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

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.

[annaRNC]

I like this thread a lot. I became a nurse after working in technology for a while. Originally I got a degree in comp sci because I liked solving problems-had always been drawn to puzzles and word games since I was a kid. I could not stand sitting behind a computer and making my employers more money wasn't very fulfilling. I took the plunge one day and there was one spot left in the three classes I needed to take. I was 27 and decided I'd do a second BSN since it was only another year for me than the associates. I worked on a trauma floor in a level I hospital during my junior-senior years. I thought about staying but hospital was under investigation for fraud. Don't want to say which one but if you are familar with NJ it was in all of the papers.

Interviewed for a couple of different things. Wound up in peds because I had loved taking care of the adolescent pts on the trauma floor. Found that I was really interested in the family dynamics as well as the more complicated cases. I decided I'd go to grad school and do my APN in psych. I applied thinking I wouldn't get in to my first choice but did. Had a minor freak out but I start Sept 5th. Luckily my charge nurse is awesome and I will work Sun-Tues and have classes Thurs and Fri. No more Fri or Sat nights but I'm sure studying will take it all up. My goal is to be in a private practice working with adolescents and families. I'd love to work one day a week at my current job once I get my masters because it's an environment where I feel supported and actually have a mentor. I didn't go for the offer that paid the most but one that felt right. Some of my friends make more but I have to say I'm the happiest of all of them. There are days I feel scared (lots of them) but I never feel like I'm alone in things. It's the strangest floor-we hang out together, celebrate birthdays, etc. Just went to NYC with a few of them on Friday.

I'd like to tell other new nurses not to pick a place only on what they will pay you. The environment and what I've learned have been worth more than the few dollars more I'd make at another hospital. I've made it through my first year! School and working on the trauma floor didn't prepare me for how I'd feel. There are days where I feel like I'm doing a great job and days where nothing goes right-kid is a hard stick, pharmacy is backed up, admissions come back to back etc. I can't imagine doing anything else. Working three days a week isn't too shabby either!

Anna

[analyn_henson]

i took up nursing because i hated math subject the most, does it makes sense?:uhoh3:LOL! nursing is the only course that doesnt have math subject, for in fact it has many subjects related to numbers itself:), anyway im glad i made it to graduation, what a relief though!

ana

[tam-tam]

My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer when I was in kindergarten. It was in Stage 3. She always felt tired and having difficulty of breathing. Sometimes I went with her in the hospital or clinic to visit her doctor and for check-ups. Then she was admitted in the hospital for at least 3 times. She went to St. Luke's Medical Center for chemotherapy twice. I know that she's suffering from pain but still she manages to keep it and not showing it to us. She always finds time for us like going to the beach or going out for dinner, for she thought her time is running out. Having time alone with her, she told me that if I were going to be a nurse, she would not worry anymore because I will be the one who will take care of her. I was touched for that day I didn't know how to care because I'm still young. Now, even she's gone, I still want to be a nurse. I will give my undying care for patients who needs it especially mothers. I'm in my 4th year in nursing college and I'm doing my best to pursue her dream for me to be a nurse.

[wizap]

Well, I had 2 years of college under my belt... but I had been a wife and stay-at-home mom for 13 years. We had no health insurance...and private health insurance is expensive.

I was torn between going back to school to be a teacher, or a nurse. I needed fewer credits to be an RN. I graduated with my BSN in 1993, and have worked full time ever since.

The surprise is I AM a Teacher, as well as a nurse! Looking back, I wouldn't change a thing. What an amazing profession I am in!!!

I work in a rural/frontier hospital. I love what I do and I am still evolving!

[phoenixfire]

Well, my story isn't nearly as interesting as most here, but I'll post it anyway.

My mom kicked me out of the house when I was 15. I dropped out of high school, then later went back and graduated on time. I joined the Navy at 18, and never looked back. Met my husband in training, had my first child at 19, and my second at 22. After my four years were up, we moved to his hometown in East Texas. I started college online with University of Phoenix, and got my Associates and Bachelor's from there. About 5 months before I graduated, my husband and a friend and I were watching a show on the Discovery Channel about labor and delivery. They were grossed out, I was fascinated. My DH said that I should have been a nurse, because nothing grosses me out, and its all interesting. So I started researching what it would take for me to become a nurse. I signed up for the prereqs the next day. I finished my Bachelor's at the same time as I was completing AP, Chem, Psych, Lifespan, and Spanish, and took AP II and Nutrition over this last summer. I'm totally in my element, and loving life! I've got Micro and Patho scheduled for the fall, and my applications are due next week! I've been assured that I'm a shoo in, but I'll be sweating bullets until I get my letter! Now that I'm on the path to becoming a nurse, I can't imagine why I wanted to do anything else! :monkeydance:

[teeituptom, BSN, RN]

I didnt want to work outside in the heat, and I wanted to meet nice women. It worked 30 yrs and 7 kids later, were still happy.

