This post has no medical value, just a simple curiosity.
I work with so many nurses whose mothers/aunts/sisters/brothers are nurses. I am the 1st nurse in my family. Grandpas brother was a Dr, till he died at an early age. I have 1 uncle who is a psychiatrist-but besides that no one in the medical field.
Now that I am a nurse, my 17 year old daughter is looking into nursing school and a nephew of mine wants to become a nurse too.
So what do you think? Is nursing hereditary? Once someone in the family becomes a nurse do others follow?
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
Most of my family worked in nursing in some degree or another. My grandmother was a nursing supervisor in the OR, my mother and uncle were CNAs, and now, I am an LPN. I think it is more traditional than anything else. Getting into the nursing field is not hard, if entering as a CNA, home health aide or technician. Once being there, most of us see the advantages of going further in our education. What I was surprized about was how stressful being a nurse can really be if you care about what you are doing. Many times, I wish my grandmother was still alive to share her experiences with me.
Specializes in Rehab., Home Health, Geriatrics, MR/DD.
I have to wonder if there is a genetic component...
My father was a physician assistant....I am a nurse...
My father's father, who he never knew growing up, has kids from another marriage that none of us know......all of them are Doctors and Nurses........I find that very interesting...makes me think it's in the blood......
My great-grandmother was an RN (graduated 1936, still sharp at 95!); her daughter (great-aunt) was a nurse, I think an LPN; a cousin a few times removed is a retired RN, I'm almost done with my LPN; my aunt was an x-ray tech, and my grandfather still works as a phlebotomist.
Specializes in Jack of all trades, and still learning.
While I have never met my father, I know he definitely wasn't a nurse, nor did he have anything to do with the health industry. My paternal grandmother and grandfather whom I have met, have no contact either.
On my maternal side its computers, airforce, classical music, management, mining. No nursing there.
I think it is the old 'nature/nurture' debate. Now that is very scientific and answers everything right? We call it 'passing the buck' here, ie let someone else figure it out LOL
My mother is a nurse and she encouraged me right from childhood to consider nursing. I did resist for a while, studying Biochemistry, but midway into college, I switched to nursing. When I called her to let her know the change of heart, it was like welcoming the prodigal daughter back. Our relationship is much better as we talk almost daily about cases and scenarios. She even tried to get me a position at her hospital but I quickly put a stop to that idea.
However, I do wonder at times what my life might have been if I had continued with my earlier course of study. :specs:When I have kids, I would definitely expose them to other areas besides healthcare.
My grandmother wanted to be a nurse but she ended up being a teacher. But out of 7 aunts, 4 of them are nurses, then my mother followed their footsteps and recently finished her nursing education...she was 48.
I have 3 cousins who are in the nursing school right now...
Specializes in ICU, CCU, Trauma, neuro, Geriatrics.
My step-mom followed in my footsteps, My grandma on my dads side was a nurse and she took care of President Roosevelt but would not tell me a single thing other than that. My oldest daughter is a home hospice aid and my youngest just joined the navy in hopes of becoming a flight nurse. Yes it can be a bit of genetics and a lot of environmental upbringing. Tolerance of different ways of living, acting, behaving is necessary. Interest in others ways of thinking sparks us to want to help others to learn things they don't learn at home.
My mom was an LPN for 35 years. My great-grandma was a nurse too. My great aunt was a surgical nurse. i grew up reading my aunts nursing journals lol. Dinner conversations were a riot with the non-nursing family members turning green!!! Also have a cousin who is a nurse, and another 2 cousins who went on to med-school.
It also may be a trait acquired by marriage! Of the older students in my class, almost all of them are married to nurses and are now choosing nursing as a second career. I have to admit I am envious of them as they can go home and talk shop and get good answers to questions that our books make clear as mud! Sometimes I'll ask them to ask their spouse about something and I always get a great answer back that makes a lot more sense than the textbook.
Now that is very scientific and answers everything right? We call it 'passing the buck' here, ie let someone else figure it out LOL
pagandeva2000, LPN
7,984 Posts
Most of my family worked in nursing in some degree or another. My grandmother was a nursing supervisor in the OR, my mother and uncle were CNAs, and now, I am an LPN. I think it is more traditional than anything else. Getting into the nursing field is not hard, if entering as a CNA, home health aide or technician. Once being there, most of us see the advantages of going further in our education. What I was surprized about was how stressful being a nurse can really be if you care about what you are doing. Many times, I wish my grandmother was still alive to share her experiences with me.