What was the path that led you to choose nursing?

[applejackcrunch]

Please post in this thread! [Link]

Didn't see that one before I posted this, my apologies!

It's always fascinating to hear stories about what led people to a certain education and career path.

What brought you to this point? Who influenced you, what job, what life-changing moment did you have that had you thinking "Wow, I'm going to be a nurse!" And for those of you who aren't sure but are still considering, what are your thoughts?

In addition, what kind of career do you hope to enter? Do you have a certain specialty or educational goal that you want to achieve? Are you just going with the flow and waiting to see what you like in nursing school when you get there?

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My story started in 2009. I was a new freshman at Alverno College, fresh out of high school, and I was intending to become an art therapist. Now, at that point I knew I wanted to have some sort of role in healthcare, whether it would be as a therapist or not. But I was always a little envious of the nursing program students I knew- really, of what they were learning. A year later I was at a technical college in my hometown. I started in the "Biomedical Informatics Technician" program (Health Information / Informatics) and was pretty pleased with the courses I took from the start... until the next semester. I was bored and the things I learned were uninteresting to the point where I just couldn't bring myself to focus on it, and my grades suffered. I took some time "off" to take general courses and make up my mind of what I really wanted... which didn't really work. But, I went back to the HIM program with a different mindset- it could lead me to other areas in healthcare! I started the core courses and a new mostly-full-time job and I was so, so busy and kind of happy... and I admired all of the nursing staff that I worked with on a daily basis for their complete dedication to and compassion for the patients we had. I remember thinking "What wouldn't I give to play a role like that? To care for patients in that capacity?" I'm pretty sure it was then that it clicked with me, that I could become a nurse and that it would be the right career for me. And... I didn't really do much about it; my family wasn't supportive of my need to change programs again, and my instructors and counselors advised me against it. I stayed for another year and floundered through multiple boring coding courses with grades that passed but were not good enough for me. I graduated from the HIM program 7 days ago and decided that it's now time for me to finally, finally do what I really want. I applied to the same college I graduated from for the ADN program (one of the best in the state, so I've been told) and will hopefully start core courses in the spring semester of 2016. I haven't decided yet which road I want to go down but I am leaning toward ED or critical care. Right now I have options though, and as I go through the motions I am positive that I will find my little niche to fit into. :)

[GingerRN17]

I got into it right out of high school, and got my PCT certification. I got a job and HATED IT and quit. I have always loved science and medicine and always had a dream of doing SOMETHING in the medical field that made a different. Finally, 10 years later, I am getting my BSN. :) I have another year of pre-reqs before I apply to the program, and I am excited to move forward with this dream!

[mge9450]

I have always enjoyed science and how things 'work,' and knew that I wanted to work in the medical industry, but my moment came as I watched a close friend of mine die of cancer. She was 34 years old and had three young sons all under the age of 8. We were all devastated by her diagnosis and I prayed constantly that I could help her in some way, take the pain away from her family and her friends. The nurses who cared for her always knew just what to say at the right time to ease our grief, even when we knew that her time was almost up. After months of prayer, I knew that I was being called to become a nurse. I ignored it for a long time, but I asked for a sign of what I should do with my career and I was given one. I miss my friend terribly and wish I could have cared for her, but I am thankful everyday that a beautiful passion for easing the pain of others came from such a difficult time in my life.

I know that most people may not have a calling like this but I wanted to share regardless. :)

[cristola269]

I grew up in a family full of nurses, so my goal in life was to do just the opposite. After HS I started college as a psych major because I was so curious about how the human mind worked. I really wanted to major in parapsychology but where I live that was not an option, so I ended up dropping out after almost 2 years... That was 15 years ago. My calling finally came in 2009 when my husband was diagnosed with testicular cancer. I had never felt so helpless in my entire life. He survived thank goodness, but it was a scary road to recovery with long treatments of radiation. His nursing staff was AMAZING, and they are the ones that restored my faith in what nurses are supposed to be. My parents finally won. I started my full time program in January and haven't looked back yet. I plan to work in oncology one day so I can keep the cycle going. Who knows, maybe one day I will be a part of the staff that influenced me from the start.

[TIffany1579]

I am just out of high school, so I just started my prep classes. I am choosing a nursing degree because I want to help people, and the medical field has always interested me. I was thinking of going into medical school, however I wasn't sure I wanted to become a doctor. My sister, whom was in her last year of nursing school (her adn), convinced me to look into the nursing career, when I did look into it I realized that nursing would be everything I wanted out of a career.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I had a childhood dream of becoming a writer/novelist and had planned to attend university, major in creative writing and social sciences, and perhaps teach English and/or history. I was accepted to three regional California state universities during my senior year of high school, but my parents discouraged me from attending, and as their only child I listened to them and didn't attend.

Rather, I had spent the first five years after high school graduation (ages 18 to 23) working a string of dead end jobs in fast food, retail, temp agencies and factories. I was age 23 and had been working at the same paper products factory for three years when, one day, I was written up for multiple issues.

Instead of losing of my livelihood, I took a risky plunge by quitting this job to enroll in a full time 12-month fast track LPN/LVN program. I completed the program, worked as an LVN for a few years, enrolled in an LPN-to-RN degree completion program, and earned an associate of science degree in nursing several years ago.

I am now enrolled in an online RN-to-BSN degree completion program. So even though nursing was not my first choice, it has provided me with a decent lifestyle and middle class comforts, and has challenged my ways of viewing the world.

[msygrnbw]

I couldn't decide what I wanted to do. I started in psychology, dropped out of university and worked at a dry cleaner for a year, went back to community college and tried computer science and criminal justice. I finally decided on social work, but them part way through decided it wasn't for me. I got into a 2yr at community college 2 yr at university program for nursing. A semester and a half into the nursing program my grandfather got sick with lung cancer and passed away. I was close to him and helped take care of him and felt like nursing wasn't for me after that. I spent a while working as a pharmacy technician and then applied at the local university and got in. Family and friends encouraged me to go back into nursing since they thought I would be a great nurse and come from a huge family of nurses. I did and here I am! It has taught me a lot. I do wish that I had chosen something different, but I know that I really care about my patients and I do have them at heart when I'm working. It's not just a paycheck to me, and every elderly person I help I think of my grandfather =)