When did you decide nursing was for you?

Coulter630 · Jul 9, 2011

Honestly, you just know. I've wanted to be a nurse for as long as I can remember and have never wanted to do anything other than that. However, do not rely on one area i.e., ER trauma nursing to help you make your decision. There are so many areas that you will be able to experience during your rotations in the program. There were areas, I thought, I really wanted to do and when the days came where I had experience in these areas, I thought totally different.

There are certain areas that are much harder to handle than others and some areas you will probably love and some you will hate. Your rotations will help you decide that. Like I said, some areas I thought I was for sure about, once experiencing it, my mind was changed. Good Luck.

ooper3076 · Jul 9, 2011

3 events in my life that kinda turned me to it:

1. My grandma was in a MVA and was still clutching the steering wheel and the air bags went off and snapped both thumbs, completely backwards (ew!). Both arms in large casts, not able to move her thumbs at all. Moved in with her for 4 mths. to care for her. You won't believe what you can't do without your thumbs.

2. Boyfriend from high school was using a table saw and sawed his first 2 fingers completely off and the 3rd finger was hanging on by a tendon. I immediately put pressure on his hand and put the fingers in the ice box and drove to the ER (in a gear-shift car and never known how to use a clutch). He passed out on the way there and I did a sternal chest rub that I saw from a movie once (lol) and he woke up. Wierd thing- I was COMPLETELY calm and did everything with no hesitation.

3. Nana had lung cancer with METS to brain and liver. Bedridden for about a year. Hospice nurse taught me about the foley catheter and why she needs to be turned. I fed Nana a few times, never will forget that.

You will know. If you feel satisfied after leaving your job, that tells you something :)

Jackfackmasta, ASN, RN · Jul 9, 2011

I'll make a very long story short. I got very sick when I was 18 and was in and out of the ICU for about 2 years every 2weeks-month. I had crashed multiple times and my doc was stumped trying to figure out what was going on with me and I remember one time I had crashed again and I was at "the light" you talk about in heaven and my grandfather who passed when I was a freshman in high school was at the light and he was blocking the light telling me to go back. I ended up running back and I woke up while they were resuscitating me. When I was in the ICU the nurses started to get close to me since I was the youngest patient and had been there over 40 times. The charge nurse she was in my room sitting on the bed talking to me and cleaning out my nails the next day and she asked me if I could have one thing in the world what would it be? I told her I wish I could help other girls in my place. I'm not a religious person, don't go to church but at the moment something powerful and comforting came over me when she said that and I knew at that moment nursing was for me. I never wanted to be a nurse but this forever changed my life. I am now in my 3rd semester of nursing school and every patient I have had told me that I was going to be an amazing nurse and my instructor told me that I would be amazing. I love nursing, everything about it and its my passion. They discovered out what was causing me to be sick and I went back to my normal self. I know it was meant to be because every hurdle I had to get into nursing school I would pray and god would make it right.

andreasmom02 · Jul 9, 2011

My husband and I married when I was 21. Later that year, I became a hairdresser & hated it. He & I were going to church with several nurses around that time, & they seemed to really enjoy their jobs. I have two cousins who are RN's, & they have always seemed to enjoy their jobs as well. My husband and I were invited to a church dinner at one of the church member's (an RN) house one night. After seeing her beautiful home, I realized nurses made really good money. Since I grew up "dirt poor," I wanted to know what it was like to make good money consistently. Also, when I was in cosmetology school, I hated every chapter of our textbook, except the anatomy section. I always scored the highest in the class in anatomy in cosmetology school. I also love helping people as well. I started persuing a nursing degree in 2004. I became an LPN in 2007. I need two more semesters to be an RN, which I plan on taking in the near future (currently a SAHM). I am so happy I became an LPN, & love nursing. I know it's the job for me. I still keep my cosmetology license active, but have no plans of ever using it again!

Double-Helix, BSN, RN · Jul 9, 2011

" I would feel bad for the book that wasn't chosen."
Oh my goodness! I was the same way. It was kind of OCD for me.
The moments I really want to go into nursing, are when the Residents tell me they love me, or thank you so much. But, it's when I'm not working that I have doubts. Like, what if I want to grow old with a family? Will I have time for them?

The great thing about nursing is that there are so many roles. You aren't locked in to 12 hour shifts, every other weekend, etc. You can work in a doctor's office office or clinic and have normal 9-5 M-F hours. You can become a school nurse and have the same hours as your school age children. You can work in home health and essentially set your own schedule. You can work PRN for a hospital one day per week if you don't need the income and want to spend time with your kids. You can work in ambulatory surgery and work 8-3 weekdays.

