What made your decision

JDCitizen · Jun 18, 2008

I'm looking to see what made people's decision to become a nurse. I am looking at a career in nursing in the Navy. I haven't always been hardcore wanting to do nursing but as of recently have been really excited about applying for a program. The thing that has helped to make up my mind is that I have never had good experiences with doctors because a lot of them don't seem to be down to earth. I recently dealt with several nurses who are all very personable and have been great at explaining things to me that previously weren't explained. I like helping people (have always wanted to be a psychologist) and would like to help make people's experience better like several of the nurses I have had to work with have done for me.

Years ago when I first became involved in the medical field a lot of contact I had where with nurses. It just so happened most of them had well over 15 years of experience so when they did their job they did it well. So at that time plus a life changing event and loving direct patient care nursing was the route for me. With that said since I have been a nurse there has been very few times I have worked with any nurses with that much experience.

I have worked in multiple hospitals over my career (small to large) and have been abused at everyone; high patient loads, low staffing, being floated to unfamiliar floors without orientation, etc. I have seen nurses chew-up and spit-out their own and I have seen them come rushing to the rescue. Over the years I have seen most every nurse I have worked with ask for help when there was a problem (or before something became a problem). I have worked with doctors that for all practical purposes should have done this and didn't. I believe there is a big, big difference between the nursing model and medical model: Nursing model we are taught to take care of the whole person.

As a nurse practitioner I am not only driven to diagnose and treat a disease, but the patients as a whole. I take the core principles of being a nurse with me at all times. Sometimes I may be the head of a team in my position but I am focused at being "part of that team." No one provider really saves the day and for the most part a lot of doctors can't see that point.

There are good and bad everything when it comes to working in the health field. No matter what you or I put into it that will always be the case. BUT the thing is most nursing programs churn out "general" nurses which in most cases means over the first 2-5 years a nurse will try this and that until he/she finds their niche. Doctors go to school get a sample of this and that but usually have to focus on one route....

Have I confused you or does my flight of thoughts make any sense???

Itshamrtym · Jun 19, 2008

JD: What type of NP are you?? Family??? and why did you choose this route... Would Family np have a broader scope of practice?? thanks...

To the original OP: I guess that I became a nurse to help people also. I really just love people, and being able to help them and to make a difference it wonderful.. Also check out the threads on the military forum... You will see that most military nurses love their job. They have more opportunities than there civilian counterparts.. I could just go on and on... It would benefit you to read the threads yourself. Good luck to you... Follow your heart and dreams. You will be fine. Keep us posted as to what you decide to do.

JDCitizen · Jun 19, 2008

JD: What type of NP are you?? Family??? and why did you choose this route... Would Family np have a broader scope of practice?? thanks...
To the original OP: I guess that I became a nurse to help people also. I really just love people, and being able to help them and to make a difference it wonderful.. Also check out the threads on the military forum... You will see that most military nurses love their job. They have more opportunities than there civilian counterparts.. I could just go on and on... It would benefit you to read the threads yourself. Good luck to you... Follow your heart and dreams. You will be fine. Keep us posted as to what you decide to do.

I am a Family Nurse practitioner..

I guess I would consider it the "general" practitioner of all the types of Nurse Practitioners. I can take care of patients from birth to death... Actually before birth since we also spent time with mid-wives and ob-gyn's in school (so I guess that would give me a broader scope of practice). Does my degree make me any better or more educated than the folks who specialized in adult, peds or women's health.. etc... Nope not at all. The degree is just something one gets from school, its the knowledge and its use that tells the rest of the story.

I guess my reason for going the family route is that:

1) I have always lived in a small community where the providers available had to take care of what came through the door regardless of age, sex, condition...

2) My past experience in the EMS, I had to take care of patients of all kinds across the board.

3) Also I had the ability to learn to take care of all ages and sexs and than narrow down that scope if I so choose or add to it by gaining extra post-masters certifications if I so choose.

I think the degree/route any nurse obtains/takes it is usually shapped by so many factors I could not possibly type them all. :twocents:

Big thing also I really, really had to get out of hospital floor based nursing...

Really, really... The politics, the short staffing, the pulling, the floating, the nursing managment stating every nurse is trained to work on every floor with every patient was really frustating and more than a tad dangerous.

olderthandirt2 · Jun 20, 2008

"I'm looking to see what made people's decision to become a nurse. I am looking at a career in nursing in the Navy. I haven't always been hardcore wanting to do nursing but as of recently have been really excited about applying for a program. The thing that has helped to make up my mind is that I have never had good experiences with doctors because a lot of them don't seem to be down to earth."

Hi,

I am a (pretty new --8 months) Flight nurse--for pediatric and neonates. I love my job. I have only ever experienced ICU nursing---the "floors" scare me (I am not sure I could handle the stress). Picking up sicker than snot kids or attending a really preterm baby's birth is pretty good.....

I am a newly commissioned reserve ANC. I can honestly say, after a few other careers, being a nurse is the best decision I have made. I don't know (without sounding sappy), it feels good right to my bones. I love working with adults, peds and neos. I love helping a baby in it's first breaths and withdrawling care on an 88yr old. It is an honor to be there...

I work hand in hand with ICU physicians. I am their eyes---what and how I describe the patient to them on the phone, determines the plan of care (i.e. whether we intubate, put lines in or give drugs). My feeling on physicians is that they expect "concise information" and you need to "earn" their trust. Then the relationship is good. Just like us, they have family/work stress and bad days---but so do I!!! :)

I think nursing is a wonderful occupation, that I would highly recommend. I have had limited "military ICU experience--on the USNS Mercy and USS Peleliu"---and it was great...., but the cilivian world is not that bad either--- (in teach or non-teaching hospitals).

