what got you into nursing?

akcarmean, LPN · Mar 9, 2008

I never even thought of the nursing field until 15 yrs ago when my oldest son was born at 28 weeks. He spent 70 days in NICU. Ever since then I decided I wanted to be a nurse.

for me I had to take the small route CNA, then LPN now working on RN.

I have been in the field for a total of 10+ yrs.

it was the nurses dedication, teaching done to us, understanding, caring that got me hooked.

I hope you can find your way back to remembering the positives of why you went into nursing. good luck

emileabean0356 · Mar 10, 2008

I basically fumbled into the field! My mom has been a nurse for 21 years, mostly in the local ED. Approximately a year ago, I took an EMT course and began working with the local ambulance service. I quickly advanced my training by enrolling in a paramedic course, but discovered that I didn't like the pressure of being "alone" with a pt that may not be doing so hot. It was also during my clinical time for the paramedic course that I took a fondness for nursing.

Eventually, I hope to become a nurse practioner and/or fly on a helicopter. I know that I will run on an ambulance until I can no longer physically do so -- something about EMS just gets in your blood!

skyblue77 · Mar 10, 2008

What inspired me most would have to be when I was able to sit in with my sister during her C-Section. The nurses in the operating room were amazing. My mother is an LPN she inspires me as well but recently she has become a frustrated nurse so I try not to talk to her too much about it. My biggest goal is to go into forensic nursing and commit myself to helping convict criminals that harm women and children.

9livesRN, BSN, RN · Mar 10, 2008

What get's me going is the chance of making one's life at least a tad bit better everyday!

HGJ78 · Mar 10, 2008

I never even thought of the nursing field until 15 yrs ago when my oldest son was born at 28 weeks. He spent 70 days in NICU. Ever since then I decided I wanted to be a nurse.
/quote]
I have a very similar story only mine is a daughter, 30 weeks gestation, 49 days in the NICU and 2 years ago.
I felt so helpless in the NICU experience and I was so frustrated at hearing the answer "every baby is different and does things in their own time..." I had climbed the corporate ladder for almost 10 years and I wanted/needed a change. There is not a lot in this world that I have found to be more humbling than being completely helpless as a parent.
I decided that I needed a change (so did my boss as she would not approve my maternity leave for another 1 month so that I could be the one to bring my daughter home from the hospital and get her adjusted to her new surroundings...) When I was in college the first time around I wanted to go to nursing school but the amount of studying that was required really intimidated me, now it doesn't seem so daunting (I've taught a baby to eat that wasn't born with the suck, swallow, breathe reflex-what could possibly be harder than that??) So back to nursing I went. I honestly don't care where I end up as a nurse, all I know is that I never want to work in a NICU, talk about being too emotional on the job, "Jon and Kate Plus 8" even gets to me. Here I am today, waiting on my "letter" to let me know in/out or waitlisted.
After 49 days of sitting next to an acrylic box that held my whole world wondering when or if I would ever get to take her home this wait seems like a breeze.
~Peace~

mxems · Mar 11, 2008

I got out of the military and 3 of my best friends were all firefighters. They told me to go get my EMT cert and start testing for fire. But I found out that I really liked the medical side. It was so interesting. I got a job at an ambulance company and starting taking pre-reqs while testing for fire.

I quit testing for fire a couple of years ago, and I just got accepcted into a program this last month after a year on a wait list.

*tattooed~princess* · Mar 11, 2008

I always knew I wanted to do something "medical". It was dentist for a while, then physical therapy for a while, but only recently did I realize that nursing is where I want to be. I am a recovering addict and in my time in treatment I saw several women (myself included) go through detox. This was a very difficult time for me and the other women and the care and support the nurses provided was something I'd never seen before. I was treated as any other human being would have been treated when I was there which was something I was not used to due to my drug abuse. From then on I knew that in some way I would be the one to provide that comfort to another person going through what I went through. At the time I did not think I would actually be able to become a nurse- but today I know I can and it is my goal- I know that if I was able to overcome my addiction- I can do anything as long as I apply myself and want it for the right reasons!

mcs1505 · Mar 12, 2008

My younger sister and I made the Children's ER near my house our second home: both of us had complications during our births, she caught RSV at 2 weeks old, and the two of us are the most accident prone girls I've ever met (nails in feet, broken legs playing gymnastics in the basement, eating iron filings, grabbing ahold of gas grills, emergency surgeries etc.)