Options are limitless!

ktliz · Jul 9, 2011

Honestly, reading others' experiences is nice, but you have to remember that everyone is different. Some people "just know," but not everybody. I'm in an accelerated nursing program designed for people who already have bachelor's degrees in other fields, and if you ask 10 of my classmates how they decided to go into nursing, you will get 10 completely different answers. Go with what feels right for YOU. If nursing feels like a good fit, then go for it!!! As someone already mentioned, there are so many different roles in the nursing world. You can be a bedside nurse, but you could also be a clinic nurse, a nurse manager, a nurse educator, a school nurse, the list goes on and on. And you're young... remember that there is no rule that says you can't change your mind later. :) Just getting a bachelor's degree will open up so many doors for you, even if you decide to leave nursing in the future.

If it's family you're concerned about, then yes--nursing is a good career for balancing work and family.

Best of luck!

butterfly134 · Jul 9, 2011

I just knew! I always knew........its just trying to break down those barriers that try and stop you from reaching your goal such as finance, exams-even self doubt! Now Im in NS and i couldnt imagine doing anything else! Love it :)

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Jul 9, 2011

as some folks here know i have a teeny oppositional streak. i had siblings who had a lot of illness when we were kids and ended up helping care for them, their pediatrician gave me a bunch of old jamas when i was 9 and i read them through, and i figured i'd go to medical school.

i took a summer job in high school as the x-ray darkroom tech (talk about no tan for you!); the next year i went back as the central sterile supply wench with occasional days helping in er and or, and the third year i was the or/pacu secretary for a summer. i learned more every year, but what surprised me most was that i liked what nurses did with people more than what doctors did with people. so when the next person told me, "oh, you're so smart, you should go to medical school," i snapped back with, "they need smart nurses too," and that's what i did.

i come from a family littered with engineering and physics (including my kids-- one's a nuke engineer and his sister has a phd in physics) so even though i always gravitated towards biology/physiology/soc/anthro, i have a strong mechanical, how-does-this-work streak. all useful in nursing. i've been very happy here for almost 40 years.

radicalsenseofhope · Jul 9, 2011

I've always loved science and I've always been interested in the social sciences. I thought for the longest time that I wanted to major in anthropology. But it lacked being able to directly help people. Nursing was the perfect combination of science and the humanities for me. Nothing else made sense. Once I was taking pre-nursing classes I found that I was absolutely fascinated by what I was learning in the anatomy and physiology classes.

But what really cinched it for me, when I knew for certain that I was following the right path---I was working as a new CNA and one of my residents started to puke. Helping her and cleaning her up afterwards and everything.... well, I just knew right there in that moment that nursing was where I belong. Am I a nurse yet? No... put off those dreams to raise my babies, but the pull to nursing has never gone away and I'm now finally going back to school.

Thanks to the OP for starting this thread and to everyone who has shared. It is such an inspiration to read! :heartbeat

Mia_2011 · Jul 9, 2011

I have always had the desire to care for people and I believe my parents were my biggest role models growing up (They are both medically trained). I always wanted to do what my mom did, and still does. Now that I am graduated, I want to work on a PCU unit like she does. My parents have always shown endless amounts of compassion and I hope one day to make an impact on people's lives like they have.

They worked very hard to get me surgery to correct problems associated with my cerebral palsy at a young age. I am forever grateful to them, and the nurses that took care of me before/after surgery (all of them were so nice! Definitely made an impact on an 8 year old).

deboraclark82 · Jul 9, 2011

I wanted to be a special education teacher from the time I was 6 years old. I always thought I'd go into teaching until I started working as a care giver for adults with MRDD. I didnt go to school to be a teacher and I thought that the career would be a good second choice because I was working with people with disabilities (something I have a natural gift for that was reconganized when I was very very young). But after going into caregiving I had to do nursing skills, like giving meds, bathes, wound care, pt and ot and I fell in love with nursing. I decided when I was 24 after almost 20 years of thinking that Id be a teacher to go into nursing. Do what your heart desires, you are not old and you wont be stuck in a career. Id waite to invest in a bachlors degree, just work your way up and try an lpn then a ASN and if you still want to continue in the field invest in being a BSN. The average person changes careers 3 times in their life. With your LPN if you decide to change your mind on the career path and go into another field you havne't invested a bunch of time and money into the career and will have the freedom to change your mind and go in a different diraction. THat is the gift of being young.

Guest27531 · Jul 9, 2011

I've known I wanted to be a nurse since I was 5. My mom had a friend who was a RN and worked in surgery. I thought that was the coolest thing ever! I also always had my barbies in the 'hospital' and took care of my 'patients'. I didn't go to college right after high school; I got married and started a family. The time wasn't right for me. I finally decided I could either keep on taking jobs I hated or buckle down and go for a degree in nursing. Every time I went to clinical all I could think was "Wow! Somebody is actually gonna pay me to do what I absolutely love doing!" I graduated in May, passed Nclex in June, and I start my new job on Tuesday. Good luck with whatever you decide to do!!!

Congratulations!!!!

You will find there are ups and downs along the way but, 30 years into my career, I still feel the way you just described.