After a year and a half of pre/co-requisites, I have finally begun the actual nursing program. While in clinicals it dawned on me that much of this first phase involves assuming the identity of a health care professional. That is, changing from a "regular person" to a nurse. I hope that makes sense.
My question is--at what point did you realize, "hey, I'm a nurse!"
Is that something that happens gradually in time, or all at once? When did this happen for you? In school or when you passed the boards? Can it be taught (probably not) or is it with experience (probably).
I've wanted to be a nurse since I was 5 years old. Planned on it, anticipated it, told everybody I was doing it, and read books about it. So "nurse" has been a significant part of my identity for as long as I can remember.
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
When a patient and her family told me what a wonderful "nurse". I was (somewhere in my first month after graduation). THEN it hit me. But I agree w/sjoe. I am much more than a nurse; I became a nurse long after becoming a wife, mom, community volunteer, student of life. But, it is an important PART of who I am .....make sense?
I decided to become a nurse when I was four years old, after a lengthy stay in the hospital; I didn't change my mind even when high school counselors and other forward-minded well-meaning people said "You're too smart to be a nurse, you should be a doctor." (I STILL resent that statement! )
Being a nurse was pretty much my identity until I married and had children, and then I realized there are other things in life.
In the face of today's unstable economy, pinning everything on one career is too risky. Of course, as has been mentioned, nursing has so many different faces now than it used to even 30 years ago.
To be honest, being a nurse is an evolving process. I thought I felt like a nurse at my nursing school graduation in a white uniform and cap; I promptly started working in an area where I wore neither and realized that was not what nursing was.
Then I felt like a nurse when I received notice that I had passed State Boards; reality struck harder a few months later when I resigned my position and was told "you either need to work full time to improve your skills or consider a different career".
Being a diploma grad, I went back to college and finished my BSN;
then, it was difficult to land a job because our local hospitals were either laying off or had hiring freezes. After 3 months, I finally landed a job. After some growing pains and maturing, I finally felt accepted after a couple of years. I've been with the same facility for 20 years and have worked various areas. I'm happy with the work I do, but I'm also happy with who I am outside of my work. I believe one compliments the other. Sorry this is so long--guess I'm officially a long-winded old-timer! :zzzzz
Alley writes: "I thought I felt like a nurse at my nursing school graduation in a white uniform and cap; I promptly started working in an area where I wore neither and realized that was not what nursing was. "
It seems to varry person to person, can't remember the exact moment...... but at home.... my husband nurses better than me... I tend to be "ah.... common... you're not dead yet! :-)"
I was in LPN school, studying, and looking up all my meds for the next day for clinicals. All of the sudden, it hit me, the diseases, the meds you give, the care plan, it hit me I UNDERSTAND THE NURSING PROCESS!!!!!! I felt like there was a big light bulb over my head. I ran to tell my sister this huge revelation( she is also a nurse) and she said "OMG!!! You have turned into a nurse!!" I can truely say that that was one of those defining moments in my life. I have been a nurse ever since.
OOPS!:chair: Thanks, sjoe, didn't catch that one! What I meant was that the particular uniform did not necessarily represent the entire profession by the time I entered nursing as a career, con-trary to what I'd heard constantly from my mother and "Cherry Ames" books while growing up.
And, yes, not only chilly, but SCAREY for every body else!
After graduation, when I was on my own and driving home from work. How many days? I am not sure but I realized wow, I am finally a real nurse. I felt so happy! I still have htis feeling sometimes too! I love it when I teach my pt'd and realizen, this is nursing! Love it!
) 
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I've wanted to be a nurse since I was 5 years old. Planned on it, anticipated it, told everybody I was doing it, and read books about it. So "nurse" has been a significant part of my identity for as long as I can remember.