How did you know nursing was the career for YOU?

[Fast]

Was it a passion for providing quality care? An interest in science and all things medical?

I'm not a nurse or even a nursing student, for that matter. I'm very interested in the medical field; the human body fascinates me. I'm hooked on Discovery Health and any and every medical show on television (and allnurses.com!).

At the same time, how do I know I'd be a quality caregiver? How do I know I'd have the heart, patience, and stomach to handle it every day?

I'd appreciate any input you guys can give me. I'd like to register for classes and begin my prereqs. no later than next fall, but I want to be 100% sure that this is for me.

[lpnflorida]

I knew nursing was for me for as long as I have a memory. Those first early memories were of the many nurses who took care of my brother who ended up dying of lymphocell carcinoma at the age of 5, I was 6 at the time. It was reinforced by the nurses who took care of me when I had my own T &A and appy before the age of 11.

My beloved who is a retired doctor says he was greatly influenced by his family doctor who would come to their home on a regular basis as his father had severe asthma and ended up dying at age 42.

Point is those who preceeded us and follow us make lasting impressions. Bless each and every nurse/doctor/caregiver in any capacity who made us believe this was the only field for us to be in.

[Fast]

lpnflorida- Thanks for sharing your story; I'm so sorry to hear about your brother.

[llg, PhD, RN]

I never really did know for sure -- and I still don't, even after 30 years in the profession. We don't all get a "calling from God" or get hit with thunderbolts that tell us what jobs we should do. A lot of us just pick what seems to be the best choice at the time and go through life moving forward, putting one foot in front of the other each day.

My father was a physician and I picked my university based on the fact that I wouldn't have to take nursing courses until my junior year. I figured the 2 years of liberal arts education would give me a chance to back out of nursing if something better came along. Nothing better ever did come along. I never did get hit with any thunderbolts. So, here I am 34 years later, with a PhD in nursing and a long, impressive resume. Whoopie.

[Kasia3]

I dint know that nursing was a career for me.Actually I never wanted to be a nurse maybe veterinarian and was drawn more toward languages,history,geography ,psychology subjects.My best friend's father put this idea into my head to be a nurse (I guess he always dreamed of his daughter to become a nurse in white coat:)So my friend bugged to apply to apply nursing school with her (and we were inseparable parrots).However I went into different major of liberal Arts and few years later I decided to go back for my second degree in Nursing and I love it, and looking forward to graduate in May 2009:heartbeat

[mama_d, BSN, RN]

I sort of fell into nursing. I'm not very religious, but I seriously think that some higher power had to do with it, because I can't imagine doing anything else.

I got fired from my job one week before my first child was born. I knew that I needed a career I could count on, since I had a baby to be responsible to. I went to a local vo-tech to find out what programs they had that could be done in a year...the options were RT or LPN. Knowing nothing about either beyond a general layman's ideas of what they were, I decided on RT...then found out that my mom couldn't babysit during the evenings, when it was offered. So I signed up for the LPN program during the day instead. I wish now that I had realized earlier in my life what my career should have been!

[Fast]

Wow, I love all of the varied responses I've received. Thanks again to you all.