I went and shadowed in the ICU....

[Angie_Baby]

and those nurses are my heros. Car rollover victims, motorcycle accidents, gunshot wounds, internal bleeds due to alcoholism, prisoners with sheriff's deputies guarding them, patients needing to be physically restrained, etc, etc. I got to be there when the trauma surgeons, pharmacist, trauma coordinator, CNS, and life flight staff did their rounds and listening to the nurses give their reports I was just so impressed. These nurses just knew their s***, and were so honest and down to earth and friendly to me. I came away from there thinking, "Yeah, I think I could do this, and be good at it, and like it." I guess I'm still unsure if pursuing this line of work is for me. I mean, that was a first impression. Is that enough to go on?

[ERNurse752, RN]

It sounds like you feel pretty strongly about this, so I'd say that would be enough to go on to start pursuing nursing. You've seen a little bit of it and got fired up about it instead of thinking...eeewwww/how horrible, so that's a good sign too.

You know yourself best, so go with your gut. Or, see if you could even get a job as a tech on that ICU, to get some further experience as well as a foot in the door for when you would graduate. You could also shadow a few other areas to see if anything else pulls you like the ICU did.

Good luck with whatever you decide. :)

[Cute_CNA, CNA]

and those nurses are my heros. Car rollover victims, motorcycle accidents, gunshot wounds, internal bleeds due to alcoholism, prisoners with sheriff's deputies guarding them, patients needing to be physically restrained, etc, etc. I got to be there when the trauma surgeons, pharmacist, trauma coordinator, CNS, and life flight staff did their rounds and listening to the nurses give their reports I was just so impressed. These nurses just knew their s***, and were so honest and down to earth and friendly to me. I came away from there thinking, "Yeah, I think I could do this, and be good at it, and like it." I guess I'm still unsure if pursuing this line of work is for me. I mean, that was a first impression. Is that enough to go on?

If you're impressed with them, that makes me think that you would want to be like them, and therefore take measures to do so.

I think continuing to shadow them would be a good idea. Check other areas of nursing, as well.

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

That's what nursing is about. Glad it was a great experience for you!

[chattypattyCRNA2B]

How were you able to shadow? Did you just call up the hospital or was it through your school? Sounds like it was a really good experience.

[SmilingBluEyes]

Way to go; I agree. Those nurses are HEROES.