sick of the country (Hey, that seems pretty reasonable when you are 8, right?)

TexasNurse2B · Apr 20, 2009

I originally started out as a Criminal Justice major. I wanted to be a Criminal Defense Attorney to be exact. I always thought that if I ever went into the medical field I was going to be a doctor.....no way would I ever be a nurse! In 2006 my daughter was born. She became very ill with pneumonia, bronchulitis and a collapsed lung @ 2 weeks old and ended up in the NICU for 2 1/2 weeks. There I saw how much the nurses cared for my baby girl. How much they wanted to do everything they could to make her better. After that I chose nursing and never looked back. Although its killing me because its such a hard career path....I'm realizing more and more that I'm meant to be in this field.

markuskristian · Apr 20, 2009

A passion for the inner-workings of the body and a desire to help people. I believe that's all you need. Patience, time management, high tolerance for dealing with BS.. I think those can be learned along the way.

I think every nurse lives for that moment when they truly alter someone's life for the better (speaking as a student, not a nurse yet)

~RN67~ · Apr 28, 2009

I've wanted to be a nurse since I can remember... MASH & Major Houlihan... China Beach..., I'm dating myself, lol... Life happened and I never had the opportunity to return to school... Then I became pregnant with our last baby and developed severe preeclampsia at the age of 40... I spent 12.5 day in the hospital and our son spent 3 weeks in the NICU.... It was the nursing staff that took care of us that became my inspiration to return to school and pursue my nursing degree... finally! It's never too late :)