To me it just made sense. I happen to like the atmosphere of hospitals and always adored my nurses and found their jobs fascinating. I became an EMT during my first time in college (the time I was too scared to endure my nursing pre-reqs and so picked a lame nonsensical major instead) and that sealed the deal. I just love emergency medicine.

(I agree with you emileabean0356, EMS is definitely addicting. I get chills just seeing medics fly by me on the road.)

aerorunner80, ADN, BSN, MSN, APRN · Mar 12, 2008

I've been in and out of doctors offices my whole life for different things. I was also sick a lot when I was young. I never had a bad experience with any of the nurses that I ran into.

When I was in my early 20's I was seeing a doc quite regularly to get a final diagnosis on something. When we finally got down to what it was I didn't take it too well even though I kind of thought that's what it was the whole time. On my way out one of the nurses asked me if I was OK and I said that I wasn't. I had just had a lot of information thrown my way and I wasn't sure how to take it. That nurse was so nice and understanding that at that moment, I knew for sure that I wanted to be a nurse. :nurse:

So every time I would go into the office after that, I would ask her questions about her job as far as flexibility, pay (she never told me the dollar amount but she said it was worth it), schooling, continuing ed, etc. All the answers she gave me have been spot on.

Nepenthe Sea · May 22, 2008

I was going to post about this same subject, but as I was looking through the old posts, I saw this and decided to bump it.

I am like a couple of you. I NEVER thought about being a nurse. I was an art/psych major, became a massage therapist, got into greenhouse horticulture...

Then, I gave birth to twins that were 9 weeks early. They spent the first 5 weeks of their lives in NICU. I went up there every single day and helped take care of my daughters. I spent so much time up there that alot of the staff got to know me. I really enjoyed the nurses. They were very supportive of me and my family, and helped us out in so many ways. A couple of them even said that I was good at the job (meaning changing diapers around wires and tubes, bathing, etc.,) and said I should think about being a nurse. I completely blew it off, but after the girls came home I realized that I was very interested in preemies, and would like to work with them someday. I watched "Special Delivery" and any baby show that dealt with preemies and/or NICU, and of course, all the shows about multiples. I started to think that maybe SOMEDAY I might look into nursing.

Last summer I found out my husband had been cheating on me, while I was spending all of my time raising our kids. There was alot more to the story, and even though my daughters were only 18 months old, I decided I needed to leave him. So I moved back to my hometown, and my sister (who had tried to do NICU nursing, and couldn't handle it) got me a school catalog, financial aid papers, and all kinds of other help. I'm finishing up the last of my pre-requisites in the fall and am really hoping to enter the nursing program next spring.

Now, I can't figure out why I never thought about nursing before. I have always had an intense medical curiosity, and I kind of like being grossed out! :bugeyes: My dream is to return to my girls' NICU, as a nurse this time. I know most people can't wait to leave that place, and I couldn't either, but I feel like I can relate to many of the families there. At least one of my girls' nurses had been a NICU mom, too, and she was nice to have around. I want to help others the way that I was helped.

displacedfloridian · May 22, 2008

Hi,

My name is Judy, I'm 46 years old, and I started college in 1979, attended on & off for a few years with no particular direction.

I never was "good" at math or science and was never encouraged by anyone, let alone myself, to consider actually finishing college, let alone setting a goal as high as being a nurse and working towards that goal.

After 20 years of sort of floating around, it's like I woke up one day & told myself I AM smart & I CAN do anything I work hard towards. Being a nurse NEVER occured to me, but now there areSO many reasons why I want to work in the health care field.

As I said, I was never "good" at science, yet I've always gobbled up articles on the all types of science, nutrition and preventative medicine. My grandfather (who I neverknew) was a Doctor, a naprapath, and his wife, my grandmother raised me, always filling my head with seemingly quirky tid-bits of wisdom, " eat your fish, it's brain food". Well, now we all know the benefits of Omega-3 you receive from oily fish. I've always worked with the public & have a great deal of patience. I love to work on my feet, yet use my brain, am good under stress and have no qualms regarding bodily fluid, blood and all the rest that doesn't need to be mentioned.

Nursing is, of course, a stable & monetarily good choice of employment, which is important when you'll be entering the workforce at 50 like I will. But most importantly it's a calling that will reward you tenfold in other ways. I only regret I didn't believe in myself at an earlier age. But I believe you are always where you're supposed to be at any given moment for a greater purpose.

Nursing allows the oppurtunity to impart compassion, comfort and assurance to those in need and allows the nurse intellectual, physical and financial benefits. I would like to work in a hospital first, then in a hospice and eventually permanantly overseas. :heartbeat