When did you find your calling?

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Hi all!

Everyone here is so welcoming and informative. I apologize in advance if there are millions of threads about this but I'd love to hear everyone's story. A little about myself (which will lead to my questions I promise!) I'm 27 with a Bachelors and currently completing a few pre-requisite classes to apply for accelerated BSN programs here in the Dallas area (UT Arlington is my first choice, Texas Tech is my second which is where my first B.A is from). I won't be eligible until Spring of 2017 to begin Nursing school. True to form I have researched, weighed all of my options, compiled many thoughts and such, along with hours of scouring this website. I'm in a fortunate position that I will be able to dedicate my time to Nursing school when the time comes for clinical and such. I feel confident in the fact that the timing is everything and the time is now to do this in my life. Of course, I am a little scared to take the plunge. I know that the risk is worth the reward but still in the back of my mind there is a little worry. Nursing has been something I have toyed with for about a year and a half now and I think I'm finally ready. My job is completely unfulfilling, unsatisfying, unchallenging, typical cold, dull, dry Corporate America. I have realized this is not what I want to spend the rest of my life doing. Staring at spreadsheets, worrying if I'll have a job given oil prices, and everything in between.

Cardiology, EP, and Anesthesia have always interested me. My dad had his first heart attack at the age of thirty and has had 7 since. I'm his caretaker and I almost lost him this January. There were so many nurses, doctors, NP's, PA's, CNA's, techs, and more that I remember so poignantly during his stay's in the hospital (he's been in and out about every three months for over a year). I feel compelled to give back to those who have been in not only my dad's shoes but mine as well.

However, I just don't see myself in a bedside nursing role. Being in a clinical setting, a cath lab, EP lab, surgery role speaks more to me than bedside. Even working for a medical device company, like Medtronic as someone who interrogates ICD's. I do know that I want to further my education eventually, like a CNS, NP, or CRNA (I know this requires at least a year of acute care). So my question: when did you know you were where you were meant to be? Did you stumble upon it? Was it what you always dreamed of? Just curious, I know I will find my niche as I already have strong interests.

Thanks y'all!

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Specializes in LTC and Pediatrics.

I stumbled upon where I was meant to be. Due to the fact that I was down with pneumonia for 2 weeks during the 6 week class/precept that we do, I had to withdraw. That was in June. Next time it was offered was in January. I took a job as a CNA during this time in LTC. I also did my precepting there. During this time, I discovered I actually did enjoy this type of work. I seem to have a knack to relating to the residents. Up until then, I wasn't absolutely sure where I wanted to be, though I did like neonatal.

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Specializes in critical care.

This is still my story and I'm sticking to it.

I was 28.

OP, I was called to nursing. I remember it like yesterday.

I was running a brush through my knee-length hair, while cherubs danced with the squirrels outside my window. It would have been a perfect day, except the harp player wouldn't stop playing that Tom Jones song the kids are so into these days. What's it called? What's New Pussycat?

Anyway, this eerie glow appeared before me in the lawn, and a naked hedgehog appeared. He said to me, "yo baby, dig it." His voice was regal like a cross between Morgan Freeman and James Earl Jones, but also a bit gruff, like what's his name, who did the Aflak Duck voice.

Anywho, he says, "you can get your jingle jangle while the hurky jerky cools your hide." And suddenly, I knew what he meant. It was my destiny to become a nurse.

We all partied together on my lawn, while Brad Pitt designed my house.

I miss Brad. We used to chill on a mountainside. I haven't seen him since I started zyprexa and seroquel. He's one of those believers in "diet and exercise".

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Specializes in ICU.

The closest thing I have to a calling is eating different things every time I go to a restaurant and writing reviews about what I ate. I am a supertaster and I feel compelled to try everything I possibly can and tell other people about it.

As far as nursing goes, I spent nursing school paying attention to what I liked and disliked, determined that I wanted to go into ICU after graduation, applied only to ICUs, and got a good ICU gig right out of school. I got what I wanted but I don't consider it to be a calling. The great thing about nursing is you don't have to box yourself into one particular area.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

My "calling" was not only to care for people but to make money well enough to support my growing family. I am not particularly religious and never felt that kind of calling to anything.

Does not make me any worse a nurse than the nun called to nursing by her God. Just different motivation.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

I hear ice cream "calling" me at night when I am trying to sleep. That is the strongest calling I can say happens most of the time.

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Specializes in ORTHO, PCU, ED.

Well...wanted to be a history/political science teacher but one professor in college ruined that for me. Then I thought, "I've gotta do something with my life. I need a job." Ehhh...(shrug)...I'll go to nursing school.

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Well.. not exactly the passionate (for lack of a better word) responses I was expecting but different strokes I suppose.

Thanks all.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

Sorry you are disappointed.

Those "Called to nursing" need to respect that we can be amazing nurses without a "calling" to the profession. I guess that is the point of so many. With an economy in the dumper, a lot of people feel called to nursing to make money. So many have advanced degrees and yet return to school to get their ADN/BSN or MSN as a second degree because there was no work in their original discipline. You are far from unique in that respect.

People who are called to nursing for altruistic or religious/spiritual reasons are often the ones who burn out the fastest when they learn healthcare is a business first and foremost and that their skills and education as nurses are disrespected by patients, the public and their managers and administrators. It can be a real disappointment when all their work is for naught because Press-Gainey scores fell below expectations.

Make no mistake, you are in "corporate America" when you practice nursing in pretty much ANY discipline.

The sooner you understand that, the better off you will be, starting out. And the job market is pretty saturated in most areas so finding the job you want may be more challenging than you may anticipate. The places where jobs are plentiful are often the places a lot of people do not want to work for any number of reasons. Corporate America has taken over health care in our country, a long time ago. We are answering to our corporate masters for every penny spent, every hour worked and constantly being told to do more with less and less. Many places are dangerously understaffed in the name of saving money so those CEOs can get their five to six figure bonuses for pleasing THEIR corporate masters.

I adopted a healthy attitude about the role nursing plays in my life. It does not own me. It's not my "identity". It IS something I do when I am not home spending time with the family and enjoying my downtime.

Now I *do* feel called to volunteer at some point, overseas on mission. I think that would be the most rewarding thing I could do with my experience and in my career. But as far as feeling a religious or spiritual awakening that called me to nursing, nope, that did not happen for me. I respect it does for others, however.

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Specializes in ICU.
Well.. not exactly the passionate (for lack of a better word) responses I was expecting but different strokes I suppose.

Thanks all.

Those of us that don't feel nursing is a calling often think the whole "calling" thing to be one of the reasons nurses are treated so badly as far as low pay, terrible ratios, being dumped upon by all other disciplines, and being disrespected by pretty much everyone across the board. After all, nursing is a calling! We must be martyrs for the cause! Let's all bend over and take it because we are called to serve others!

So yeah, you will find a lot of people to be the exact opposite of passionate when you call nursing a calling. I find it to be a bit of a dirty word.

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No "called to nursing" epiphany hit me. I've always loved the diversity of healthcare and the continuous learning component. Nursing just happened to be the most convenient and suited field for me.

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Specializes in NICU, Trauma, Oncology.

I didn't know I actually wanted to be a nurse until I finished my first semester of nursing school. I am a career changer and when I applied nursing school was just a means to a better, more stable career than I had previously. However, in my first semester I really did "fall in love" and nursing is something I never knew I always wanted.

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