What's your personality (any: MBTI, Big 5, StrengthsFinder) and how do you see your personality interfacing with nurse culture some day? For MBTI I would be an ENFP. Big 5, top characteristic is Openness. StrengthsFinder, top two traits are Adaptability and Ideation.
On the plus side, I'm very adaptable and extremely resourceful as well as enthusiastic about research leading to new practices. In every new situation, my head starts filling up with ideas. A possible negative could be making a lot of suggestions for improvement can become annoying to coworkers and management, although I would never have the audacity to make suggestions as a new nurse, FYI. I do realize you have to learn before you earn (respect). But yeah, I do notice sometimes people get that "oh, boy, here she comes" look on their face when I'm walking towards them with that "I have an idea!!" look on my face. So I think my main personality characteristic can be both a positive and a negative in practice some day. Since I am an F, though (in the Jungian sense), I do tend to be very receptive to people's feelings and value harmony even in conflict, so that can also be helpful. I hope.
Although I'm in psych, I am generally unconcerned with people's feelings knowing humans are resilient.
"Big picture" medicine is what I pursue.
I'm a fantastic administrator but not so great of a supervisor.
I can carry on a conversation with anyone, a learned trait, but I prefer to not talk. I'd treat patients by email if I could get away with it.
-ologies interest me more than practice. The tedium of research precludes me from such a career path. Success is uncelebrated.
Time is more valuable to money (although financial planning is a hobby) and the more of the former to pursue my very narrow range of interests is what I dub "a rich life."
My wife used to say my bachelor's apartment looked like a serial killer lived there - spotless and nothing personal.
INTP...I am task-oriented and do not place a terribly high value on forming deep connections with patients, families and colleagues. On occasion I have been described as unfriendly and standoffish.
I often find myself acting as an intermediary between INTPs and people they have (intentionally or not) rubbed the wrong way. Personally, I think it's vital to have people on a team that aren't too wrapped up in emotional connections. Emotions often can get in the way of solutions and/or good decision making.
Nursing changes you. When I was trying to figure out my life, I was an INFP. When I figured out nursing was for me and had been in it a while, I took it again and am now an INTJ.
I have never been able to pin mine down on those analytical exams. I either get INTP, or ENTP.
Even though I think personality theory is interesting, I'm usually the first to point out that the hoards of online MBTI tests out there are pretty inaccurate and I'm not always a fan of the tests themselves. They tend to heavily reflect the biases of whoever wrote it. And let's face it, anyone with some semblance of programming knowledge can write a test and post it online (and more often than not the questions and answers tend to subconsciously glorify some functions over others.) I find the best way to tell is oftentimes by essay, but ain't nobody got time fo' that!
In any event, I still don't think there's one personality theory that tells a whole picture, but they give a good jumping off point and it's useful in gaging how to best interact with other people if you can estimate their type.
I'm in INFJ. I do worry about the F bit some - that I won't be able to establish good boundaries and generally feel less of what other people are feeling (it's hard sometimes). I was reading something that says INFJ's shouldn't be bedside nurses for long. We'll see!
I'm on the introverted side as well. I have been called out by one professor that she was worried I am too timid. I love interacting with patients though.
I am an INFJ and a Type A personality but a very quiet one. On the big 5 I am very reliable and organized but introverted, calm, and generally even tempered. Which I have to agree with. I am completely undecided what I want to specialize in because I feel like I could do almost anything. I like mental health, I like OB, pediatrics, and neuro. I am still very fresh to it all so I obviously have plenty of time to figure it out and hopefully will get a grasp on it once I pass my CNA and get into the field instead of just the school setting.
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PG2018
1,413 Posts
INTJ here.
I think we're
Although I'm in psych, I am generally unconcerned with people's feelings knowing humans are resilient.
"Big picture" medicine is what I pursue.
I'm a fantastic administrator but not so great of a supervisor.
I can carry on a conversation with anyone, a learned trait, but I prefer to not talk. I'd treat patients by email if I could get away with it.
-ologies interest me more than practice. The tedium of research precludes me from such a career path. Success is uncelebrated.
Time is more valuable to money (although financial planning is a hobby) and the more of the former to pursue my very narrow range of interests is what I dub "a rich life."
My wife used to say my bachelor's apartment looked like a serial killer lived there - spotless and nothing personal.