Nurses: Who came from a dysfuntional family?

Nurses General Nursing

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I am just curious as to how many of us came from a dysfunctional family. When I say dysfunctional, I mean children of alcholics, drug addicts, mental illness, child abuse whether it be physical or emotional. I read years ago that 75% of all nurses come from this type of environment. Is it true? Let me be the first to say "Yes"

That would be me!

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no for me. Good, loving, very supportive, tight family unit. Had a dad who always told me I could do anything, grew up with a lot of humor in the family. Only thing I can say is that my dad always told me I would make a good nurse someday and my sister a good teacher, and that is what we did.

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Specializes in icu,ccu, er, corrections.

also from a dysfunctional family

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I have yet to see any family without some kind of dysfunction.

My father, I believe, would have been diagnosed with depression. My mother would have been for sure. Mental illness (schizophrenia) seems to run in my family.

My 45 yr. old brother is an alcoholic and has been living in a room in my mom's house (unemployed) the past five years.

My mother complains he is killing her but she won't get the backbone to see he gets kicked out and stays out. I have another sister who is a boozer. I suffer from depression myself.

Not sure it necessarily has anything to do with being a nurse. Like I said, never saw a family that didn't have some type of dysfunction.

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Specializes in Neuro.

Both parents alcoholics. Dad quit about 10 years ago, mom's still going. Mom cheated on dad several times, including while I was in high school with the ice cream delivery man at the grocery store, ended up leaving my dad for the ice cream man (12 days before my high school graduation), who led her on with financial support for a few years and dumped her. Mom is unemployed, can't afford her rent, has no insurance, and buys wine instead of food.

My boyfriend's family has some major dysfunction in it also. He's a firefighter, brother's a cop, and sister's an RN.

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Specializes in LTC/Skilled Care/Rehab.

Yes....my dad was and still is a severe alcoholic.

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Specializes in Junior Year of BSN.

Alcoholic, abusive father. Have no idea if he's cured or not since I haven't seen him since I was a toddler. My mother left him, after he almost threw my mom off the balcony with me in her arms, and divorced him when I was 2. My mother never remarried and RARELY ever brought a boyfriend home (she's still currently single) since she was a child of abuse. So other than my toddler years I was in a semi-dysfunctional family LOL.

No longer consider single parent or divorced homes dysfunctional in my eyes since I never regretted not having a father. Can't miss what you never had.

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Specializes in Emergency.

Speaking for myself, I can say that I did come from a dysfunctional family.

I think that my experiences have made me the person I am today, and were a catalyst for deciding to become a nurse. I consider myself a stronger person, and also a more caring and empathetic person as a result of my life.

Amy

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I think 75% of PEOPLE come from dysfunctional families. We're all a little dysfunctional though.

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Well my dysfunctional family happens to come from divorce or I should say divorces. After my parents split my dad got remarried and then my mom got remarried. Then my mom got divorced again, then my dad got divorced. Now my dad is remarried and my mom is single. That is 3 divorces that I was a child in. That was dysfunctional!!!!

I hear ya! My mother has been married 5x..none of which lasted longer than 2 years.......if that's not dysfunctional...and it's "never her"....ummmm I beg to differ there...I have known her my entire life...lol(no pun intended)

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Specializes in LTC, Hospice, Case Management.
Am I the only nurse then that grew up in a happy home? No drinking or drugs, no divorce, happy married parents, etc.

The whole family still gets together every Sunday afternoon for lunch. I visit my folks every week, an my kids love their grandparents. I am actually looking forward to the 2 family reunions this summer. My husband is from a very functional family also.

Not bragging, but there are nurses from functional families out there.

I am also fortunate to come from a very happy home. Just got home from "hangin out" with my parents just because we all enjoy each others company. They have been happily married nearly 45 years, they raised 2 happy, productive kids, they are great in-laws and great grandparents. I count my blessings everyday. I started saying I was going to be a nurse around 5 years old - no nurses to influence on either side of my family.. I just knew it was what I was meant to do. I am so not a "sappy" person and don't consider myself to be highly religious either, but I will always believe I was put on this earth to be a nurse. There is just no other way to explain it.

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Am I the only nurse then that grew up in a happy home? No drinking or drugs, no divorce, happy married parents, etc.

The whole family still gets together every Sunday afternoon for lunch. I visit my folks every week, an my kids love their grandparents. I am actually looking forward to the 2 family reunions this summer. My husband is from a very functional family also.

Not bragging, but there are nurses from functional families out there.

No, you're not the only one.

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