[uzmar42]

I was encouraged by my parents and sisters to took up nursing. After that I passed the phil. board exam then I didn't practice it, as of now im working in an IT company as a web programmer. But Im planning to take the NCLEX by December this year or Feb next year

[Bridey]

When I was a child I didn't know what I wanted to be when I grew up, I just new I wanted to do something that allowed me to help people. In middle school I became quite enamoured with the law and thought I'd either be a lawyer or a police officer. My mom, being the worry wart that she is, was against me being a police officer. So that was out. As it turns out, being a lawyer, once I really discovered what all it entails, sounded boring. Boring isn't my cup of tea.

In highschool I started REALLY considering what I wanted to do. I took the career day tests that matched me up with ideal professions based on my interests. What I discovered was that no one thing jumped out at me. I loved writing, science, animals and law. My career day test said I would make a good reporter, lawyer, doctor, veterinarian, etc.

For awhile there I thought I'd be a doctor. When I graduated from high school I realized that the ideal of being in school for another 8 years sounded awful, but medicine piqued my curiousity. It was something I became very passionate about. After highschool I determined I didn't want to work retail or at some fast food joint, so at 17 I went to school to become a CNA.

It only took a few months and I realized that my true passion WAS in medicine, but I had the bedside manner of a nurse more than a doctor. I realized the type of "helping" people I wanted to do was the primary function of the nurses. So at 17 I realized my calling was to be a nurse.

Go figure, my mom is a nurse.

I had worked as a CNA for almost 7 years when I enrolled in nursing school. In 2003 I graduated from the nursing program.

My journey was just beginning though, I thought prior to actually BECOMING a nurse that I wanted to be a Peds nurse, but realized after Peds clinicals that it wasn't my cup of tea. The fields of nursing that MOST interest me are L & D and anything having to do with cardiac patients.

So now I'm gearing up to go back to school again to get not only evenually get my Masters, but to become a Certified Nurse Midwife. So my aversion to spending all those years in school is irrelivant... I'll probably be in school for years to come! LOL

[sharona97, BSN, RN]

I became a single mother and had a son to support. I enrolled in a medical receptionist program, then moved on to a CMA and then found myself looking at the microfisce? in the career center at college for a school I could afford.

I really believe I have a calling for nursing and ended up in Corpus Christi, (Body of Christ), Texas. I entered the RN program finished all basics and when it was time to enter the program my application was declared unfinished due to a lost referral letter. At the time I was was working in a cath lab actually scrubbing in for L an R heart studies and pacemakers! I remember our first angioplasty took hours. We did 3-4 cases a day. I had so may referrals,that's the irony.

I went from Dean to Dean of the school pleading my case. (The actual letter of reference was intradepartmentally lost, yet the only compromise I received was to be placed in the LPN Porgram). I accepted, was given student of the year (1986) award and went to work on the telemetary floor.

Ended up back in MN for seriuos surgery for endometriosis and found lifting very hard (8 surgeries in 18 months) and worked as a clinical and research nurse in cardiology and internal medicine. Then I worked emergency medicine and caught pertusssis froma dying infant less than 2 months of age. He was also positive for the flu, probably RSV, and whooping cough. I went undiagnosed for 4 months and kept working! And kept getting fired after I went into respiratory distress episodes.

Never had I been fired.

In 2005 I said heck I'll be a cashier in a grocery store and again lasted 12 weeks before coming symptomatic again. And medically discharged from my job.

I plan to continue on towards a path of wellness and I know somewhere I will be working with the same care and compassion I started out with. I love being a nurse, even during all those tough and rotten days, you occasionally have that one gratifying moment and that says it all. Thanks for asking my story Brian. I am 9 classes away from my RN and haven't given up hope. I've been nursing for 28 1/2 years before the disability. Welcome all new grads and nurses! You are needed!

[sharona97, BSN, RN]

Good Luck woth the Exams!!!!!!!

sharona97

[supernurse(NOT)]

my mom got really sick... i was a bartender just like her and she decided to have a large aneurism and stroke while in the hospital... from the asthma stuff im sure ... but the nurse that was takin care of her sucked .... i was 18 my mom just had what???? i dont know..???? it really sucked....she had 0 bedside manner... and she had pulled out a few tubes and i had no idea what they were for .. alls i wanted was to take the restraints off her and calm her down

so whenever you guys are faced with this situation just imagine what it would feel like to be the one sittin in that chair..... compassion ....

that is what im in nursing for....

[sharona97, BSN, RN]

Ihear ya. It must have been terribly upsetting to watch your mom struggle for air and to survuve the other DX's too.