What is a Nurses Calling?

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Hello, I am having trouble deciding on whether or not I should be a nurse, and was hoping real nurses could give me some advice.

My whole life I've been an artist who has never been career oriented. I've only worked in retail, and after moving to another state I decided it was time to settle down with a real career. So I was immediately taken with nursing. It's an amazing career, exciting, where I can help people and save lives and make a difference, and the pay isnt bad either. But apparently everyone I tell that to says they are terrible reasons for becoming a nurse. And it doesnt help that I've been occupying my time with a steady stream of nursing horror stories from veterans online and in books. I'm scared of being bit and punched and verbally abused by patients, scared of C. Diff, and it seems like the best reasons to become a nurse is to be super excited about getting abused and changing bedpans.

I know that's not true, but it seems like my reasons are childish and unrealistic. A true nurse has a 'calling'--but I cant find any definition for the calling nurses get. Why did you become a nurse? What is a calling? When did you first have it? What is a real reason to become a nurse other than wanting to help people and fix problems and being awesome? Am I wrong to want to go down this path because I think it's an exciting and economic career?

Thank you for any information you can give me, I really appreciate it.

Specializes in NICU.
Why did I become a nurse? When I first started college, I was studying music with the goal of eventually getting my PhD in musicology. I wanted to teach music history at the college level and head up an early music consort (medieval/Renaissance band). Some people like U2, I like Praetorius. :laugh:

Then it hit me...I need to be employed! What to do... I didn't want to be a high school band director, having just come out of high school and remembering how serious most teenagers are about band. But I really liked my summer/vacation job as a CNA in LTC, so I decided to pursue that direction and become an RN.

You sound almost exactly like me, with my linguistics major :geek: I realized halfway through that I didn't want to go into speech/language therapy or audiology or stay in academia and churn out more linguistics majors. My mom was a nurse and dad was a doctor, so I was practically raised in a hospital, and I thought I'd just try it and see what it was actually like. Just so happens that I found an area that I love (NICU), but it was never a "calling" for me.

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I became a nurse because I was on my third or fourth career and it sucked. I like helping people and I saw a movie where the lead female was a nurse and she rocked, so I thought I would try it.

So far, so good.

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I don't believe this in the least. I am a nursing student. My reasons for becoming a nurse are practical: I can get my license in under a year (LPN), it is work I can do and jobs are plentiful. I thoroughly enjoyed what I was doing as a teacher's aide but it wasn't paying enough. Nursing seems smart, and I could continue to work in a field where I can help people. I have never had a calling to be a nurse but I'm 3 months away from graduation and very excited to begin a career in this field.

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
I became a nurse because I was on my third or fourth career and it sucked. I like helping people and I saw a movie where the lead female was a nurse and she rocked, so I thought I would try it.

So far, so good.

There's a movie where the lead female is a nurse and she rocks? Please post the title, because I don't believe I've ever seen one of those!

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.

The brutally honest reasons I became a nurse:

1. I had always loved reading medical articles & about healthcare issues.

2. My daughter had severe asthma, as did my neighbor's son. Same triggers, same time of year. When both of us would end up in the ED on the same night, my daughter would be admitted for observation, whereas her son would go home because she was an RN.

3. I saw a career that would help my family, make decent money, and not involve slave labor at the age of 35 (I was a little off base with this one), and might even have management potential. All for the price and time investment of an Associate's Degree.

All of those reasons turned out to be sound. Well, except for the slave labor. Med/Surg felt like slave labor. Oh, and you couldn't pay me enough to go into management.

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Specializes in Anesthesia, ICU, PCU.
There's a movie where the lead female is a nurse and she rocks? Please post the title, because I don't believe I've ever seen one of those!

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, of course!

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One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, of course!

LOL! Nope, it was an Angelina Jolie movie. She ended up getting blown up by a mine in the end. I don't remember the name of it now, I'll have to look it up.

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There's a movie where the lead female is a nurse and she rocks? Please post the title, because I don't believe I've ever seen one of those!

Beyond Borders, 2003

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Specializes in ICU/PACU.

I'm still waiting on my calling. Nursing is working out in the mean time.

I chose it on a whim when I was 16 and filling out college applications. I have a family member who is a NP, maybe she had some influence in my choice. I didn't think working in an office was appealing. So I just checked nursing on the application form and somehow it stuck.

I am glad I chose it because I've been able to travel as a result. And it's pretty much shaped who I am as a person.

I couldn't go back to school again, but sometimes at work I think it'd be nice to be a physical or occupational therapist or a clinical dietician instead.

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Specializes in nursing education.

And it's pretty much shaped who I am as a person.

This. ^^ You can't anticipate how much being a nurse will change you and force you to grow.

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Specializes in Med nurse in med-surg., float, HH, and PDN.
This. ^^ You can't anticipate how much being a nurse will change you and force you to grow.

I know what you mean, but prefer to substitute the word 'help' for 'force'.

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Another thing I really love about nursing is the diversity. There are so many areas and work environments that most people with intelligence and compassion can find their niche. I started out thinking I would hate LTC, but now think I may enjoy it. I like the idea of home care, because I have had so many in home therapists come into my home to care for my children and I remember the impact that some of them had on my family. Another area of interest is PDN at a school for a medically complicated younger child. I worked in education for years and feel that combining the two skill sets would suit me very well. Wound clinics, Urgent care clinics, pediatrician's offices, the list of thing's I'm excited to try goes on and on! I think you should go for it, your reasons sound logical and solid. School is tough but I believe it's gonna be worth it in the end :)

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