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.

Well, I did nursing because I come from a small village in Wales and no employment except farming = marrying a farmer or the local hospital, so many of us joined the local hospital - local being somewhat 40 miles away and transport at that time was poor - not much better now. It was also excitting living away from home and having a social life. I made many friends although when the trainging ended,, many moved away. Nursing pay was not brillent, and many joined the Police force, as they just had a pay rise!! ha

I nursed in France for a short time as no local jobs being able to speak Welsh I soon picked up the laungage. The France Health sytem was also excellent and I learnt alot. Happy times..........................

Well...I wanted to become a nurse because I want to share my life with other people. I want to help them in their sufferings and most of all...I just want to lend my helping HANDS to those who are in need of it...

Ive always wanted to work in a hospital since i was a kid. and since its impossible for me to take up medicine (toxic), i just took up nursing hiha! :)

Specializes in ICU, ER, EP,.

Does anyone read these ?:sofahider. I've never told anyone before why...why I chose this crazy profession. It's not that it's some deep dark secret, or some biblical calling that happened to me. It was simply an everyday life event that I've not analyzed until recently.

Feeling very unappreciated and basically fed up in my profession; management, doctors, family and patients... what does that leave to be fufilling in our practice? Ground zero nothing and I was coming up empty, all around empty.

so I thought back, 16 years back, and I had to think awhile. Because my answer was so simple, I needed to post it. Even though doctors scream, patients whine, managers micromanage and demand more and families, well thats a thread on it's own... the point is, we undervalue the impact we make. Because we don't get high press gainey surveys, letters, candy... we don't acknowledge the everyday things we do, that really do change, mold and better peoples lives.

This is what we have to look for, pat ourselves on the back and carry on. Sound unfufilling? Boy is it ever if you wait for the thank you, but what about those we touch that never tell us? Nurses that carried me through, that were never thanked is why I'm 13 yrs in this profession.

So briefly heres my story, please read it, because it is what we do everyday that made me a nurse, you've changed lives, I promise you, you just don't know it.

The story briefly, pregnant with #3, hit the round of usual complications for a mom with HTN, only I was 21 (HTN since first kid at 18), well pre-term labor had me hospitalized most of 3 months on mag. drips,trebutaline, steriods and home monitoring when they'd let me go. Had a 4yr old, and an 18 month old at home, so bedrest was a laugh and we struggled without my working.

Through those 3 months, crazy with stress, steriods and toddlers I simply gave up. Grew depressed, stressed and fought every health care provider every step of the way- They'd call after I "phoned in monitoring", I was in labor again, knew it, and would argue...I'd fight the mag drip, which is horrible, argue in triage that since I wasn't spilling protein I didn't need to be admitted (in labor again) on and on.

I was a nightmare. I was every nurses nightmare. The staff literally begged me to be admitted and I was a nasty one (the steriods and terbutaline and mag, plus needing to be at home made me irrational plus I was exhausted from the whole experience).

Everyone has patients like me, we all high 5 at the end of the shift and go home and hit the wine bottle, but when we enter the room, we go to that happy place and do what needs to be done. Even if it's being stern and demanding a certain behavior or just a backrub, just a talk or just listening.

While I can't pinpoint any one event or any one nurse, each one in their own different way either sternly or softly got me through. Thinking back, I'd walk out on me, and they didn't and while providing excellent nursing care, they took care of my mental needs and supported me without my voicing a single concern. They knew and did.

I signed up for nursing school while in the hospital, with 2 at home and one on the way without any planning. I never thought 'this is what I want to do", but in my crisis, those nurses were there, made a HUGE impact and I started nursing school the day after my son came home from the hospital, a premie at 5 lbs going home. eating for 45 minutes, sleeping for 2 hours and graduated with a 3.98 GPA.

We are in a very thankless profession, how we affect others we'll never know. But some fabulous nurses turned me in to a darn good nurse as well and never knew it.

I nurse, because I make a difference, even though I don't see the results. I know I make a difference in peoples lives, which is why I didn't quit today. I've got more work to do.

