What's your story? Why did you take up nursing?

Nurses General Nursing Nursing Q/A

Every nurse has their own story to tell about how or why they chose to enter the nursing profession. Some may have been inspired by a personal experience with healthcare, while others may have been drawn to the idea of caring for others. Some may have stumbled upon nursing by chance, while others knew from a young age that it was their calling. Whatever the reason, each nurse has a unique narrative that led them to become a caregiver. These stories are a testament to the diversity and passion within the nursing community and the profound impact that healthcare can have on our lives.

Please be as detailed or as short as you wish. It'll be interesting to hear everyone's stories.

Specializes in everywhere.
Jeremy, it was certainly not any easier then. I graduated in 85', and we started with 150 students and finished with 49 graduates. The rest dropped or could not keep up a 3.0. There were over 450 students who applied for acceptance. I was lucky to get in, and lucky to get out with my sanity. Don't delude yourself that you have it any harder than us "older"nurses.

I agree! In my LVN class we had 60 seats, over 600 people applied. Out of the original 60, we graduated 34, of those 34, 18 passed NCLEX the first time. The majority of the ones that graduated with honors were non-traditional students.

In my RN class, we had 10 seats, over 500 applications. I was lucky and got in both times the first time. Some of my classmates had applied at least twice before. Out of our 10, 6 graduated, 2 with honors.

Nursing school is hard, for young or "older" students.

Specializes in RN-BC, CCRN, TCRN, CEN.

Oh, I know the nursing portion is going to be hard, but you made it sound so easy- you applied, not really interested, and got in. I know once I get into the upper division, thats where the real work begins

I admit it wasn't quite that easy. We started about 85 I think, and after three months of hard studying 63 passed. Finally 52 graduated. If the teachers didn't think nursing wasn't right to you they threw you out, even if the student passed the written tests. I studied in Iceland.

Nursing is always hard work.You have to be on your toes all the time and be up to date. But it gives so much. It's not easy to find a job that you still love after more than 25 years!

Jeremynursing student I wish you good luck and enjoy your studies.

from the bad experience i had during the cival war in my country. during the civil war the where insuffience nursing to care for people because of this we lose lots of lives do to lot of nurses or doctors for this reason i decided to to attend nursing school in the united states we i arrived as a refugee it toke me a very long time to get accepted in nursing because i could not get any document from home.i will continue later:no:

Me? I dont know.. I wasnt sure of being a nurse before, but when I started to taking care of my patients during my school years, I felt the need to take care of more patients genuinely.. It was really a great feeling to help taking care of patients, and a simple THANK YOU from the family of your patient make my heart bigger!:heartbeat:redbeathe then I decided to be a nurse...

I passed my local board last June 2006 but unfortunately it was compromised...So most of the hospitals in our place does not hire us.. so i took the whole exam last June 2007 and I passed! So I took my IELTS too and applied for State board and last June 2008 i passed my NCLEX at 75 item answered questions. Unfortunately work here is almost impossible to find, I went to almost all of the hospitals here but most of them will just tell me that "they will just call me"... so work is my problem now.. and how can I be a nurse?So that I can help people and my family?:(:confused::sniff::imbar

What a great question. I was working in a department store one day and said to myself What am I doing here? I had a friend that was an LPN and I called the next day and the next week they had a class starting and had one position left so I took it. That was 25 yrs ago and I have never regreated it for one moment. Now here I am applying for RN school. Yeah ha here I go folks....:redpinkhe.

As a kid, I was never interested in the medical field, used to think all doctors were stuck up lol. Then I got hit by a car in Feb 2008, it completely changed my views. If it wasn't for the docs and nurses, I wouldn't be here right now. I wasn't like completely messed up, I escaped with only a dislocated knee and a TBI. But it was a hit-and-run, the driver just left me lying at the side of the road. The paramedics reckon I was lying there (unconscious) for about 1-2 hours before anyone called for help. I slept a further 16 hours, then woke up to realise how lucky I was to be in such good care.

It totally inspired me, I'd like to think that when I'm 70, I can look back and realise I've saved more lives than I can count.

Specializes in postpartum and gynecology.

honestly? I was bullied by my guidance counceller. He told me that I had to apply for college by the next day so I had to decide that night. He told me teacher or nurse. I hated teaching people anything so i opted nurse and away we went... ha ha little did i know that nursing is ALL teaching. especially postpartum nursing:wink2:. In first year nursing school I think I made up something for all the assignments that asked us to talk about our decision to be a nurse because i was sure I'd get yelled at by the teachers. I later found out my grandma was a nurse and graduated in 1943. 2 sisters, one older and one younger also decided to become nurses after me and a step sister is currently contemplating it as well.

While mine isn't the most heart warming of reasons, I'm glad I did. Its made me grow, and I've been able to travel quite a bit. I love my nursing:nurse:!!

i work at an assised living retirement home and most of our residents should be in skilled care because our census is too low. I'm constantly sending people to the er. I'm afraid they're going to fire me for "getting rid of people".

Specializes in L&D, Mother/baby.

I took up nursing simply because I had a very sick childhood (up to age 17). as a kid being asked, "what do you want to be when you grow up" the only thing I knew about outside from school was the hospital. if nothing else I felt at home when I was there...simply because it was so frequent. I was not able to be in the band, play sports, or be apart of clubs due to my illness. so by the time I reached middle school I started thinking I wanted to become a doctor, to give back to the world what was given to me. by high school I realized that my aunt was a crnp who specialized in women's health. I looked up to her as a mentor to get where I am today. 

WOW, Isn't it amazing, how life takes us? When I talk to people that will listen, and they feel a little at loose ends I tell them to consider nursing. What other career will allow you to do so many things with the RN. You can sell medical equipment, teach, go techie with bio med., work any hours, full time, part time, be at the bedside or not, do research, have a high adrenaline type job, or work to try to convince people to donate their organs--you get the idea. Even be a liaison person--the list is huge!!!! Congrats, I am proud of you....

Specializes in infection control, peds, home infusion.

Since I was a child, I knew that whatever I chose to do with my life, it would be in service to others. I was always fascinated with medicine and the human body, so nursing just seemed like a good fit. And it is, although some days it really is a bummer.

+ Add a Comment