Nursing Career Path

While I have not had the easiest life overall (not so great family), I have had a wonderful, highly fulfilling career, for which I am profoundly grateful. I can honestly say that I am one of the few people who got into exactly the right field at a young age, and have enjoyed almost all of the journey along the way. I LOVE nursing, and while it is truly hard work and is never easy, it has given me plenty of rewards and memorable moments. It give you a very different perspective on the meaning of birth, life, death, suffering, and the connections between and among people. I can remember the names of people I cared for 40 years ago, and I know without a doubt that I have made a difference in the lives of many, many people. How many peole in the business world can say that?

I have have had the honor of working with dozens of wonderful human beings (AKA many nurses and physicians) who give of themselves to help others, even when they could choose to do something easier. Those nurses are there on Christams eve, 4th of July, and on a beautiful summer Sunday while their family is at a picnic, most of the time without complaint. They know how to laugh, how cry, how to care, and how to be fully human. They are almost always decent people who you can count on in a crunch, and my life would be poorer if I had never met many of them.

Another things I like about nursing are that it is never, ever boring. Your patients will either get better or worse, but I doubt they will stay the same from day to day. You will never, ever have the same day for two days in a row. And, if you get sick of or bored with one area, you can easily move to a new area and learn new skills or take on other challenges.

I like being part of a team, but I also value the independence you have to decide for yourself how you will organize and carry out your assignment. You are both part of a team, but are also fairly autonomous.

Because your nursing education and the thinking/problem solving skills you acquired when you learn the nursing process equip you to do just that (solve problems), nurses are flexible and able to "fit" into many, many roles. I have heard us described as "the building blocks of the HC system". That is why the number of jobs for well educated BSN nurses keeps growing. In the past 30 years, these are just a few of the nursing roles that have emerged: Diabetes educator, wound care, hospice, lactation consultant, nurse informatics, discharge planner, case manager, research liason nurse, infection control, and more.

See why I feel so lucky?

Career path: Nurses aide at age 19, LPN at age 21, worked ortho, ER, general and oral surgery. My own childbearing experiences got me interested in OB, talked my way into a transfer to PP. Just missed being laid off in the early to mid 1980s, was transferred to high risk OB (with no orientation). Went back to school while working full-time, got an ADN, then BSN. Five months before graduating with an ADN, I was transferred to L&D, which was by far, my favorite staff nurse job ever. Became a very scucessful lcatation consultant, which moved me out of L&D, which I missed terribly. Had an opportuity to go the midwifery school, and took it. Practiced as a CNM for 10 years, loved what I did, but worked for an exploitative employer and got burned out.

Took a part-time teaching job and found it both much more manageable with lower salary but way better benefits and a chance to save $$ for retirement. I also really like it; the student keep you sharp, and help me feel young(er). Turned out to be good at it, am now full-time and enjoy the cahllenges of constantly improving, learning to develop good simulations, etc. I am looking into DNP programs, and will (if I stay health) spend the next 12 years teaching, then retire at age 70. After that, I think I will volunteer, and would like to spend some time in either the Peace Corps or Doctors without Borders, so I can give back.

Quite a long and winding road, but a beautiful trip along the way.

While searching for a shorter trade route to India, I stumbled upon this New World.

Oh, really...?

While I have not had the easiest life overall (not so great family), I have had a wonderful, highly fulfilling career, for which I am profoundly grateful. I can honestly say that I am one of the few people who got into exactly the right field at a young age, and have enjoyed almost all of the journey along the way. I LOVE nursing, and while it is truly hard work and is never easy, it has given me plenty of rewards and memorable moments. It give you a very different perspective on the meaning of birth, life, death, suffering, and the connections between and among people. I can remember the names of people I cared for 40 years ago, and I know without a doubt that I have made a difference in the lives of many, many people. How many peole in the business world can say that?

I have have had the honor of working with dozens of wonderful human beings (AKA many nurses and physicians) who give of themselves to help others, even when they could choose to do something easier. Those nurses are there on Christams eve, 4th of July, and on a beautiful summer Sunday while their family is at a picnic, most of the time without complaint. They know how to laugh, how cry, how to care, and how to be fully human. They are almost always decent people who you can count on in a crunch, and my life would be poorer if I had never met many of them.

Another things I like about nursing are that it is never, ever boring. Your patients will either get better or worse, but I doubt they will stay the same from day to day. You will never, ever have the same day for two days in a row. And, if you get sick of or bored with one area, you can easily move to a new area and learn new skills or take on other challenges.

I like being part of a team, but I also value the independence you have to decide for yourself how you will organize and carry out your assignment. You are both part of a team, but are also fairly autonomous.

Because your nursing education and the thinking/problem solving skills you acquired when you learn the nursing process equip you to do just that (solve problems), nurses are flexible and able to "fit" into many, many roles. I have heard us described as "the building blocks of the HC system". That is why the number of jobs for well educated BSN nurses keeps growing. In the past 30 years, these are just a few of the nursing roles that have emerged: Diabetes educator, wound care, hospice, lactation consultant, nurse informatics, discharge planner, case manager, research liason nurse, infection control, and more.

See why I feel so lucky?

Career path: Nurses aide at age 19, LPN at age 21, worked ortho, ER, general and oral surgery. My own childbearing experiences got me interested in OB, talked my way into a transfer to PP. Just missed being laid off in the early to mid 1980s, was transferred to high risk OB (with no orientation). Went back to school while working full-time, got an ADN, then BSN. Five months before graduating with an ADN, I was transferred to L&D, which was by far, my favorite staff nurse job ever. Became a very scucessful lcatation consultant, which moved me out of L&D, which I missed terribly. Had an opportuity to go the midwifery school, and took it. Practiced as a CNM for 10 years, loved what I did, but worked for an exploitative employer and got burned out.

Took a part-time teaching job and found it both much more manageable with lower salary but way better benefits and a chance to save $$ for retirement. I also really like it; the student keep you sharp, and help me feel young(er). Turned out to be good at it, am now full-time and enjoy the cahllenges of constantly improving, learning to develop good simulations, etc. I am looking into DNP programs, and will (if I stay health) spend the next 12 years teaching, then retire at age 70. After that, I think I will volunteer, and would like to spend some time in either the Peace Corps or Doctors without Borders, so I can give back.

Quite a long and winding road, but a beautiful trip along the way.

I'm impressed that you have had such a fulfilling career! It's great to hear stories like this when most of the time all you hear is people complain about being underpaid and overworked. It seems like you have enjoyed going to work all this years and you continue to enjoy it. I hope everything works out for you and you get to do all the things you want. I have also considered volunteering with a couple of organizations and hopefully I'll get to do that too!