How do you know what type of nurse you want to be?

Editorial Team / Admin · Dec 13, 2014

Some know right away, when they enter nursing school.

Some find out during nursing school, when they rotate through various nursing areas.

Some discover their strengths and preferences after they have been working for a bit as a nurse.

Everyone is different.

loriangel14, RN · Dec 13, 2014

Most people have an idea before they go to school what area they are interesed in. throughout school you will be exposed to different types of nursing. through experience people will discover where they fir the best. sometimes an area you thought you would like turns out to be not what you expected and vice versa. plus you don't have to stay inone arwa your whole career. Many nurses work in different areas during their career.

labordude, BSN, RN · Dec 22, 2014

My first day of nursing school I knew EXACTLY what kind of nurse I was going to be and how I was going to get there. 10 years later, my career looks nothing like that and I'm insanely glad because I know now that I wouldn't enjoy that particular specialty and role. It wasn't until a fantastic experience in one of my clinicals and then subsequent shadow time in a different unit that I figured out what specialty I wanted to work in. I've leveraged my natural talents into some wonderful positions and career growth that wouldn't have been possible had I not gone in a different direction that my 'hardcore goals' from day 1.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Dec 22, 2014

I figured out which type of nurse I wanted to be during nursing school clinical rotations. I knew I wanted nothing to do with an acute care hospital setting because of the way the nurses were treated, and the manner in which they ran around all day.

I started in long term care (a.k.a. nursing homes) and stayed in that industry for six years. It suited me well because I have a laid-back type B personality and am the queen of routine. I now work at a specialty post-acute hospital.