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 ICU, telemetry, LTAC.

My mom was an LPN. I read her Lippincott's manual at the age of 12. Not until after I graduated with my ADN could I understand why she had decade-old spiral notebooks full of pharmacology notes that she wouldn't throw away. They were also illegible, to me anyhow. For a while I liked regular sciences, but math made me want to tear my hair out, and still does. Life sciences in high school were something I couldn't get enough of. I didn't want to do nursing because my mom gave me the idea that it didn't make any money. I can still remember her griping one time that she went through all that heck in school to make five dollars an hour in a doctor's office. Still, she seemed to find pretty good docs to work for, schedule-wise. And she never handed over a prescription to a pharmacist without reading it first. That was awesome to me as a kid, that she found it readable.

My household was an abusive one, to put it nicely. I left home and got married very quickly, and my now ex husband wasn't abusive so it worked out for a while, long enough to have two kids and buy a house, etc. But when you haven't done anything yourself, haven't fended for yourself, and wake up one day to determine that you didn't make any of the decisions that governed where you are... that hurts. Not only that, my job tore my soul a bit every time I was successful at it. I worked in a doc's office doing billing and collections. Nothing was quite as horrible as going to court at night (that's when the session was) and taking a lien on some old fella's house. The fella in question had to be placed in the jury box because he'd just had some treatment for prostate cancer and was considered radioactive. When I had spoken to him on the phone, he told me that he was fed during the week by meals on wheels, on the weekends he got by on a can or two of tunafish. The house was all he had.

Once I expressed interest in what medical missions do, at work. I won't ever forget one of our doc's response to that. "there probably isn't much demand in the mission field for bill collecting." Ooh, no need to be cold about it... and really I don't think he intended to be; but there is a definite difference between making ten to twelve bucks an hour and having to depend on the good graces of your employer to keep a job, and having a professional license that makes you an actual provider of care.

Long story short, I left my ex, split up my daughters (I will not go into that story in a public forum), wound up moving to another city on a whim when the doc I worked for got a little more crazy, drove a cab for a while, dispatched a while, and barely paid my rent. I didn't know I was eligible for food stamps and bought around forty bucks worth of groceries a week. My customers regularly handed me fruit and sometimes bags of veggies for my daughter! One of the biggest tips I ever got was from a drunk construction worker who told me to go buy my youngun some clothes. When I started dating my now husband, he looked at me one day and asked outright, without knowing my entire history, and said "and why are you not a nurse?" I explained my situation, as if the lack of money wasn't completely obvious, and he said, "oh that's doable! You can work around all of that!" Within a month I was enrolled in my prerequisites. I quit my job, found one that I could change schedule every quarter, made less, got food stamps, convinced several governmental agencies to pay for things like rent and school and such, and graduated with no money and no loans. I passed NCLEX a week after my honeymoon.

I'm sorry there are people who feel that money shouldn't be a factor in deciding to become a nurse. Really, I wouldn't have appreciated my salary if I hadn't had to live on macaroni and cheese for a while. I can take care of people, refer them to social work instead of taking their houses from them because they had the audacity to seek help from an ambulance chaser... that's an improvement right there. If I so choose I can volunteer my services to those in need. There are a million ways to be a nurse and still make a living. Right now I'm sending my DH to school and buying us a house...

I remember office politics vividly though. Nursing in certain environments promotes and rewards teamwork, which is something I didn't see in other jobs. It was always pulling teeth to get help or cooperation, and being regarded as strange for trying to bolster morale or help coworkers. I love that the shift we work is just that - ours- and that the nurses I work with want to support each other in making sure the work is done without anyone drowning in it. And when the patients I used to feel so impotent to approach, look at me nowadays they see someone they can trust.

There are some good stories here.

I was cleaning in a hospital when a new nursing class started. Everyone said "You would make a good nurse why don't you apply." So I did. Now it is 17 years later. I love my job most of the time and really detest it at other times. I think it can be the most rewarding job and the most taxing at the same time.

Specializes in Geriatrics/Hemodialysis.

I became a nurse because it felt right after volunteering. I also wanted to advocate for others who could not speak for themselves.

Basically, I wanted to go home at night knowing I change at least one person's life for the better.:clown:

Specializes in Registered Nurse.

This is an oldie but good thread I found.....years later....and want to say I became a nurse because my Mom died (the classic loss thing) and I thought I might be able to help people, soothe them, something.....boy, was I wrong....

Just kidding! ;)

Specializes in General Ward/ER.

I really wanted to become a nurse even at a very young age but my dream came with a twist, i 'm a teacher and a guidance counselor for years... and as time passes by i realized that i can help further as a nurse....armed with my hard earned savings, i took the risk......unconditional love of work and genuine concern with the welfare of others are the key factors in satisfying career....very noble...... like teacher.

Specializes in General / Midwifery / ED.

I became a nurse in 1975 when it was a hospital based training system. I was the 3rd male nurse to go through St Vincent's Hospital Darlinghurst, Sydney Australia. Male nursing was a rare occupation at the time. Why I became a nurse is set out in my blog. It is not a short story but a continuing one. I started nursing basically when I was about 13. Not as a profession but as a helper. It progressed from there. St John of God North Richmond, St John of God Burwood, wardsman at St Vincent's whilst waiting to start nursing, St Vincent's, Westmead and Nepean Hospital. Why I became a nurse - because I wanted to. I loved it. But you move on.

http://stvincentsdarlinghurstmalenurses.blogspot.com/

All's well that nurses well.

