To future, current, and past nurses!

Well I'm in my second year of nursing school now, and this is how I ended up here:

I had always been interested in the medical field - mostly in being a doctor or a paramedic. I didn't know what nurses did, because on TV they show doctors doing the jobs that in reality, nurses do. Then I saw a show on TV that was filmed in real a hospital following the real staff in their day-to-day jobs with a nurse working with sick infants. Now I have always loved kids, but I don't think it had ever hit me before that nurses can choose to work only in a pediatric ward. That got my interest going, but I was still thinking of being a paramedic instead. Afterall, if you go by TV, nurses only do menial jobs, and I wanted to save lives!

Now I'm an American moved to Finland, so things work a little differently here and paramedics actually graduate with a nurse's and a paramedic's degree and get the same pay, but my school only has paramedic groups starting once every other year, and I was applying during a year when no group was starting. So I figured okay, I'll apply to nursing school first and then switch after a year. Well, by the time my chance to switch came around, I no longer wanted to. It was a combination of different things, mostly realizing what a nurse actually does, and that nurses save lives, too, as well as prevent life-threatening situations from ever occurring. I also realized that when I was a teenager and wanted to be a doctor, I wanted to be a doctor because of the nursing jobs I saw them doing on TV. I also discovered an interest for pathology, psychology, and other subjects that I never knew I had.

But mostly? I think it was because I discovered a new side to myself that I didn't know I had. I always admired people who I saw talking to patients with ease, making jokes, making them smile and laugh, but I never thought I was that type of person myself, even though I'd always wanted to be. But during my first internship, working in a hospital ward with only elderly patients (an age group I previously thought I would never want to work with), I found a passion for taking care of patients. I made patients smile, I laughed with them, one old woman even started to cry when she asked me why I wanted to be a nurse and I told her that I love that I get to make people smile when they are sick and lonely - and then she wanted a hug. I had another patient that was largely misunderstood by some other nurses because he could hardly speak - turned out he was just a jokester - all that pain and he still had a sense of humor. I had another patient that probably didn't totally know what was going on around him anymore, but he smiled and laughed all the time. I remember I was moving him to his chair with another nurse and he could still walk with help, but as soon as he saw his chair, even though it was probably 10 feet away, he started sitting down and we had to scramble to get him in his chair. It still makes me smile to think about it. It was actually difficult to leave in the end. I surprised myself by getting attached. My dream is still to work with infants or children, but I think any patient that has trouble caring for themselves, trouble communicating or just needs someone to make them smile, has a special place in my heart.

I surprised myself and realized I really want to be a nurse.

I like the mental aspects of the career along with the ability to move horizontally and upwardly in the profession. Job security also drove me this way in no small part to a bad economy. Also, I've always liked the medical field but couldn't devote as much time as those in medical school seeking to be an MD due to needing to make money for my family quickly. I see many people say they chose nursing in order to help or serve people. Not me. I can help or serve in many career paths, but nursing allows me to do that with many added benefits. Kinda stood out when I thought about it.

Oh boy. Ok, here is my 'novel' of a post on this topic.

I have wanted to be a RN since I was in highschool which was 20 years ago, I graduated in 1992. So, this has been a LONG time coming for me and I am finally making this happen.

When I was 16, I ended up having to have back surgery. My experience in the hospital being surrounded by nurses and doctors is what solidified my desire to go into nursing. Day in and day out, I saw what nurses did daily and got to know several of them pretty well. This is what began my interest in nursing.

When I was 19, I found myself in the hospital again. This time, it was cancer. Again, I loved my nurses who took great care of myself in the hospital. One nurse, became close friend's with my parents at that time. This RN went above and beyond to help me and my family cope with my situation. We'd all go out for breakfast at IHOP occasionally. She'd come to my house and talk with me and my parents, play card games and such. She really cared and it showed. She was an excellent role model for me. And, to this day I am still thankful to her. I will never forget her.

I have had one more major surgery since that time, and a minor surgery this past year. Each time I found myself in the hospital I would learn something new. Not only was I the patient but I was also a student. I'd study the nurses, ask them questions, observing what they did day in and day out. I found it all incredibly interesting and exciting.

I made a childhood promise to my mother that I would take care of her when she was old and in need of care. To this day, I still stand by my promise to her and she knows that I have not forgotten it. She is not the only reason for me wanting to be a nurse, I myself do want this and have wanted this for a very long time. In being a nurse, I will be able to fulfill her wish and that will make me happy as well. I do not intend to let her down, so to speak.

So, here I am on the brink of nursing school and following through on this long journey and dream of mine. I am hoping to give back to my community for all the care that I was given in my time of need. I feel I owe it to them and to myself. I know nursing school is not an easy process and I still have alot to learn. To me, I find it important to be that nurse who really does care about patients. To aid them in any way to make their lives easier, less stressful, tolerable, and be that support and advocate and friend they expect me to be. I hope to give my patients the type of care I was given during my hospitalizations. I enjoy helping people and really do care about their circumstances. I know I have the drive, compassion, inner strength, and intelligence to succeed in this field.

As a profession, I love the variety in nursing. There so many areas and specialties to choose from and work in. I love the opportunity for advancement. I love that there is so much to do on a daily basis that one cannot possibly be bored. Every day is different and every patient is different. I love that nursing requires critical thinking as well as hands-on skills. I love that I will be a licensed professional and held accountable and responsible for my actions. I love being able to teach patients and learning from them as well. I love the autonomy and independence one can gain in being a nurse. I love that I can work at a variety of locations and not only in a hospital. I love the fact that I could work nights or the shifts I choose, because I am a night owl. There are more reasons why but these are just a few.

Nursing is just my cup of tea. Although, I have held many other jobs and positions in my lifetime. I cannot think of another profession which would be as satisfying to me, as nursing. I feel I was born a nurse and hope that I die as a nurse. I feel that I called to nursing and now I am answering it back.

I made three forays into nursing training; first time, just out of school, I was attracted to psych nursing because it sounded "interesting" and I could train exclusively as a psychiatric nurse. (Understand, this was early 1970s and not in the US!) Eventually left to marry and start a family.

Second foray - I went to work at a nearby general hospital, but where the focus was largely on orthopaedics, spinal injuries, rehabilitation and medium-long term care. Went through the window when hubby was conscripted into the army and I had to attend college - a commute time totaling 2 hours on public transport. It just got too much and I dropped out again.

The third time, I'd been resisting the pull for some time. I'd had no intention of ever putting my foot in a hospital except as a visitor or a patient, but the weirdest thing - every so often I would "hear" a voice telling me "go back into nursing!" Eventually I heeded the call and qualified in 1986.

I decided to go into nursing for several reasons. First off, I always knew I wanted to be in the medical field. At first i was going to be a Vet and then I thought I was going to be a pediatrician. Up until a few weeks ago, I was on the Pre Med path, but the reason I changed was because Math is not my strongest subject, and I wanted to have more time for my "own" life outside of work. If I am a doctor, I would be on call all the time, I wouldnt have time to really get to know my patients and I would be stressed all the time. so in a way, i would say my urge for wanting to help people