What is nursing to you?

NCRN-29 · Aug 31, 2004

Come on guys....I know someone out there has an opinion. What is nursing about? Why do we even bother? Come on...show a new forum member some love with a brief reply.

trish820 · Aug 31, 2004

I am a PCA and I will soon start my pre req but I really love what I do and that is my reasong for wanting to become a nurse. I enjoy helping people all I can.

Trish :balloons:

Dixielee, BSN, RN · Aug 31, 2004

I am an ER nurse, BSN with 30+ years experience. I am currently working as a travel nurse in Tucson Az. Nursing has provided us with a stable income and a fairly rewarding job. I never thought I would be doing it this long though. I planned to get married, have kids, and stay home with them. Well, I did get married, had kids, but then after a divorce.....so much for staying home. I did manage to work week end only positions for most of the years my kids were small, allowing me to be with them during the week, be the room mother, soccer mom, etc. Nursing is flexible enough to allow a number of options of schedules. We have never gone hungry and have had a good quality of life. My children learned the value of work, and are now grown with families of their own and are doing well. If I had it to do over again, would I? Probably, considering the options that were available at the time. If I were looking at a health care career now, I would probably choose physical therapy. You put up with less crap, have more autonomy and make more money as a PT. If I had an option of being a farm wife, I would do that, but the pay is lousy! So, I guess I will be a nurse until I am too old to move around anymore. Don't get me wrong, I do not hate my job...there are times it is rather enjoyable, but it is extremely stressful, sometimes dangerous, and only rarely appreciated. But it is a living!

fluffwad · Sep 3, 2004

Nursing =

job security, flexibility,

knowing I can go almost anywhere and get a job at a reasonable wage,

doing a job that has real meaning to me,

a profession that has tons of alternatives if what I'm doing now gets boring.

I've been a nurse 21 years, had to follow the DH to other states 3 times. I've

done Hospice, Nursing Home, MDS, Ortho & Neuro Rehab.

chemoqueen, BSN, RN · Oct 3, 2004

I am an oncology nurse of 10 years. Nursing to me is sharing the tears of dx, the anxiety ot tx, the joy pf tx completion, the futher joy of sustained remission. It is also crying with a reoccurance and saying goodbye at the end. It is all of those things that make me glad I chose oncology. It is a special thing to me to share in the loves of so many people.--Phyllis

What IS nursing to you? Please post short reply along with your specialty and years of nursing.