I can't WAIT to say "Oh, me, I'm a nurse"

[Philly85]

When someone asks me what I do.

For all of my 20's, I've dreaded the "So what do you do?" question.

Mainly because I graduated with a useless degree (Kinesiology) that wasn't good for anything on it's own, only as a "jumping off" point into grad school.

I was initially going to do PT, but then that didn't interest me any more. Had a desire to go to nursing school, but just couldn't make myself go through re-taking my expired pre-reqs/remaining pre-reqs/going through the whole process. I kept telling myself I'll do it in a few years, etc.

Well, now I've been working admin assistant jobs in health care for the past 7 1/2 years.

I finally worked up the wherewithal to re-take my expired pre-reqs and finish the ones I hadn't taken yet. Been killing myself the past 8 months and finally about to apply to an accelerated 2nd degree program.

I just can't WAIT to be so proud to tell people what I do.

Not that I don't make decent money and respect what I do now, but there is definitely some "shame" that I'm 30 and have a degree and still "just" doing admin work.

I know the times are hard and I should be happy to have a good job with great benefits.

I respect the hell out of admins, by the way, I've been doing it close to 8 years, but I've wanted better for myself for so long, especially since I always planned on doing something clinical in healthcare.

Even just to say "I'm in nursing school" will feel SO amazing.

I hope people don't take this the wrong way.

Anyone else have or had pre-nursing job shame?

How good did it feel to tell someone "I'm a nurse!" when they asked what you do? I literally can't wait.

[SarahJ08]

I'm sitting here on my lunch break wishing I had not gone into nursing. I also try to avoid telling people so they don't ask me health related questions. I've been a nurse for four year and I'm a bit jaded.

[BlueDawnRN, BSN]

I also got a useless degree initially. I remember feeling how you feel now. I've been a nurse for a little over a year and I'm very proud to say I'm a nurse. People react differently when I tell them I'm a nurse and where I work than they reacted when I told them what I did before. The general public respects and trusts nurses.

It's the hardest job I've ever had but it is rewarding to know you have a needed skillset and a solid career. I think second degree and second career nurses have a special kind of gratefulness for a nursing job despite how hard the job is.

[Hoosier_RN, MSN]

I've been a RN 17 years (BSN), have masters in computer science. I'm somewhat jaded, and always get asked health questions. I always refer to MD.

[quiltynurse56, LPN, LVN]

When I started nursing school and people learned this, they would almost always reply that nursing school is hard. I would just shrug my shoulders and state matter-of-factly, "I know."

Those first times after earning your license and you are asked what it is you do and state that you are a nurse, there is a sort of thrill saying that because of the hard work you put into.

I graduated in Feb. this year so have not gotten jaded. But, then, my job has been a good fit for me and I love what I am doing. One or two of the people I work with (other staff), not so much. I remind myself that I am not there for them, but for my residents (LTC).