What made you decide?

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I am curious to know what made everyone decide to be a nurse?

For me it was a combonation of things. I had toyed with the idea when I lived with a friend of mine who was going into nursing school. I wanted to be able to take care of my parents when they got older. My SO has also been diabetic for almost 20 years, and as he gets older, he will have more and more health complications, so I wanted to be able to at least know when/what was going on with him. The "nail in the coffin" for me was actually this entire month lol. My mother was in the hospital with what they thought was a cancerous tumor on her ovary(she had had cervical cancer in the past) the first week in Feb. My dad had been dignosed with prostate cancer and had surgery to remove it a week after my mom had her surgery. (they have not been married since I was in high school). Then last week we found out that my SO's best friend, who had introduced us to each other, had a brain tumor. He had surgery on Wed. of this week, and we found out that it is aggressive cancer.

So to make a really really long story only kind of long, with most of the people that I really care about having health problems, I want to be able to help them. Especially when they are not in the hospital. I have always wanted to help people in my life, and my *dream* job is to do volunteer work to help people for the rest of my life. Nursing seems to be the closest thing that will actually allow me to live lol.:heartbeat

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Specializes in ICU.

Well, I can honestly say I never imagined myself as a nurse but then my father passed of cancer. I have lost several people in my life and at a young age but for some reason losing my father the way I did really left me feeling like nursing was something I needed to pursue. He came to live with me and my family upon being told that there was no more they could do for him. He was placed on hospice care and 3-1/2 months later he passed in our home. Hospice nurses truly are angels! We lost him in late April 07 and in June 07 I called the college and switched from Industrial Draft/CAD to Nursing. It was a very difficult time but I'll never regret taking him in and caring for him. I was just glad to be there for him to try and make his time left as happy and comfortable as possible. I truly believe that everything happens for a reason and I guess this is how it was meant to be.

We can only hope as nurses that we bring as much comfort to our patients and their families as the hospice nurses did for me.:heartbeat

Sorry for the long post but thanks for listening, it's some how therapeutic to talk about it:):redbeathe

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My hubby is a type 1 diabetic and I have to say that that has been a major factor when deciding whatto do with my life. I'm still on the fence as I've been accepted to a couple 4 year schools this fall for majors other than nursing but I'm still considering returning to cc to pursue my nursing degree. I have a young child (1yo) and I'm always so afraid that if I turn down the university I'll be missing out on something. But then, I feel the same way about not pursuing nursing. I don't know how to make this decision and the clock is ticking...

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I have actually wanted to be a pediatric Dr. since I was a little girl. I have always know I wanted to be in the medical field. Now that I have 3 young kids at home, and I am a single mom. I know there is no way I can spend enough time in school to be a Dr. So I am going for the next best thing. Not to mentions the nurses actually spend more 1 on 1 with the patients. :heartbeat

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Financial security is the top reason.

Then, job flexibility, being in demand and I could not imagine myself sitting in my cubicle staring at computer for another 35 years while my brain is left at home.

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Part of my decision was made when my grandfather died almost 2 years ago, I saw what the nurses did and felt their compassion and caring as a family member. One nurse, Diane was there a few times at night when I would stop to see my grandpa in the CICU on my way home from work at a retail store. She talked to him and treated him wonderfully, even though he was unconscious, and she talked to ME, she was honest and caring. I understood that what she does truly makes a diiference in peoples lives, and that was something I wanted to do. I also have always had an interest in medicine, it has been one of the only things that really facinated me as far back as I can remember.

And, as I have begun my path to Nursing, I also realize it will be a personal challenge to me in many levels. Emotionally, intelectually, physically. Working as a CNA/PCA has given me a glimpse into some of what I will deal with too. The challenges though are what I am ready for at this point of my life, which kinda helped make the decision too!!:nuke:

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Specializes in Emergency/Trauma/Charge Nurse.

The biggest factor in my decision was my daughter!

#1 - financial security as a single mom

#2 - More time to spend with daughter as she enters her teenage years

#3 - More flexibility see #2

#4 - Able to move almost anywhere and be employable see #3

#5 - To better understand and help both my family and friends illnesses

These are just a few that I could think of right off but this was a decision that was well thought out and a long time coming. My stress level alone has dropped tremendously when I quit my job to return to school, not that school is not stressful but some things are worth stressing about and some are not, you know :p

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