Do you remember the moment?

[BeansMama]

When you decided to go to nursing school and become a nurse? I know not everyone has necessarily experienced a specific moment that made them want to be a nurse, but some of us have. I had forgotten mine for a little while trying to get through the grind. But my mom reminded me recently. (I didn't truly forget)

It was when I was pregnant with my first daughter. I was in labor at home for 13 hours before going to the hospital. I was in pain and choose to have and epidural. It did not go well. (We later found out that my epidural space is shallower than it should be for my height and weight) So I ended up leaking spinal fluid and it was 45 min of pure torture of them trying to get the epidural in. I felt everything they were doing back there and was severely contracting on top of that, my parents heard me screaming down the hall. One of the nurses in the room grabbed me by my elbows and very calmly but firmly said, "Stop. You need to breath and calm down." She put a vomit pan in front of me because I told her felt like I was going to puke. She took breaths with me and held my arms until the epidural was in.

This was my moment!

Followed by many others.

The home care nurse that convinced my family to get me to go get a blood patch two days later after the above birth.

The ICU nurses that took incredible care of my dad when he became septic and spiked to 109F.

Watching a coworker seize and remaining calm and yearning to know the correct thing to do.

The nurse aides and techs that cared for my combative grandma in a nursing home.

The nurse practitioners I saw while pregnant with my second daughter that listened to me and were genuine despite their patient volume.

These moments keep me going.

What's yours? :)

[BeansMama]

Chose* to (sorry!)

[MommaTy]

Mine was for various reasons as well.

I first knew it when I would volunteer at a nursing home when I was in middle school. The satisfaction of helping people made me so happy.

My Pediatrician was an amazing woman, I loved her, she is sooooo smart. I loved just sitting with her and getting into medical talks.

When I had my children (I have 5) the nurses were very nice. I had an epidural for 2 out of 5 and went natural for the other 3. The nurses would breathe with me and couldn't believe how well I kept it together during labor and pushing.

When my 4th child was 1 month old he got RSV and was in the PICU for 2 weeks. The nursing staff was the best I have ever come across. They would sit and talk with me and they were very sympathetic and I couldn't have felt like the care was any better than it was.

I know nursing is for me. I have been a CNA for 10 years and I knew since middle school that nursing was for me.

[dawniepoo]

The moment I was leaving the hospital after having my first baby- I was scared, and the look on my face was obvious to my nurse. She gave me a hug and a look back at me that said "you can do it." I have never forgotten that. She has no idea what she did for me in that moment, but that was when I decided I wanted to support others when they need it most!

[ames86]

While pregnant and then the birth of my first child. I have always been healthy so I never really went to the doctor so I was never introduced to nursing. While pregnant and during the birth of my daughter I always noticed the nurses. The more I watched them and seen how caring they were I starting wishing I could be a nurse. I then decided to become a nursing assistant and did that work for a couple of years before deciding to become a nurse. Now here I am halfway though my program, and I love every moment of it.

[Exhaustipated, ADN, BSN]

I had already decided I was finally going to college -- I hadn't gone when I finished high school, and it had always been my big regret. D-day would be when my son entered middle school. That way, I knew he could stay alone for short periods, if necessary. The only thing I hadn't decided on was my field of study.

Then my son got sick. We were in and out of the ER during what should have been his first week of fifth grade. His PCP knew he was sick and was sending us to the ER so my son could be evaluated for admission. ER was rehydrating him and sending us home. By the time we got to the children's hospital, I was a wreck. I knew my son was sick. In fact, he was very sick. But in the children's hospital ER, I was staring into the face a doctor I knew was going to send us home. Without answers. Again. I was frustrated. I didn't have the knowledge or education I knew I needed to communicate with the staff why I knew my son was sick, resulting in my coming off as just another neurotic mom. At that point, I decided I was going to explore healthcare as a serious possibility for my field of study. I needed to get educated.

My son was finally admitted to the hospital that night. Not because of anything I said, but because somebody saw test results that were concerning.

While my son and I were in that hospital room, I paid attention to the staff. Were any of those jobs something I could do? I watched the nurses. I paid attention to the techs. I gotta say I was impressed with every one of them. But is was the kindness of one tech that solidified my decision.

She had come into the room after I had received some upsetting news about my son's condition, looked at me, and told me how strong I was. "Oh, no," I replied. "He's the strong one. He's going through all this, enduring all this pain and frustration and disappointment, and he's being a real trooper about it all."

