Why does anyone go into nursing?

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i joined the board because i'm curious to know why other people choose to go to nursing school, particularly those who have worked in another field and are choosing nursing as a second career.

let me be perfectly clear: i'm not looking for an argument and don't intend to argue with anyone on here. (argue is different than debate). i'm also not trying to (deliberately, anyway), knock the profession of nursing in general. (i do, however, have a thing or two to say about nursing school and instructors, but i'll bite my tongue for now).

here's some good ones i've heard so far:

1.) "because i love people and i want to make them all better". my response: isn't there a career that pays a heck of a lot more money than nursing where you can still help people? how about accounting, where you can help people fix there money situation (which is ever so important in this awful economy). or law, to help them with legal manners. or perhaps even a life counselor or psychologist? you're helping the brain, and you don't have the chance of contracting hiv, hep a-z, mrsa, vre, etc.

2.) "it's secure; there'll always be a job for me". yeah, right. in this country/economy? nothing's secure.

3.) "the money is great". seriously? $20-25 is 'great'? i didn't realize...

4.) "my was sick with and from that point on, i just wanted to be able to heal people. yeah? that's your relative/friend. whole different ballgame.

so like i said, i'm interested in hearing thoughts/rebuttal. but not shots against me, my character, my opinions. not interested.

thanks!

Specializes in Med Surg - Renal.

I think your post is almost entirely a strawman that misrepresents the actual feelings and intentions of many of those going into nursing.

I am curious as to what profession you chose... I am choosing nursing because it feels like that is what I was meant to do..Everything about the medical field fascinates and excites me and I feel this is what I am good at, the money isn't that bad and I will be able to find a job anywhere doing what I love.. there is nothing wrong with wanting to make a difference in people's lives and getting paid to do it! Besides it is a profession that is respected and one is constantly learning! What do you do for a living and why did you chose what you do? What do you have to say about nursing school and instructors and why?

I think your post is almost entirely a strawman that misrepresents the actual feelings and intentions of many of those going into nursing.

My post? or the original post?

Specializes in Critical Care, Clinical Documentation Specialist.

I'm older and never had a 'calling' or perpetual desire to be a nurse. I have been a SAHM that home schooled for years and I realized that my kids were getting older and I would need start working again once they left. If I didn't, I would go absolutely insane.

I wanted a career and I took a long hard look at myself. I realized I wanted to do something that was challenging, didn't take a decade to start, had to do with science (I LOVE science), paid well and had options. As well, my husband travels with his work and I needed to find a job I could do anywhere if necessary. Nursing fit the bill perfectly - I'm in NS and LOVE it... I made the right choice. :)

Specializes in SDU, Tele.

I wanted a career and I took a long hard look at myself. I realized I wanted to do something that was challenging, didn't take a decade to start, had to do with science (I LOVE science), paid well and had options. As well, my husband travels with his work and I needed to find a job I could do anywhere if necessary. Nursing fit the bill perfectly - I'm in NS and LOVE it... I made the right choice. :)

This is exactly how I feel. I love the sciences but I hate that I have to get a PhD to really do what I would like. I always saw myself as dealing with people but being involved with science.

My dream would be a biology professor :| but the way the educational system in south fl is, I'd be dreaming. Education is my heart but that wouldn't work.

So hopefully, I will be a nursing instructor some day.... I think a nursing degree is great because all you can do with it!

because I love science, love understanding how the body works and ticks and what makes it sick - and how to heal it! I want a job where I keep learning something new -

I was an insurance agent for 10 years - being behind a desk crunching numbers just isn't for me!

Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

My son died of cancer at the age of 13. The nurses made a huge impact on all of our lives while we went through the horror of watching him slowly die at such a young age. Becoming a nurse has become my way of honoring the journey of what we went through and doing something purposeful and focused with my grief.

I frankly feel I have a pretty honest view of what nursing entails given what we went through. I too am not interested in arguments. ;) If this sounds pollyanna somehow, then it is simply that the reader has no idea what the journey was that lead to this place. And that is ok.

My son died of cancer at the age of 13. The nurses made a huge impact on all of our lives while we went through the horror of watching him slowly die at such a young age. Becoming a nurse has become my way of honoring the journey of what we went through and doing something purposeful and focused with my grief.

I frankly feel I have a pretty honest view of what nursing entails given what we went through. I too am not interested in arguments. ;) If this sounds pollyanna somehow, then it is simply that the reader has no idea what the journey was that lead to this place. And that is ok.

My heart goes out to you! I could not even bear to imagine that. I only experienced the passing of an older relative, my grandmother. I can only hope to be half as competent and caring as the dedicated and inspiring nurses my grandmother had while in home hospice care. :redbeathe

I also have another reason for going into nursing that I left out... I think many rural communities, well maybe not rural but underserved communities have too little free clinics. Big cities have them but not moderate sized cities. I would like to open up more. Seeing the pain and strife my mom in law has gone through because she can't find a job and cannot afford medical insurance but the state won't list her as disabled in order to help her. Now they think she might be a severe diabetic and might lose her two big toes, as well as her eyesight. Something as simple as a sugar test might have prevented this 5 years ago... so I guess public health is another one of my crusades, its a highly underserved area especially for the working poor.

Specializes in RN.

I just have it in me I guess. I have always thought about being a nurse, and am finally doing it (47 yrs. old). I am a people person and generally enjoy the human race! Ummm, $20-25/hr is BIG money to me, I have been working my tail off (physical labor) all my life and raising a family, and have not made that wage before. What are some attainable BIGGER money gigs that you could share with me :-)?? Nice post by the way...

here's some good ones i've heard so far:

1.) "because i love people and i want to make them all better". my response: isn't there a career that pays a heck of a lot more money than nursing where you can still help people? how about accounting, where you can help people fix there money situation (which is ever so important in this awful economy). or law, to help them with legal manners. or perhaps even a life counselor or psychologist? you're helping the brain, and you don't have the chance of contracting hiv, hep a-z, mrsa, vre, etc. i do want to help people and i used to voulnteer at a ltcf when i was in 8th grade up until i got a job there as a cna when i was a senior. i also love to stick people, and do other procedures, as bad as that may seem mostly because i am like working with my hands. i have had a desk job and it is soooooo boring i am much more tired at the end of the day than when i am running around constantly.

2.) "it's secure; there'll always be a job for me". yeah, right. in this country/economy? nothing's secure. true, but in my area it's better than an engineering degree or computer science degree. you would have to drive 2 hrs or more to find one of those jobs unless you know someone. there are limited options where i live and i don't care to move.

3.) "the money is great". seriously? $20-25 is 'great'? i didn't realize... when the average pay of you neighbors and other family is around $16 per hour and nursing pays $25, yeah that's a lot.

4.) "my was sick with and from that point on, i just wanted to be able to heal people. yeah? that's your relative/friend. whole different ballgame. this has not been an issue at all in my life so it does not apply. i don't guess at the entire job duties of a profession just by watching what others do since there is a lot that goes on behind the scenes and i want to make peoples lives better not necessarily heal them since i have no magical healing powers and i am not a deity.

so like i said, i'm interested in hearing thoughts/rebuttal. but not shots against me, my character, my opinions. not interested. your thoughts and opinons are your alone and if you are trying to reasearch why you think you may or may not go into nursing i applaud you because too many people go into this field with rose colored glasses and are severely disappointed.

thanks!

there is no other job were you matter as much, a good nurse can make dealing with the worst situation imaginable easier, a bad one can make an easy one miserable

Specializes in Med Surg - Renal.
My post? or the original post?

Oops, sorry about that. I meant the OP.

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