I took up nursing because i wanted to be nice to people who were sick, care for them, make them feel a little good. i wanted to be there with them going to theatre, holding there hand during difficult procedures and hard times. well after 2 years of this i dont feel i was able to do these things to the best of my abilities as i was so stressed, no staff, too many patients to look after on my own, running around etc etc. yes i workrd in a hospital busy , busy, busy. heard the older nurses , middle aged nurses bitxxing about the same things as me, so i said i dont want to be still going on and on and feeling this way in 20 years time, and now unfortunetely i am leaving the nursing profession very soon,i am 24 and feel now is the time to change. well done to all those nurses who can do it but i coulnt. nursing is a great job on those days when things arnt gone crazy. my hospital was more like a circus. i had to leave, now doing agency while finding out what post grad i should do. :nurse::bow::banghead::banghead::banghead::confused::confused::typing:typing:yeah::yeah::twocents::twocents:

got divorced at 40, went to nursing school. have been a nurse for 13 years. WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM ALL RN'S, ESPECIALLY THOSE IN MICHIGAN OR OHIO

It Shouldn't happen to A NURSE Halifax Courier July 22

At one household they are greeted by their patient (in pyjama top but no bottoms) with a home-made sign (in capital letters), demanding: "Nurses, please put carrier bags over your feet when walking on the new flooring as I don't want it defacing."

And because they are usually working on the "graveyard shift" all the incidents are in the late hours of night.

The idea of a book began to take hold gradually, they reveal as they often recounted incidents to one another.

"I do tend to jot things down but I don't keep a strict diary," says Jean.

Barbara has written before but revealed she had "to master a computer this time round."

"We actually got the title because it wasn't uncommon to be stopped by police when we were out late at night, driving slowly along looking for addresses of patients," says Jean.

"They'd ask what we were up to and once I just jokingly replied: 'We're ladies of the night, officer'."

The book is dedicated to a former colleague, Yvonne Whitely, as well as Barbara's two dogs, Holly and Jet.

Jet - who becomes Buster in the book - would accompany them late at night, in the back of the car.

They admit to feeling nervous when giving the book to colleagues to read but the reaction has been overwhelming.

"I took in 20 copies to work and they went in seconds," says Jean.

"People have said when are the next lot of memoirs coming on so we'll have to see.

"We've enjoyed doing it though because there has been more than plenty to write about," adds Barbara.

"One thing that did influence us was watching programmes like Where The Heart Is and Doc Martin and you think 'It's not like that at all. Don't these programmes use any proper research?' There are so many blunders, it's untrue."

"Yes, we wanted to tell it how it is," adds Jean.

"We've brought in personal issues too - one of the characters has been given my dad's name (Thomas Hardcastle Brook) and we've set it against real backdrops which did affect us, like the fireman's strike and 9/11.

"That way it has a credible background.

"We just hope people will really enjoy reading it - whether or not they've ever been in the lively business of district nursing.

I have to say, though, it's a pleasure doing what we do because you share in so many people's personal experiences. I hope people who have met us over the years will enjoy reading it too."

l Ladies of The Night by Barbara Green and Jean Wilkinson and wonderfully illustrated by Irene Friend, is available at Fred Wade, Halifax.

At one household they are greeted by their patient (in pyjama top but no bottoms) with a home-made sign (in capital letters), demanding: "Nurses, please put carrier bags over your feet when walking on the new flooring as I don't want it defacing."

And because they are usually working on the "graveyard shift" all the incidents are in the late hours of night.

The idea of a book began to take hold gradually, they reveal as they often recounted incidents to one another.

"I do tend to jot things down but I don't keep a strict diary," says Jean.

Barbara has written before but revealed she had "to master a computer this time round."

"We actually got the title because it wasn't uncommon to be stopped by police when we were out late at night, driving slowly along looking for addresses of patients," says Jean.

"They'd ask what we were up to and once I just jokingly replied: 'We're ladies of the night, officer'."

The book is dedicated to a former colleague, Yvonne Whitely, as well as Barbara's two dogs, Holly and Jet.

Jet - who becomes Buster in the book - would accompany them late at night, in the back of the car.

They admit to feeling nervous when giving the book to colleagues to read but the reaction has been overwhelming.

"I took in 20 copies to work and they went in seconds," says Jean.

"People have said when are the next lot of memoirs coming on so we'll have to see.

"We've enjoyed doing it though because there has been more than plenty to write about," adds Barbara.

"One thing that did influence us was watching programmes like Where The Heart Is and Doc Martin and you think 'It's not like that at all. Don't these programmes use any proper research?' There are so many blunders, it's untrue."

"Yes, we wanted to tell it how it is," adds Jean.

"We've brought in personal issues too - one of the characters has been given my dad's name (Thomas Hardcastle Brook) and we've set it against real backdrops which did affect us, like the fireman's strike and 9/11.

"That way it has a credible background.

"We just hope people will really enjoy reading it - whether or not they've ever been in the lively business of district nursing.

I have to say, though, it's a pleasure doing what we do because you share in so many people's personal experiences. I hope people who have met us over the years will enjoy reading it too."

l Ladies of The Night by Barbara Green and Jean Wilkinson and wonderfully illustrated by Irene Friend, is available at Fred Wade, Halifax.

