what made you

guest2210 · Jan 1, 2012

At the age of 23, I was job hopping from one bad job to the next. My older brother actually suggested I go to LPN school. "One year of nose-to-the-grindstone and you'll always have a career to fall back on." So I applied and was accepted first time out. I have never had the desire to go on for my RN though. Thirty years ago jobs were plentiful and I never stayed at one more than two years, enabling me to gain experience most people wish they could get now.

:smokin:

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Jan 2, 2012

To be rather honest, I picked nursing for a variety of reasons including the potential for a stable income, benefits, flexibility in scheduling, career mobility, and a sense of purpose.

I enrolled in a 12-month LVN program at age 23 after having done three years of grueling factory work. I was cognizant that I would have difficulty finding another decent entry level job if I ever lost the factory job, so the LVN program seemed like it would bestow some marketable skills upon me.

What do I like the most about being a nurse? I enjoy the variety of schedules. I worked the weekend double shift on and off for about four years, and this enabled me to have five days off in a row! I love the fact that I do not have to feel trapped with a five day work week.

What do I dislike about being a nurse? I dislike the unrealistic, blatantly rude family members of the patients. I also dislike the patients who lie, split staff against each other, manipulate, and start trouble.

Glenna, LPN · Jan 2, 2012

When I was 17 years old my grandmother fell and broke her hip. My parents and I went to visit her in this hole in the wall nursing home with a urine stained matress propped up against the wall. When we left...my dad cried in the car. I wished that I could have done something. Later we moved her over to an adult foster home. My dad left to go to the bathroom and my grandmother choked on a chocolate cherry and I had no idea what to do. At this point I found myself getting very interested in healthcare, I wanted to be able to do something when someone was in need...I didn't want other people to feel the way my parents did seeing my grandmother the way she was so uncared for at the nursing home.

In 2006, when I was 19 I decided to do caregiving at the near by assisted living. I loved it! I wanted to be able to do more, 2007 I got my CNA 1 and worked at a catholic nursing home. I felt so at home, once again...I wanted to be able to do more. 2008 I got my CNA 2 and found myself working in the surgical department at a near by hospital. My eyes were opened even more. Once again I wanted to be able to help people even more then what I was able to do at that point. I live in Oregon and it is very hard to get into an RN program so I decided to go the LPN route. Now I'm working toward getting into an LPN to RN bridge program.

What I love about nursing, being around the elder. I love taking care of them and I enjoy being there for them. For some reason when I sit by their bedside while they are taking their last breaths I feel that it is an honor to take care of them. I will treat them with the love and care I wanted my grandmother to have (she passed in 2005 and I sat at her bedside).

What I dislike about nursing...how sometimes you have a plan in your head as to how you are going to get tasks finished in a day and something happens with a patient that takes a lot of time and next thing you know you are running late, haven't had lunch, and you haven't peed in three hours and you are needed everywhere. But hey, that all comes with the job.