Nursing has a huge palette to draw from---public, hospital, hospice, education, surgical, primary care..... the list goes on and on....

Hope this helps,

cb

brooklyn4 · Jun 20, 2008

olderthandrt, that is awesome that you are a flight nurse it was always something I considered, became an RN, Tncc.Pals etc then got over the adrenline rush. ANyway Im curious how its going in the reserves for you ... I met with my recruiter filled out paperwork and now working on the fitness level, can you provide any details? have you gone to obc yet? thanks !

I became a nurse as a single mom to provide for my son at the time.... :banghead: (after work I sometimes feel like this ...

olderthandirt2 · Jun 20, 2008

olderthandrt, that is awesome that you are a flight nurse it was always something I considered, became an RN, Tncc.Pals etc then got over the adrenline rush. ANyway Im curious how its going in the reserves for you ... I met with my recruiter filled out paperwork and now working on the fitness level, can you provide any details? have you gone to obc yet? thanks !
I became a nurse as a single mom to provide for my son at the time.... (after work I sometimes feel like this ...

Hi Brooklyn4,

I am brand-spanking new---so I haven't even met my unit the CSH 394th. I did speak with them on the phone. They sound friendly---but I can't do anything without my "papers". So, I am waiting for them. I would like to go to OBLC in august or october, but they are probably fully booked---. So, I am doing my workouts, and reading the "Officers Handbook" for now :)

I will keep you posted,

cb

brooklyn4 · Jun 20, 2008

yah keep me posted :) IM in the process of trying to qualify etc......where r u ? what state ar you in?

Itshamrtym · Jun 20, 2008

Thanks JD!!!!!!!!!!!! keep the answers coming for the OP!!!!!!!!!!!

anigethc · Jun 21, 2008

I greatly appreciate everybody's replies. Please keep them coming. I know that I want to be a nurse but I can't explain the draw to it beyond the great experiences that I have had with nurses as opposed to doctors and the want to help people. I have always worked in a high paced environment and love the draw of it. I am going to be putting in my officer package and don't want to just say that I want to be a nurse to help people, but what it comes down to is that is the truth behind it. I was curious why others had come to the same decision. Thanks everyone

athena55, BSN, RN · Jun 21, 2008

Hello One & All:

Up late studying for the ECCO, going in August, found out I was going rather late so now I am attempting to play catch up with all the necessary "home" work that is required.

I have always wanted to be "A NURSE" ever since I was a young kid. My female cousin was a nurse, the only one in the family and she was very encouraging to me. The only way I can explain my "pull" toward nursing was this saying I once saw as a young child, and it never left me: "Being a human being is a tough process and few people achieve it" Somehow that saying made me think (okay, it was the 70's for goodness sakes and oftentimes we did more than examine our belly buttons :smokin: ) that I was put on this earth for a reason....I felt I had more empathy than the average bear or teenager back in the day and I was attracted towards the art and science of nursing.

I was an average student in high school and many of the Nuns did not think I had the potential to be accepted into a nursing school or program and that I would never be able to graduate. {{ :heartbeat Feeling the love for Sister Febronia}} But I was, and I did and I have never looked back.

I am Proud to say "I am a Soldier and an Army Nurse" If I could do it all again I would, in a New York minute ( go back to nursing school, that is).

After thirty years as a Professional Nurse I have adopted a saying by Theodore Roosevelt: "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are" and I think that applies to every Nurse in the Armed Forces today.

Hooah!

athena

JDCitizen · Jun 21, 2008

I greatly appreciate everybody's replies. Please keep them coming. I know that I want to be a nurse but I can't explain the draw to it beyond the great experiences that I have had with nurses as opposed to doctors and the want to help people. I have always worked in a high paced environment and love the draw of it. I am going to be putting in my officer package and don't want to just say that I want to be a nurse to help people, but what it comes down to is that is the truth behind it. I was curious why others had come to the same decision. Thanks everyone

It's all about the patient but its the feeling you get (this covers my floor nurse day):

When your patient goes into V-fib you respond the patient is able to talk to their family the next day.

When at 2AM your gut feelings say something is wrong and you call the doctor at 2AM and the test results come back confirming your suspicions.

When you hear code blue in L&D and you run to the unit only to the mother and baby are both coding but pure training takes over and two days later they are both dismissed home.

When its 7:30 AM your 30 minutes late getting off but you help clean up Ms. Patient and she gives you a box of chocolates.

When you are so busy you don't even think you're going to get all your medications out on time but you find time to help another nurse with their patient.

When your long time patient in room 203 dies and the family takes the time out of their grieving process to thank you for being kind and doing all you could do.

When you're long time patient in room 203 dies and a bad as you feel the patient's family in 204 wants to know why you took so long to come to their room and you apologize with a faint smile and go check you other 6 patients.

When the doctor jumps down your throat in front of the patient and she tells him he needs to grow up.

When you get home after 12 hours get in bed and sleep you wake up with a fright and call the floor because you forgot to hang room 204's antibiotic.

When you look at caller ID and can see it's the hospital calling and you answer anyway.

When you visit a friend or family member in the hospital and they introduce you as a nurse and you cringe thinking what that nurse must be thinking.

All it takes is a little blood vein to bring someone down to earth.

No matter how good you think you are; some days you go in and can start every one you have to and other days people may wonder where you received your training (the humor comes in when they ask).. But one day you may notice that you are the one they call when patients are a difficult stick.

You will feel :cry: :imbar:banghead: :clown: :no: :argue::loveya: :jester: :eek: :angryfire:saint: :yawn: :zzzzz :down: :up: :yeah: