What made/makes you want to be a nurse?

Imnotasailor · Apr 10, 2018

I am a current pre-nursing student and I want to make sure what I am pursuing is right. And I want to compare my aspirations with your responses. Thank you.

Davey Do · Apr 16, 2018

Wow. I'm surprised no one has answered you after 5 days, Imnotasailor. It could be because yours is an oft asked question. If you wish, you may use the search option and read what responses others received.

But, while we're here, I became a nurse for 4 reasons:

I wanted to 1) make a contribution 2) in an interesting field 3) that had good job security and 4) paid well.

Okay. Maybe there was five reasons: 5) I wanted to meet girls. I met all three of my wives at the hospitals where I worked. They didn't all work out.

But my choice in careers did work out: I've been a nurse for nearly 35 years and am happy with my decision.

Good luck and the best to you, Imnotasailor!

allnurses Guide · Apr 16, 2018

I like people.

I like taking care of people.

I like fixing things.

I like the "rescuer role".

I like teaching people.

I like making a difference in people's lives.

I like comforting and settling down that scared-to-pieces little kid going in for emergency surgery.

I like problem solving.

I like making money doing what I like to do.

Rocknurse, MSN, APRN, NP · Apr 16, 2018

I'm just fascinated by medicine. When I study I get lost in it...I never get bored. I watch all the documentaries and read all the books. I kind of fell into nursing by accident...literally...I had a motorcycle accident and ended up in hospital for a while. Even though I hurt, I actually loved being in a hospital environment. I've been in nursing for 29 years now and will be an NP very soon...I still have the same fascination, except now I know a whole lot more.

brownbook · Apr 16, 2018

I admit I was kinda sorta interested in medical "stuff" in my teens. Would NEVER become a nurse because I hated math, science, etc., was not a good student. Vaguely thought I'd like to be a teacher.

Ten years later, after a few secretarial jobs, not working after the birth of my second child, hubby (who worked with a few nurses who had "cushy" non bedside 8 -5 Mon. to Fri. jobs working with him in overseeing care of children with developmental disabilities for the state). Anyway hubby said, "You could be a nurse, I work with nurses!"

I thought ha ha,....I will show him, I will flunk out of chemistry! (A little passive aggressive do ya think!) As a 28 year old student I got all A's much to my surprise. He had an aunt who was a nurse. I had zero family or friends who were nurses and knew nothing realistic about nursing. I thought ALL hospital patients were critically ill, close to dying.

So that is why I became a nurse. Only took about two years as a new grad to get the hang of it, no patients were harmed in the interim.

River&MountainRN, ADN, RN · Apr 16, 2018

Thank you for posting this, as I've recently come to a crossroads and began asking myself the very same question. I'm an RN who started out as a CNA. I'd always been fascinated by the medical world, and was never afraid of stepping into the hospital environment when my father was in and out of the hospital when I was a child. But my major wasn't always nursing: it started out as Marine Biology (because I love the water, the lab environment, and biology), then Psychology (because I've psychoanalyzed myself enough over the years to practically have my doctorate! and find the human psyche interesting) as I watched the funding/jobs for marine biologists dry up. Then, when it seemed the economy here in the US just wasn't going to recover and I'd need that doctorate in psychology to really be able to make a living...I turned to becoming a CNA first, to save up money for nursing school. Then I became an ADN-RN.

Ultimately it comes down to two things: economical reasons (job availability for both CNAs and, later, RNs...and a livable wage for RNs) coupled with a profession I could foresee myself always being interested in. I now have a love-hate relationship with nursing because I can see what it could be and have heard what it was like at one point in the past (my mom has been a nurse since 1972 and my great-aunt was a WWII nurse), but I'm also quickly becoming disillusioned with what it is today. But it pays the bills, and it allows me to live in an area on a two-year degree that most can't afford with their four-year (or more) degrees because the economy dried up in their fields (I don't want to name exactly where, but it's a touristy destination where weekly summer rents are double what I pay for my monthly mortgage+taxes+insurance combined). So, I am ultimately grateful to nursing for providing for me, and I cherish when I can genuinely feel like I made a difference in someone's life and I'm not just perpetuating a maladaptive coping pattern or addiction.

JadedCPN, BSN, RN · Apr 17, 2018

I was in the hospital a lot as a kid so I was always interested in being a pediatric nurse. The pay and job security sold me on it. That being said I know several nurses who never had a "calling" or personal reason to go into nursing, and they are great nurses.

Wiggly Litchi · Apr 17, 2018

Not a nurse, but sooon, sooooon ; ; ...

I work in healthcare for many reasons. I feel odd because I am one of a crowd that never got 'called' to it - sure, if for some dire reason I don't graduate, I'll have to think of a plan B that would satisfy my curiosity, but I don't think it's like my divine purpose. Maybe I'll do medical lab science! More microbes, more fun~

Medical science has always interested me. I was the kind of kid that'd pull things apart to see how they work, and getting to see how the human body works (and in some cases, doesn't) really intrigues me.

Like others, i feel it's my duty to give back to society. I don't believe in throwing money at a problem, but I'm definitely all in for giving my time. I have a knack with patients, and over my years as a CNA I've been able to touch so many lives; at the same time, they've made my life richer too. I've learned how to handle some really difficult patients, but I've also been incredibly blessed and been able to meet some really interesting folks

My natural curiosity and drive is pushing me to increase my scope of practice. Really, I'm like 50% in for the fun of it, 30% for the people, and I wouldn't be lying if I said that the job security was a huge draw.

WalterWho · Apr 18, 2018

I became a nurse for a lot of reasons; the pay, the challenge, the rush. But it wasn't until I was already practicing when I discovered the real reason. I had a real sick dude that had emergency surgery, coded once, and spent a very long time in the hospital. He recognized me in public in a chance encounter. He literally stood up from his wheelchair, hugged me, and cried as he told his family how he couldn't have made it without me.

bugya90, ASN, BSN, LVN, RN · Apr 18, 2018

I always wanted to be a Physical Therapist growing up (had a family member with spinal injury). Got to college and decided I didn't want to spend 6-8 years in school so switched to nursing because I thought it was just a two year program. Joke was on me. I did 2 years of pre-reqs, 1 year of LVN program, worked as a LVN for 6 years before finishing up my RN, and am now looking at another year to finish my BSN (9-10 year journey in total) and am considering getting my Master's.

I picked nursing because I foolishly thought it was less school. I also looked at the job market and nurses have decent pay and job stability. I watched my parents struggle financially growing up and knew I didn't want to be in that situation. Now that I am a nurse I do not regret switching majors. I get to spend more time with my patients and have more versatility in my career if/when I decide to leave the bedside.