Thought I'd take some time to get to know some of you. So here is my story...
I initially didn't want to be a nurse. That was my sisters thing and I remember joking with her about it. Told her that I didn't want to be the one rubbing powder under boobs, cleaning poop, and such things. So I thought I was cool and went to an engineering school. Thought I wanted to be a genetic engineer. Boy was I wrong. I struggled in general bio, and was scared of organic chemistry. I should have looked into the career more and the classes required before I chose it. I then quickly changed my major to psychology. Until I had my high school psych teacher tell me I was making a huge mistake because the job market in psychology sucks. Well, dang it lol.
So I came home and started taking classes at the local community college and started considering different career choices. Decided on OTA...then heard horror stories, again changed my mind. See a pattern? Then I though "hey! PA sounds great!" But then I realized you need health care experience (duh). I always knew I wanted to help people and I knew I belonged in the health care field, but didn't know just what.
Finally one day, I had a eureka moment. Went into the living room and said to my mom "I know. I'm gonna be a nurse." Finished in two years and a couple years later, here I am.
I tell this story for a couple reasons. One, to get to know some of you. Two, because when I was in nursing school and they had us present why we wanted to become nurses..everyone had such great stories about the excellent care a family member received. And that's what drove them. And I always felt bad telling my story because I didn't have some kind of "special story". But now I realize...I don't need a special story to be a good nurse and I don't need a "reason" I became a nurse.
Lastly, I read a thread saying nursing is a calling. It surely was not a calling for me. If it was, I don't think I would have gone through so many majors or considered so many other careers if it had been a calling.
Three days a week, lots of flexibility, room for growth and advancement, hourly instead of salary, decent wage, lots of opportunity and specialties and it seemed like a good idea. And it doesn't involve desk work.
Sure does count! Nothing wrong with what you listed. Those sure are good reasons and that's also why I love nursing!
Specializes in Home Health,Dialysis, MDS, School Nurse.
I had many other interests and opportunities I could have taken.....but I had a baby my senior year of high school (back in 1988 when it wasn't the "in" thing to do) and knew I had to do something where I could 1. support my baby by myself and 2. get a job close to my home and family. Nursing was it. That was 27 years ago :)
There are always opportunities to learn new things! I will never be bored, that's for certain. Bring on the knowledge! Oh, and patient care of course :)
And there are always opportunities to learn new things! I will never be bored, that's for certain. Bring on the knowledge! Oh, and patient care of course :)
I learn something new every day. A wise nurse once told me "I will continue to be a nurse until the day I don't learn something new"
I'm not sure where I heard it, or if it even applies in this case, but I was told that children with medical traumas tend to go into healthcare. When I was an infant, I was a near-miss SIDS baby. Blue, CPR, on a heart monitor for a year after. The whole 9 yards. When I was little, I was always playing "doctor" with my dolls. After shadowing nurses in a trauma center during EMT class, I knew nursing was for me. I hope someday to work in an ED so I can make such a dramatic difference for someone like those did for me and my family 26 years ago.
I really have no idea why I decided to get into nursing.
I was originally accepted into the biochemistry program at my alma mater right out of high school, and changed to natural science the first week of classes because I wanted to go into my school's PA program. Well, I found out that the PA students took some high level math courses and a 300 level stats class. NOT happening. So I floated around my school for a semester trying to get my crap together.
I thought "hey I'll try to get into the nursing program!" I did no research about the education requirements, salary, duties of the job, nothing. I didn't even know that nursing school had a clinical portion. All I knew was that my school had a BSN program so I went on the wait list (it was GPA based.)
I was accepted the 2nd semester of my first year of college thanks to my 3.9 GPA (at the time, haha). I had to hang around my 4 year school for another year to get pre reqs out of the way before transferring to the partner school for the ADN portion of my program (My program was set up in a 1+2+1 curriculum. You spend 1 year at the 4 year school doing pre reqs, 2 years in an associates degree program that is partnered with the 4 year school, take the boards over the summer, and then go back to the 4 year school for one more year to finish up your BSN)
Just jumping into something like this on the spur of the moment is really out of character for me. I am usually the type that does a lot of research before making a decision like going into nursing school or, you know, making any potentially life altering decisions. However, I am really glad it worked out this way because had I actually done the research, I would have scared myself out of going to nursing school in the first place.
I guess it's "in my blood" too. There are a lot of nurses in my family. 2 aunts, 1 great aunt, and 1 great great aunt were/are all nurses.
I'm just really glad that the ONE time I chose to not research something before I did it was the time I decided to apply to the nursing program. I haven't looked back since :)
The job of President of the United States of America was already filled and I was a little short on cash for my campaign. I was also way too young to be POTUS.
I was actually enrolled in college to be a pharmacist. I met my hubby to be. We fell in love. I didn't want to spend forever in college.
I always wanted to do something in the medical field. I knew nurses were the ones who could make or break your hospital stay. Being a nurse sounded much better than counting pills all day so I switched majors. I've never once regretted it. Hubs and I are still hitched 37 years later so I made several good choices that year.
I like science. In high school I told everyone I was going to be a nuclear physicist. When I went to college I majored in Biology, Mathematics and Chemistry. Junior year I met a girl and my brain blew up. Dropped out of school. Signed up to join the Navy in an electronics program. Navy recruiter got me a summer job as an orderly in the local medical center until class started. Worked with a bunch of new grads and learned a lot of cool nursing stuff from them. One of them told me to go to nursing school and get a BSN because I had so many college credits. At first I refused the idea because nursing was so much fun. Then I thought how I could go anywhere and be a nurse so I would always have a job. Job, travel and fun. Forget the Navy, nursing here I come!
noelly10
421 Posts
Sure does count! Nothing wrong with what you listed. Those sure are good reasons and that's also why I love nursing!