Regards Peter McCartney

Specializes in Geriatrics/Hemodialysis.

Hello,

Nice to meet you. I understand what you meant, when you mentioned male nursing is rare. There are too few male nurses due to bias opinions about the profession. Nursing has been viewed for a long time as a female only profession. I am glad times have changed.:monkeydance:

I became a nurse in 1975 when it was a hospital based training system. I was the 3rd male nurse to go through St Vincent's Hospital Darlinghurst, Sydney Australia. Male nursing was a rare occupation at the time. Why I became a nurse is set out in my blog. It is not a short story but a continuing one. I started nursing basically when I was about 13. Not as a profession but as a helper. It progressed from there. St John of God North Richmond, St John of God Burwood, wardsman at St Vincent's whilst waiting to start nursing, St Vincent's, Westmead and Nepean Hospital. Why I became a nurse - because I wanted to. I loved it. But you move on.

http://stvincentsdarlinghurstmalenurses.blogspot.com/

All's well that nurses well.

Regards Peter McCartney

Specializes in Travel Nursing, ICU, tele, etc.

I had NO idea that I wanted to be a nurse until I was around my Mother at the end of her life. I was 29 years old was living in NYC, then SF and moved back to the midwest to care for my Mom who was on long term dialysis. My Dad had just had Colon Ca sgy and was recouping in a LTC facility. It was eye opening to me to see what nursing was really about. To see what a difference they could make in someone's life. My Mom truly loved some of her nurses. My Mom died when I was 30. And it took me until I was 40 to finally have my RN. It was an incredible amt of turmoil and pain and healing that I had to do in those 10 years.

It is a great career path. I wish I had pursued it right out of high school. But you can't know what you don't know!!!!

Wanted to be a hairdresser-used to cut and style all my dolls hair, But, my father, whom I adore and idolize,thought I should do something more practical and better paying just in case I ever found myself alone raising a family (by divorce, death etc.)He said "How about Nursing?", so Nursing it was- and I have never regretted it. I have been happily married for 22 years, but just the feeling of knowing that I could take care of me and my 3 boys if necessary is a very comforting and almost powerful feeling.

First post! I have to say this forum is pretty cool.

I am a 20 y/o MALE nursing student, currently a sophomore in an accredited BSN program.

growing up, my mom was a nurse, going on 30yrs now, dad decided to nursing school when i was about 8 or 9, both have diplomas. I'm and eagle scout, and always liked first aide, and helping people, so i figured why not? i wasnt 100% sure though, untill i started going to church again. People talk aout "hearing" God, I realy didnt hear him, somehow he put thoughts into my head, and this amazing feeling deep in my soul that nursing was for me. That was 2 years ago, during my first year of school. I also got a job as an aide at the local hospital, so Ive slowly been gaining experience in the nuring field, which I have to say I loved 90% of it, and the other 10% I can deal with. Fast foreward to 2 weeks ago, While I'm still wondering what area of nursing I want to get into, I was thinking either PED's or ED, couldnt decide. Then, while chaperoning a youth outing to a concert, my best friend, who is a paramedic, gets a page on his pager for a "14 m/o domestic stabbed with knife" I immediately was overwhelmed with anger, frustration sadness, and a sense of conviction, so you can guess what field I want to go into..

Shan Dannon

I have always wanted to be an RN; for as long as I could remember. *I married a Marine at the age of 19 with the understanding that he would stay*active*duty in until I graduated.... *I have only worked about 18 months of the 14 years*I*have*been*an*RN because I have chosen to stay at home and raise my kids. *Upon my dh's retirement, I know there will be plenty of years left for me to work. *

**My license is current; however, we don't plan to retire in my original state of licensure. *I know there will be a refresher course in line for me...oh yeah!!! LOL

At the end of my career its interesting to reflect on how it all began.

In 1975 it was just one of those things girls did I think. I trained in the local hospital then stayed on for two years post grad experience.

Then for some reason... a staff room dare I think... I applied for a job in an isolated rural area as a RN on a construction site for a power generation company. Then I knew where I belonged....real primary health care, working in a community dealing with daily life issues for workers and their families, the doctor flew in one day a week so it was baptism by fire for two 23 year old city girls who took turns to be on call for both the construction site and the community.

Every few years I returned to a busy city hospital for a year or so to keep my skills up to date, so I have vacillated between the bush and operating theatres in major tertiary referral centres. I figured theatre was the place to learn about handling trauma so I did lots of orthopeadics and plastics as well as what came up "on call"

The mechanical skills and exactness of being a good OR Nurse was great but community life was what really engaged me.

Nursing in remote areas was great as long as I felt I kept my skill level and certainly the chance to work in an industrial environment...a mining company, a paper mill, and a meat processor provided plenty of intellectual and some times physical challenges.

I'd do it all again, just with as much care of myself as of my clients next time then I might not have my health problems.

New graduates, do your couple of years as what folks as old as me call a staff nurse, then take the risk and move out of your comfort zone, those men and women who live and work away from big cities and facilities need your skills, enthusiasm and energy. The pay back is so much more than dollars.

Princenina

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