That's when this wonderful woman whose name I can't remember looked me straight in the face and told me not to sell myself short. Yes, my son was the one going through it all, and yes, he was dealing with it all very well, but I was going through it all right along with him. She pointed out that I was going through it and managing to hold everything together, and that takes strength. Then she reiterated her initial assertion, telling me again how strong I was and how she admired my strength.

I may not remember that woman's name, but I will never forget what she said or how she made me feel. It was that conversation that convinced me healthcare was where I needed to be, because I wanted to do for others what she did for me.

[nekozuki, LPN]

Yep, I sure do remember. I was on a suspension from my restaurant job for verbally eviscerating a co-worker in front of her boyfriend, who also happened to be my boss (not one of my finer moments). As I sat in front of the computer skimming through job applications, my mother sat down beside me. She's basically mother-earth incarnate, a really sweet, soft-spoken woman who dislikes confrontation...and she flat out told me it was time to grow up and make something of myself. Nursing school had always been a pipe dream, so I went for it. Getting suspended was the best thing to ever happen to me (sort of)

[~Melissa~]

I had planned to go into med school after college- always. Unfortunately, immaturity and the shock of being responsible for myself (ha!) resulted in my dropping out if college at 20.

I've always been interested in the medical field and had toyed with the idea if nursing, but never put much serious thought into it, to be honest. Then, when my oldest child was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at 18 months old, I realized being a nurse was truly my calling.

We've spent a lot of time (comparatively) at the local children's hospital and I have seen firsthand just how badly GOOD nurses are needed. Unfortunately, there seems to be a REAL shortage in our area!

[carolinapooh, BSN, RN]

I know this is a student forum, but I lurk everywhere on this board and wanted to share my story.

I had separated from the USAF in 2000, gotten my degree while I was in, and then lived overseas for three years. When I came back to the US, I realized that I wasn't happy with what I was doing (I was working in clinical research and hated it - I now have a deep, visceral dislike and mistrust of pharmaceutical companies). I talked to my husband about going back to school to be a pharmacist, and started taking prereqs for it. I even worked as a pharmacy tech for a while. (And found out I hated it - a lot. So I started toying with PA school - the prereqs are basically the same, and a little bit of organic chemistry never really hurt anyone, so I was okay with that. LOL.)

All that changed when my dad suddenly became ill, was hospitalized, ended up in the ICU vented, and we eventually decided - after thirteen long but too short days - to withdraw care. (He was hospitalized April 7 and passed away April 20.) I was there talking to my daddy and holding his hand as he passed away.

I then watched the nurse as she cut off the monitors and marked the tape with TOD (RNs can pronounce in NC). I saw she was crying.

I am first and foremost a people person, and it struck me how this woman, who'd known my dad for what - a week? given the nature of shift work? - was moved enough by his death and the obvious grief of those around him that she cried, right there, in front of us and with us. It struck me that she took the time to care and let us know it.

And at that second - I'll never forget it - I knew I wanted to go to nursing school.

So I did. And I've been doing it for almost six years now and can't imagine doing anything else. I'm back on active duty again, as an officer in the USAF Nurse Corps, and I love it.

[babelinglove33]

Yes. I was having a very traumtic birth experience with my first child and my nurses were my rock. They talked me through every thing. I knew I wanted to go into a career helping people but I wasn't sure what yet.

It was actually the nursing student who did the best job now that I think about it. I yelled at that poor girl so many times and she just kept talking really calmly to me. They asked her if she wanted to put a catheter in and when I freaked out and said she couldn't let go of my hand she gave up that learning experience to stay by my side.

My nurses positively impacted an otherwise horrible situation and I knew that's what I wanted to do.

[carolinapooh, BSN, RN]

You actually gave her a greater experience in my opinion. You can learn a catheter on anyone, but not everyone gives you an opportunity to truly practice your bedside manner in a way that REALLY MATTERS. :)

[rubato, ASN, RN]

My father is a HORRIBLE patient. He is mean, cussing and rude to his nurses because he doesn't want to do what they want him to. My turning point was when his nurse said to him "You are going to get out of bed, get off your ass and move, mister!" He was shocked and did exactly what the nurse told him to from that point on. She was a wonderful nurse, and the fact that she put up with him was shocking. But, when she gave it back to him, I had that ah ha moment of "Hey, maybe this IS the career path for me".