Where did you start?

[jojo489]

I'm just curious how everyone's path to nursing began. I heard a long time ago that it was "best" to begin as a CNA or an LPN and work your way up. Not that I necessarily agree, I think everyone does their own thing for a reason.

When I decided to go to college, I was working a pretty dead end job, but still in the healthcare field, and I wanted more. I decided to go LPN at my local community college because it was the least time consuming and least expensive. (I didn't make much money then.) I figured it would benefit me as well, so I could get nursing experience and make a little more money while I went back to school.

So I dived in. I loved school. Of course it was stressful and time consuming, and I maintained a full time job while I did it...but I truly enjoyed it.

Got my first job in LTC on a short stay rehab type unit. Incredibly stressful but loved it and they chose to keep me there full time. I met some amazing nurses who I idolize. I also met some okay nurses and some who just couldn't get it together, but hey, there are all kinds in each profession. I also got experience with all different kinds of surgeries, symptoms and diagnoses. I got to do codes. I saw quite a bit and, not to be braggy, but I realized I was meant for a job like this and really was good at it.

Skip to now and I'm working with the disabilities population again, which I LOVE. and I am still taking courses and working my way back to that good old RN program.

Part of me wishes I would have just done it all at once and walked away from school with my RN. Another part of me thinks that what I did worked very well for me, because I have the experience I do and I didn't walk in completely blind.

Everyone forges their own path into this profession. I don't think that where you start dictates the kind of nurse you will become, so please don't take it that way. I would just like to know where you all started. :)

[mmc51264, BSN, MSN, RN]

I was a teacher and did not get my contract renewed d/t being non-tenured and having a Masters. I decided that nursing would be a natural fit after being a pre-vet Biology major. I got my CNA certificate and worked as a HH aide all during school. I think that helped in that HH pts are mostly older and it was great experience to learn about the geriatric population. HH was great because the hours are flexible.

[Mmorton75]

I was at a dead end job selling window blinds when I was laid off. I had always wanted to be a nurse, but I hadn't even graduated from high school, so I took a GED class for two months and passed the test, I applied at Ntc and completed my pre requirements in a semester and then I got into the LPN program in July of 2012. The most exciting time of my life

[Michnurse03]

I was in banking, as a manager of a small team of office workers,

I was 27 and one of the people I managed was about 22 - she was in school to be a dental hygienist and she was dumb as a box of rocks.

Thankfully, I thought, if she can go to school to be a hygienist, surely I can go to school to be a nurse.

The rest is history, the best decision I ever made,

too bad I never thanked that girl.

[bagladyrn, RN]

I was a newly divorced single mother. I took a job as an aide at a large old state psych hospital on their med-surg unit because they had their own school of practical nursing which any employee could apply for after 1 yr. of employment. After completing that, while working off my "obligation" for the schooling on night shift, I attended classes for an ADN during the day.

[jojo489]

Thank you all for sharing. :)

[CT Pixie, BSN, RN]

I was 16 years old and my very first job was as a CNA in a local LTC facility. That was wayyyy back before you needed 'formal' classes, testing with the state or anything like that. I was trained on the job by nurses who were old school (in the mid 1940'). Learned a hell of a lot from those nurses.

Had always wanted to be a nurse but during college life happened and I was unable to graduate. Fast foward, life kept happening (hee-hee) and I was then a month from turning 38. I thought to myself, its time! And I applied and was accepted into LPN school (plan all along was become LPN and bridge to RN. It was more expensive to do it that way, but it was MUCH quicker). Became an LPN, 5 years later I started my LPN to RN bridge program. Graduated in 2013. Now, I'm enrolled in my RN to BSN program. Set to graduate in Spring 2016.

[calivianya, BSN, RN]

When I couldn't get any better job with a bachelor's in Psych than the one I was already working with just a high school diploma, I realized I didn't want to make $10.50/hr or less for the rest of my life and needed to do something about it. I looked at my options to figure out what I could break into that was in the medical field, that paid decent money, and had the least amount of time and financial commitment. I decided to be a nurse.

I briefly thought about getting an ADN, but ruled it out because of how much it would limit my job opportunities, so I went to a state school and got my BSN instead. Should have just decided to be a nurse in the first place, I suppose, but if you had tried to tell me I was going to be a nurse before I graduated with my first degree, I would have just laughed. I'm glad I enjoy nursing because it's definitely not a calling for me.

[jojo489]

When I couldn't get any better job with a bachelor's in Psych than the one I was already working with just a high school diploma, I realized I didn't want to make $10.50/hr or less for the rest of my life and needed to do something about it. I looked at my options to figure out what I could break into that was in the medical field, that paid decent money, and had the least amount of time and financial commitment. I decided to be a nurse.

I briefly thought about getting an ADN, but ruled it out because of how much it would limit my job opportunities, so I went to a state school and got my BSN instead. Should have just decided to be a nurse in the first place, I suppose, but if you had tried to tell me I was going to be a nurse before I graduated with my first degree, I would have just laughed. I'm glad I enjoy nursing because it's definitely not a calling for me.

Being educated in psych can't hurt you as a nurse, either. Good set of tools to have.

[nursecathi]

Spent most of my own childhood in Riley Hospital in Indianapolis. Had awesome nurses. Thought back then I wanted to be a pediatric cardiologist. Became a CNA at 19 then an LPN and now an RN (ADN). Nursing is all I ever wanted to do. 30+ years later, most in critical care, it's all I know. Had times when I hated it but probably wasn't nursing so much as it was the position. Now in Hospice and have found why I became a nurse.

[haunani, BSN, RN]

Well, after high school I went to a 4-year university and got my Bachelor's in Biomedical Engineering. I worked at 2 engineering jobs (neither Biomedical) and came to the realization that I hated engineering with a passion. Loved the schooling, hated the work.

I had always had an interest in the medical field (hence the Biomedical major) and upon reflection, I realized what I missed about my happiest job ever was the personal interaction. So I decided to go back to school for nursing.

Since I wanted to get out and working ASAP, I entered an ADN program. The program near where I lived had minimal pre-reqs, but some demanding co-reqs (that most others did prior to the nursing program). I did them all, with another few classes added for good measure.

Hubby and I knew we wanted to move after I graduated, so the semester prior to my final one I started looking for jobs in our new area. I managed to land one on an Ortho-Neuro unit via a phone interview. I never even saw the hospital until I went in for my employee physical after we moved!

After working on that unit for just over 2 years, I transfered to a Mother/Baby unit (which is what I wanted to do even before nursing school) and have been here for almost 2 years.