Do men and women go into nursing for different reasons?

Anoetos, BSN, RN · Aug 11, 2012

ah yes, "the calling." personally, i think it's a load of hogwash. someone can have the calling and be totally incompetent, and personally i'd rather have competent coworkers and, when i'm sick, a competent nurse. enjoying science, technology and critical thinking are all good reasons to be interested in the profession. so is decent pay, flexible scheduling and indoor work. (dh was a towtruck driver and construction worker before nursing school.)

when talking to all those "calling" folks, bear in mind that some of them don't even believe what's coming out of their mouths . . . they say it because everyone else is.

this!

Anoetos, BSN, RN · Aug 11, 2012

I am in it because I lost my job and had to do something.

Good thing for me I like people and science. Nursing has been a great fit and I seem to be pretty good at it.

Like an earlier poster, I have always been fascinated by how the body works and how disease processes come about, how they progress, how they can be arrested and, if possible, reversed.

But a "calling"? Nope (another thing that irritates me is the "Nurses are Compassion in Scrubs" crap...please. A lot nurses I know are the most cynical, darkest humored, clutch people I have ever met. "Compassion" is very secondary to them. Efficiency, time management and critical thinking came well before it. The "Compassion" thing, like the "Calling" thing are words nurses like to use with themselves mainly as in-group language cues).

SweetPEI · Aug 12, 2012

I've already replied, and although"a calling" is not my reason like love of science is, I don't doubt that some were made just to be nurses. For example, I have a friend who was going to school for her degree in speech pathology. She told me she didn't know how I could do it (nursing) because she couldn't stand the sight of blood/body fluids, etc. As she continued school she realized that she wanted to actually help people get better and she prayed about it, recently graduated, and is a licensed nurse. Calling? Im not sure (methinks it was quicker), but she did give up a guaranteed position of speech pathologist, great great pay, great hours, low stress to nurse it on up.

As far as the "compassion" thing, I think some of that is important when you consider that customer service is the sauce. You don't smile, your name might be reported to administration. We can become rough, rude and crazed when we are filled with fear. As patients we have no concern for the next person. Nurses really have to learn(or some have it naturally) to work around this negativity and still provide "customer service with a smile." Going by just that, some people have a gift when it comes to making people feel good, while others do it for a bigger reason

Natkat, BSN, MSN, RN · Aug 12, 2012

Exactly! I felt bullied by the faculty into trying to admit that I was going into for the wrong reason. Psssh. Get outta town! I got into because by the age of 40 I had not a dime saved for retirement and I was freaking out. I was trying to think of what I could do to make a lot of money really fast. So, I went to nursing school and now I have a tidy little retirement fund going. That faculty with all their lofty opinions won't be around to keep a roof over my head when I'm retired. I've got to take care of myself. We all do.

umbdude, MSN, APRN · Aug 12, 2012

I decided on changing to nursing for many reasons. Some of them are practical and some of them align with my personal values. For example, I was sitting in front of a PC all day in my last job and I'm the type who likes to move around and do some things hands-on. I also worked with a highly narrow group of people (highly educated white collar), but I truly want to work with populations that are stigmatized or underserved (especially people with mental health issues and/or AIDS patients). I want a career with time flexibility (not just 9-5) and geographical options, so that if I want to move to another state I know there are jobs that require my skills. Finally, I chose nursing because it does offer upward mobility (becoming an NP) and lateral mobility (clinical to research).

I also have certain traits that I believe would help in nursing. So for me, it's not so much a calling but a combination of reasons.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Aug 12, 2012

I've already replied, and although"a calling" is not my reason like love of science is, I don't doubt that some were made just to be nurses. For example, I have a friend who was going to school for her degree in speech pathology. She told me she didn't know how I could do it (nursing) because she couldn't stand the sight of blood/body fluids, etc. As she continued school she realized that she wanted to actually help people get better and she prayed about it, recently graduated, and is a licensed nurse. Calling? Im not sure (methinks it was quicker), but she did give up a guaranteed position of speech pathologist, great great pay, great hours, low stress to nurse it on up.
As far as the "compassion" thing, I think some of that is important when you consider that customer service is the sauce. You don't smile, your name might be reported to administration. We can become rough, rude and crazed when we are filled with fear. As patients we have no concern for the next person. Nurses really have to learn(or some have it naturally) to work around this negativity and still provide "customer service with a smile." Going by just that, some people have a gift when it comes to making people feel good, while others do it for a bigger reason

I beg to differ. I've spent far more time as a patient these past few months than I have as a nurse, and I can assure you that I've never lost my concern for the next person. If the patient in the next bed is sicker than me and sucks up more of the nurse's time, I'm profoundly grateful that I'm not that sick. And I am mature enough to realize that if I spread negativity around toward the staff caring for it, I'm not going to get their best in return. So I spread please and thankyous and when you have times instead. Anyone can do that. But too many decide not to.

SweetPEI · Aug 13, 2012

I beg to differ. I've spent far more time as a patient these past few months than I have as a nurse, and I can assure you that I've never lost my concern for the next person. If the patient in the next bed is sicker than me and sucks up more of the nurse's time, I'm profoundly grateful that I'm not that sick. And I am mature enough to realize that if I spread negativity around toward the staff caring for it, I'm not going to get their best in return. So I spread please and thankyous and when you have times instead. Anyone can do that. But too many decide not to.

In not saying it in a bad way. I'm saying when people are ill, they may become unlike themselves and many times can feel as if they are being ignored, ill treated, etc. I've always heard that nurses are the worst patients, but from my experience, at least, they are more understanding than any patient I've encountered. I've dealt with many [nurse] patients and they are the best when it comes to understanding the time constraints and other obstacles staff may face, that can affect their own time with staff. Perhaps it is because you understand that, even as a patient, you have been on both sides of the door. However, people in general may not understand and when they get besides themselves, if the staff take it personal or show no compassion, it can be interpreted negatively by the patient.

rubato, ASN, RN · Aug 16, 2012

Yet another female opinion here.

I am going into nursing because I've been a stay at home mom for the last 13 years and am unemployable. I was a personal trainer before and hated my job. But, like others, the human body fascinates me. I am smart enough to know that nursing is a hard math and science based career (which I love), but I am a people person as well. I also needed a job that kept me moving, on my feet, and kept changing (I'm a little bit hyper and can't sit still). Now, I just need to get through school, get a job, and get going.

exit96 · Aug 28, 2012

Meh, hard to sort out all my thoughts on this one. I have wanted to be a nurse since my early 20's. Not exactly sure why, but I do believe there is an aspect of caring about people that must be in there somewhere. Never really cared about the science of it all, only that people are hurting and dying and someone needs to be there and do what needs to be done. Well, I did what I had to to feed my family and now at 48yrs old I have been an RN for 8 months. I like it, finally a nurse. I don't believe this is an either or. Can you be a brain and love all the science, technology, do everything right as far as critical thinking, and still be a POS nurse? Absolutely. Can you be a flighty bleeding heart and be a lousy nurse? Absolutely. SO, you really need both. And as far as "calling" I am not so sure that can be ruled out as hogwash. Depends on a person's spiritual beliefs and such. I do believe that the concept can be both good and bad. It can cause someone who would be a great nurse to stop and say "I don't have the calling, so I guess I am not suppsed to be a nurse." On the other hand, those who truly feel this "calling" also could be some great nurses.