Why do you want to/did you become a Nurse?

ksrn2004 · Apr 10, 2003

I agree a lot with Sandy. It was a "calling from God" for me too. I have always wanted to be a nurse, ever since I was a little girl, but when I was in high school, I talked with a few counselors about colleges & was always told you have to be good at math & science to get in to nursing school -- of course, my worst 2 subjects!! Plus, I didn't know about the 2 year program & couldn't see myself going to school another 4 years, so, I chose a career path where I would only have to go to school for 2 years & make "all this money"!! (ha!) So, I went to court reporting school. I did graduate, but after grad., I couldn't find a job anywhere around my town & since I was getting married, I couldn't move, so I found a job at an insurance company & got suckered into staying there for the next 14 years of my life!! About 2 years ago, when I started my pre-req's, is when I got the calling. A friend of mine was going to night school & he was married with a child, so I thought -- why can't I?! I was completely burned out of the insurance stuff & I just had this feeling that it was the right thing for me to do. So I did! Funny how it all works out! I lost my job in April this past year ('02) - layoffs & went on unemployment. Now I have gotten into their retraining program & they are helping me pay for school!! I am also making pretty good grades, so I'm quite sure I made the right decision. And that's my story!!!

2banurse · Apr 10, 2003

Somehow for me, nursing was always there in the back of my mind. When I first graduated high school I was accepted into an ADN program (1983), but at 18, I wasn't ready yet emotionally. I still found myself very interested in the health field and spent about ten years working as medical secretary/transcriptionist position. During my last position as a medical secretary in NY, my immediate supervisor was the RN-Coordinator of a continuing day treatment center. He is one of the most caring nurses that I have ever met. Although I had considered medicine, but I'm sure that you may have heard the expression, doctors treat the disease but nurses treat the patients...I like that. So here I am waiting eagerly to find out if I get into the ADN program this fall. If not, then I will just reapply next year. Either way, I know that nursing is going to be in my future.

Kris

P.S. Your reason for becoming a nurse is a wonderful reason and I'm sure that any patient you care for will appreciate your caring soul!

maeyken · Apr 11, 2003

It was the end of highschool and I had no idea what I wanted to do. So I decided I'd better pick *something*

I picked nursing cuz I've always been fascinated by medicine, and I didn't wanna take science in university. So here I am in nursing school, and loving it! (except for the essays!)

Also, when I told people I'd decided on nursing, so many of them said, "I can sooooo see you as a nurse" so that was affirming.

~ maeyken

Jennaphur · Oct 22, 2004

Hi everyone,

I've been reading all of your wonderful posts for a couple weeks now and finely decided to register today to join in ? My name's Jenn, I'm nineteen years old, and I'm a nursing student from the Western New York area.

Anyway, recently I was asked why I want to become a nurse, and that has since made me wonder about why all of you want/ed to become a nurse as well. So, why did you decide to (or want to) become a nurse? I'm curious as to what everyone's reasons are, like if you were influenced in some way by an experience or just want to help people or etc... the list can go on and on.

Hopefully this is posted in the right place and not overly redundant for all of you! :)...

Jenn

Jo Dirt · Oct 22, 2004

I wasn't really good at anything else. I discovered nursing was something I could do that payed a fair salary.

Antikigirl, ASN, RN · Oct 23, 2004

Well...when I was 28, I was a single mother of a brand new baby boy. I knew that I needed to chose a career so that I can take care of my little angel boy! I applied for financial aide in community college (it was the nearest college, and I needed something nearby), and got it...and a extra note saying I qualified for grants for nursing school!

I was stunned, but overjoyed! I remembered how many times my mom had saved people with CPR by just being at the right place at the right time, and her stories of being a school nurse (when school nurses didn't have their RN's..LOL!). I remembered that I was a better nurse and doc for that matter when it came to the birth of my son, and how much I truely enjoyed reading and learning everything about pregancy, and how my nurses and midwives told me that I would be an awesome nurse! So, I said "sure!!!!". Plus...there is never a lack of patients that need care...job security, and the pay isn't shabby!!!!!

Well...so far so good, and although I am a bit burned out at times...I still say it was a good move. Money wize it is very good, emotionally it is borderline most days...but like my day today..where I actually saved someone...it makes it better! And to have a family memember come up to you and hug you for all their might and say "thank you for saving my mom! I can't tell you what this means to me"...well..it is so cool to say "you just did!!!!! :) " makes weeks of frustration melt away!!!!!

But I do look back and wished I had gone with my original dream...vet! LOL! Patients aren't so gripy, you usually can guage when they are going to bite, they don't mind a scratch being the ear or the tummy, and they self correct normally with the sight of a rolled up newspaper..LOL!!!!!!!!

jaimealmostRN · Oct 23, 2004

If I didn't go to nursing school, I would have gone the vet route too! LOL! But anyway, I just love the nursing "role" inserting IVs, NGTs, foleys, pt education, assessments, critical monitoring, trauma mng't,etc etc etc!!!!!!

newgrad2005 · Oct 23, 2004

This is my second career. I spent my first few post-college (and grad school!) years in business, staring at a computer all day. I didn't feel I was helping anyone or making the world a better place. I guess I'm the kind of person who needs "instant gratification" in my work. And I have found that in nursing. Everyday I know I make someone's day a little better, and that is a great feeling.

GAgirl · Oct 23, 2004

I love my job. My mom had cancer when I was young and I felt so helpless. I wanted to learn to help people. I get to do that everyday...what other profession is so fulfilling? I can't imagine doing anything else.

Jo Dirt · Oct 23, 2004

jaimealmostRN said:
If I didn't go to nursing school, I would have gone the vet route too! LOL! But anyway, I just love the nursing "role" inserting IVs, NGTs, foleys, pt education, assessments, critical monitoring, trauma mng't,etc etc etc!!!!!!

I've heard it's harder to get into vet school than medical school.

hypnotic_nurse · Oct 23, 2004

I was not going to be a nurse (mom's a nurse, two aunts were nurses, my sister's a nurse, my best friend went to nursing school...no way was I going to jump on that bandwagon!). I became a research assistant through a long series of coincidences, loved it, and when I got divorced, my boss told me, "We can pay you double if you get your nursing degree..." well, it was a no-brainer. ?

hTx87 · Feb 2, 2006

I am a senior in high school and will graduate this may and will attend a community college probably for adn nursing..But I am not sure if nursing is what I want to do. Ive always wanted to work in the medical field and recently had interest in the nursing career. I want to know why did you become a nurse? What are the pros and cons of nursing?

Thanks