Should you become a nurse if....

sr20alex · Apr 26, 2013

Hmm, do you mind me ask what age you are?

I use to prefer to be alone. During middleschool/highschool I was always alone then I eventually branched out and starting going out. I've taken the test, and i'm still consider a introvert.

MaybeaNurse7 · Apr 26, 2013

I'm 27...been a stay at home mom since I was 19, married at 18

applewhitern, BSN, RN · Apr 27, 2013

I am an introvert, but I am a great nurse. I am also quite shy, but being a nurse is easy for me. I think it is because I know what I am doing, I don't have to make small-talk, unless I want to. I don't have to feel socially awkward because it is usually just me with the patient and sometimes a family member or two. You might consider working in surgery or somewhere you don't have to be a social butterfly.

Julius Seizure · Apr 27, 2013

I've always been quite shy and an introvert. Nursing has helped me with the shyness, though I am still very introverted. I don't care for small talk or meeting new people, never have much to say. BUT when I am the nurse, you are in MY house, so to speak. It's not small talk. I'm telling you important stuff, and I know what I'm talking about. My knowledge gives me confidence, and at work, I'll talk to patients and family like the intelligent, informed professional that I am. Meanwhile, at home, I don't even like talking on the phone order pizza :)

MatrixRn · Apr 27, 2013

There is absolutely nothing wrong with being an introvert and being a nurse. Yes, you would need to talk to patients to do assessments, but you would be doing the assessments one to one. It is not like you would be asking 5 people at once about their symptoms.

I spent my years on the nursing floor keeping to myself, dealing with one patient at a time [even if I had 6, 10 or 12], focusing on what that one person needed for education and care. I did not sit at the nurses station and gossip I instead preferred being one to one with my patients. It was rewarding.

allnurses Guide · Apr 27, 2013

Yes, you can be a nurse if you are naturally an introvert. You need to learn how to communicate with your patient effectively but that does not mean you must be the extrovert, bubbly type . . .

In my real life I tend to blend into the woodwork but I've learned techniques that work for me, and many of us introverts are good listeners, a very important quality to have! Best wishes to you!

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Apr 27, 2013

I'm a hardcore introvert, and I've been a nurse since 2006. At times I think my personality and temperament are not compatible with nursing, although I generally get along well with patients and family members.

People describe me as quiet. I'm detail-oriented, task-oriented, and prepare a "to do" list before the start of each shift. I am very introverted and dislike passing the breeze with small talk. I enjoy discussing topics that are academic, worldly, or intellectually stimulating to me. However, I will engage in small chatter if it makes the patient or visitor feel more at ease, even though I secretly cannot stand more than a few minutes of small talk.

I am serious, uptight at times, lack a sense of humor, and do not smile a lot because my smiles often seem fake. I admit my interpersonal skills need more polishing. I'm outwardly calm, pensive, and very non-confrontational. Confrontation disturbs me greatly. I prefer one-on-one interaction versus mixing with a large group of people. I also prefer night shifts due to having less people around.

MaybeaNurse7 · Apr 28, 2013

Thank you all so much for your answers and your honesty. It was very encouraging :)