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.

When i was a kid, my mother went to a LPN program. She graduated when i was about 12. Because we lived in a really small town, she advanced quickly and even as a LPN became the Director of Nursing of a small nursing home. I saw her work hard with very little thanks. The only thing she ever told me about my career plans, was dont go into nursing, it was thankless. So, of course, when i was about 23, I went into a LPN program. My love, like my mother, was geriatrics. Spent the next 14 years working in a nursing home, and despite what everyone else told me i should like, I loved ever second of it. I decided then, that I wanted to go further my dream. I filled out the application for a BSN program, and got accepted the first year. Two years later i was sitting in front of a computer taking my boards at 40 years old with a bunch of young "kids" sitting around me. Now i'm a RN, still working at the same nursing home i started at as an aide 21 years ago, and still loving every minute of it. Its still thankless at times, and my job is sure different than it was all those years ago, but maybe because i dont know how to do anything but nursing, or maybe i'm actually good at it, what ever, Im a nurse and love every second of it. :pumpiron:

its funny... thats almost my story to a T. I wonder how many nurses start out this way

It started when I realized that I am not afraid to touch the blood of any living being, I remembered helping my pet cat on her labor and delivery of her kittens (I was 9 years old)... I helped my best friend apply pressure on her bleeding nose (6th grade) and then this.. I experienced this before entering college, a stranger (man) lying on the street with a stabbed wound, I applied pressure on the wound and carried him to ride a tricycle (in our country tricycles are public utility vehicles).. Don't you think that this profession (being a nurse ) is a calling that was bestowed upon me??:saint:

Im 30 years old, married, with three kids and I couldnt afford to buy a car! I just realized that i had terrible experience working as a journalist for six years! but take note, im really enjoying this job. I should stop having much fun and be economically wise now.. so I finally decided to take up BSN this second sem, which was my first option way before college than taking up MassComm. Im hopeful I can work in US soon! Wish me luck guys!

Specializes in orthopaedics.

When I was 7, I was put in the hospital b/c I had a seizure from cat scratch fever and almost died!!!

I love helping ppl, and I really wanted to make a difference b/c those ppl in that hospital helped to save my life and I will forever be grateful!!!

Specializes in Med Surg, Tele, HH, Geriatrics.

why did i become a nurse? i had five children by the time i was 23 years old. they were 18, 16 and 17 months apart in age. everytime i went into labor i had the same l and d nurse. she was so awesome, the last time i went into premature labor with my twin boys...kathy was so confident and reassuring. she made a big difference in my life, and planted desire in me to make a big difference in others lives. so off i went to nursing school, the kids were age 10 to age 5, it was tough......we coached three soccer teams, i competed in body building and went to nursing school full time with little to no help from my husband...how did i do all that and still maintain my sanity and graduate with a 3.75 gpa???:w00t: and by the way i never have worked l and d which was my dream....

Good Afternoon,

The experience or the dream? Okay, I had my 1st child @ 16 yrs. The 2 white nurses were excellence, great, caring & gentle. They could have been nasty, prejudice & treated me like dirt, but they didn't.

I decided that day that their job seem rewarding.

Okay, I had the dream @ 17, but didn't remember it or understand it until I was 28. Simple dream, I was dress in teal scrubs in a sterile environment between double doors, with a work badge that said "DONNA WARE, RN, BSN". Listen @ 17, I didn't know what RN nor did I know what BSN meant. I just wanting to finish high school so I could rest, :nono:

Anyway, after going through a divorce, had 2 children, single parent status, no child supprort, working 2 jobs (one full the other part time), full time nursing student carrying 13 credit hours, going to football game every Saturday morning, attending all school functioning (I'm tearing):zzzzz, sacrificing & wearing 2 outfit for 3 semester,

I FAILED ONE CLASS, RIGHT BEFORE GRADUATION BY 0.5 POINT.

Did you here me 0.5 point.

0.5 point. I was quitting & never going back to nursing.

Then that same dream kept haunting me every night, (I'm tearing again). {See, you have to understand the school, only 8 black students out of the 66 nursing students. Several instrutors kept trying to get the black students to change their major. They kept telling us we may fail the boards. Not one of us failed the boards. However, 12 of the white students failed. They cheated throughout the semesters. They would get the test prior almost every time we took test. Don't get me wrong, 2 of the ones that failed, I assisted them with their studies. We worked nights together}.

Anyway after about 2 weeks of the dream, I jumped up out of the bed. The dream encouraged me to go back to nursing. I looked that Dean in her face as she begin to tell me (I'm concern...) and said, "I overtax myself this last semester. Something you will never understand. You don't have to be concern about me passing the boards the 1st time, be concern about those 12 students that failed. I WILL PASS".

God spoke to me in a dream & here I am, :rotfl: :). Nursing & enjoying every bit of it. It's so rewarding. I sometimes get those pts, no one else want and take them with a smile. I think that's why my co-worker like working with me,:smilecoffeecup: . Oh I can laugh at the 0.5 point & those instructors. One of the instructor was a patient of mines, L&D, 2 yrs after graduation. I couldn't be mean or nasty. I could have, I had the power, I was charge nurse & precepting, I had a great repretation. God is Good!

Treasure

Specializes in Utilization Management.

Treasure, that is the best Praise Report I've seen in a long time! Praise God! He's always taking good care of us, isn't He?

Specializes in Paediatric Cardic critical care.

I got into nursing by chance; had a careers interview whilst in college and they suggested nursing; i quit college the next day and started my training 3 months later. Just boiled down to luck that I really enjoyed it, and still do just over a year post qualifying.

A lot of the people from my intake dropped out for one reason or another, those who at the beginning had said it was there life's dream. I think I went in with no expectations and having a nurse for a mother a pretty good idea of what you come home covered in after a shift.

Have just started working in cardiothoracic critical care and love the excitment and the technicality of it. I agree with one of the posts, the human body is amazing; and what we can do with it. I was lucky enough to watch a heart transplant and seeing an empty chest beneath you is facinating! (to me!)

my story is this, i was born a nurse. i' ve always enjoyed learning about science and the healing arts. i would check out books at the library that had to do with "american red cross", "first aid" & "clara barton".

when i was eight years old i would visit my auntie, the nurse, and read her text books. there was no question about what i would do as an adult, but when.

i remember being a freshman in h.s. and asking myself would i have the "dexterity" to do what nurses did and would i be able to make good decisions about caring for all those people. i look back at that freshman and go "what a profound self-analysis"

yes i was born to be a nurse, i love nursing and it loves me rightback. nursing provided for my children and me. it bolstered my self esteem with each new experience. nursing has helped me to become a better woman and person. yes, i get all sappy just talking about nursing. you can ask my son, the nurse.

now about this rn thing..........:balloons: :balloons: :rolleyes:

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Specializes in med-surg, geriatrics.

Well this will sound corny....when I was a child I would go into our church library and read. I came across biographies of Nightingale and Barton...lol....and I wanted to be a nurse. However, I did not do it until I was in my 30's. I've now been an RN for about 9 years and love it. When I first got into nursing school without ANY healthcare experience of any kind I thought I'd died and went to hell. Matter of fact the Director of the program told me I'd never make it. I set out to prove her wrong...lol. Nursing is not a bad life. I love it.

sherri

Why do you where those shoes all the time? They are comfortable and they fit!

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