Specializes in M/S, Tele, Peds, ER.

"BECAUSE I CARE"

lol.. ok really...

When I was in 2nd grade, the teacher made us all choose careers for ourselves and draw a picture and tell a story about why, etc...

Well I come from a big close family and love and admire my mom, and I always knew I wanted to be a mom.

Thats all.

I wanted to be a "MOM" when I grew up!

SOOoo, the teacher informed me that though that was a great "vocation", she wanted us to choose a "job"... so I did some thinking and put down a doctor and pictured myself healing little kids.

10 years later... I found myself wanting to be a nurse and I applied to nursing school. Forget doctor! I don't want all that school time, nor the responsibility! :) ha!

5 years later, with 2 years of nursing under my belt, I realize I AM EXACTLY what I wanted to be way back in 2nd grade.

Heres the way I see it...

Nurses are like the best Mom's in the world: (I've actually written an entire paper on this before, just for fun, but here's some points I can think of offhand...)

~Moms send their kids off to their first day of school. They pack their lunch, and calm their fears.

~ Nurses prep the patients for surgery. They keep them NPO, scrub their abdomen, premedicate them, and calm their fears.

~Moms juggle 101 things at once with a calm, skilled, quick and sure grace that keeps a household running.

~Nurses juggle 101 things at once with efficient, quick and sure skills that keeping a hospital running.

~Moms tell their child "no" when they want something that's bad for them, and teach them the right way.

~Nurses educate their patients on a daily basis on healthier lifestlye habits, and while their in the hospital, gotta tell the diabetic "no, you can't have another ice cream... your BSG is 420! Heres some insulin and a diet coke instead ;)"

~Moms change diapers.

~Nurses change diapers.

Haha! :)

That one was too easy.

The parallels are endless when you stop to really think about it.

So thats what got me into it, and once I got into it, so many more reasons came up that keep me here! Nurses make a difference. We just do! My patients tell me all the time, friends and family tell stories about the nurses they've had and how wonderful they were. We as nurses have such an impact on people's lives in ways we usually never get to find out, but when we are blessed with a patient telling you later on how much they appreciated the care you gave them, it keeps you going strong!

I truly can't picture myself doing anything else!

Since I was a child I really, really love to wear all white (like a white lady?haha). At first I would like to become a doctor but then when I reached the end year of my high school I change my mind and choose to get the nursing course. I told my mom and dad that I would like to become a nurse and get nursing course they answered me "Child can you choose another course because it's some kind of big expenses and me and your dad afraid that we can't support you all through out your study" after hearing that, I feel that I have a no chance to become a nurse and I loose hope. I prayed to God thay someday my mom and dad changed their mind and support me to pursue my dreams and then one day, My uncle and brother talked my mom and dad that it was so hard to get a course which is not really what I want in my, they really explained it 2 my parents. I think God hear my prayer because my parents agreed and support me to get the nursing course. They really tried their best to support me that's why I studied so much so that they will not get disappointed and to show to them that they are not wasting their time supporting me. And now I'm already a graduate of nursing and I'm very proud of it even though I'm not yet registered.

Any way, I'm planning to take the NCLEX exam and I don't know what are the requirements needed and where to apply, can anyone help me please.......

Specializes in none.

Well, I'm not a Nurse yet, but I'm making a career change from the manufacturing industry to health care. :yeah: Manufacturing in the United States isn't so good, a lot of work is being sent out overseas and I believe that a career in nursing is a bit more stable. The most important thing is that I find nursing, based on what I know, very interesting. I would love a profession in helping a patient recover from a life threating condition, or helping people in general. I realize that its hard work, but I also think that nurses really make a difference in the patients ability to cope with whatever it is they have to cope with. I really like the Idea of being able to get away from the stress of the big city too, in contrast to manufacturing, which seems to conjugate in such places as LA, Chicago, ect... Im not expecting to get rich, only to support my family and buy a house out and away from the noisy, dirty, stressful big city. :banghead: I would rather raise my children in the outskirts of a medium size city. Some where in the country, but yet close enough to town. Thats my story and I'm sticking to it. :smokin:

Let's see NAFTA send this Darn job to Mexico!, Happened to me and I lost everything. The retraining program is a joke. Actual agreement statesthat I am supposed to get training in a job that will give a comparable wage in regards to what I was previously earning. Turns out they were only giving me six months to go to school. Where can you go to school for 6 months and get enough educatin to earn close to $50, 000 in a year?

i always loved the medical field, at first i wanted to become a pharmacist, then i realized chemistry isnt my thing, although once u become a pharmacist you really dont need that, but to get there u do. ehh nursing is good. i love helping people.

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