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.
Specializes in Psych, LTC/SNF, Rehab, Corrections.
I have NO clue... I joined the military and people ask my why I did it. I thought eventually I would have some sort of realization as to why I decided to go into the Army. 6 years later and I still have NO clue why I joined.
I never wanted to be a nurse. I wanted to be a teacher. During my Army training, I realized I liked the medical profession. So I switched my major from undecided to nursing.
I guess I like helping people. I don't feel like I have some sort of calling. I agree that $20-25 is not a lot and I plan on being an NP so I can make $50/hr. The job opportunity is technically always going to be there, but it's the same as any job.
So, I have no idea. It just seemed right to pick nursing and I wasn't interested in anything else. I love my job. It keeps me busy and that's what I wanted.
I agree. I wouldn't feel any sort of way about it. MANY people go to college w/o knowing why or what they want to study. They just attend b/c everyone else is or b/c their parents told them to.
*shrug*
But - I had a I joined the military b/c I was sick of college and the whole 'body o knowledge' bull. I was impatient. So...joined the AF and did xray-ct.
there are other 'helping' professions - but, the 'helping' varies and personality comes into play.
I couldn't be a teacher. I'd knock the hell out of one of these kids....
Social Work...eh. Doesn't interest me and they aren't paid enough. Friend of mine had to get her Master's to crack $40,000.
Nursing...I like. I love working in the hospital. I feel, like, everyone's job is crucial and the results are staring you right in the face. With the exception of md's, it's the most hands-on job in the facility. Nothing compares to bedside, imo.
Beyond this, there's upward mobility. Some may take offense at this, but...hey - I don't believe in starting and staying at the bottom. I want a degree. I want options and to build on my skill-set/knowledge.
NP, management...CNS - whatever.
I only say it because some on here act as though we're shallow and materialistic.
No...we just think ahead.
I believe in being WELL compensated for my knowledge and exp.
I'd NEVER enter an occupation that didn't offer something at the end of the rainbow.
Sorry for typo/error. I'm on a school computer and trying to get out of here. I don't think I'm supposed to be using non-school related sites.
I, for one, am glad that different people have different interests and end up pursuing all kinds of careers. Yes, you may think nursing is awful and gross and underpaid. BUT that's you, not me. Lots of people act surprised when I say I'm going to nursing school, like it's the most vile thing they could think of doing. Someone who works in accounting made such a comment and I just replied "well, I think YOUR job sounds like the most boring work and I'd probably shoot myself if I had to crunch numbers all day." We are just different.
My point is, SOMEONE has to do every job. We have to have people who like different things and want different things out of life. Not everyone can be a lawyer, or a teacher, or a doctor. Wouldn't the world suck if we all wanted to do the same thing? So just be glad that even though you think nursing is awful, underpaid, etc., there is someone willing to do the job and will take care of you when you are laid up in a hospital needing a nurse's care :redbeathe
I will go ahead and state my reasoning for going into the Nursing field.
I do want to help people. I'm a very helpful person, but I don't see myself enjoying dealing with money, funds, or debt...as well as I definitely do not want to pursue a career in law. I've never been interested in either of the latter, but I will say I see myself 100% taking care of people in the form of their health and well-being. If that means making $22/hr...so be it. At least I'll be doing what I know is meant for me, rather than dealing with tasks I'd be miserable doing, just for the pay upgrade.
I like an environment that's constantly changing, an environment that is bound to stay interesting/diverse. People are always getting sick, hurt in various ways...and need care. I rather help someone with their health or make them comfortable after they've given birth, broke their arm, busted their head open, entered their last days...rather than deal with accounting-type jobs or be a lawyer.
Oh, I also get to wear very comfy shoes, and I get to wear scrubs...I don't have to worry about a wardrobe.
I agree. Wearing comfy clothes will be a welcome change to wearing heels every day like I currently do :)
I will be taking a pay cut to go into nursing and I don't even care. I've done the "job for money" thing and that paycheck only gets you so far. You have to like what you do. I wouldn't trade enjoying a job for hating a job but getting paid big bucks. Life is too short :)
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!
lol. i agree with everything but number 3. 20/25 hr is great considering the average american household makes around 50k/yr on two incomes. making 50k on one income is good. imagine having two nurses in the household!
but then again, i've worked pretty minimum waged jobs (mcdonald's being one) and just got an offer for 10.80/hr. i was ecstatic! (i'm 19/20, if that matters anything to anyone). it's good money.
Okay, you got me curious....what was your "accurate/non faulty" reasoning for becoming a nurse?
MY reasoning for becoming a nurse.
1. I want to work with premature infants/newborns. I spend hours a day on baby naming sites, watching youtube videos of cute babies. I believe that working with babies is what I was born for. I know lots of people go into Nursing wanting to work with the "cute babies", but I mean it. This is some seriouzzzzz bizznezzz fo me!
2. Flexibility. Family and time mean everything to me. I plan on being a mother, maybe have four, five kids! I love the idea of working only on weekends and having Monday-Friday off for me and my family, or working 3 12s. Love it!
3. Mobility and Versatility- There are so many fields of Nursing, you can't go wrong. Like working with babies? L&D and NICU. Hate children? Geratrics to your left. And if you don't like the old foegies, Psych ward always need people. :)
Also, you can move around with Nursing more than any other career. Ever heard of travel nursing? Yeah. That's what I'd like to do while I'm still young.
4. Being able to branch out and up. Teaching, CRNA, Nurse Practitioning...you just can't go wrong. Nursing is a very unique field in that there is a place for everyone!
This thread has brought a huge smile to my face and has helped me re-group after a difficult time.
Here's another reason I want to be a nurse: I'd like to go to my maker knowing I left the world a teeny bit better off than when I arrived. Recycling and saving energy just wasn't quite enough.
It's really sad to see from reading the many posts in the "reasons of wanting to become a nurse" are so far away from what should be the main focus.
I think we were all approaching the question as it was framed by the original poster: Understanding that almost all of us want to impact other lives, why do we choose nursing as the way to help, among all of the other possibilities? The variety of tasks and settings, the relative stability of the work, and the payscale are all things that commonly help people choose nursing from among all of the possible ways to help people.
But then again, I've worked pretty minimum waged jobs (McDonald's being one) and just got an offer for 10.80/hr. I was ECSTATIC! (I'm 19/20, if that matters anything to anyone). It's good money.
I know this feeling! I was working at a gas station making $8.25hr! I now have a positon at the AFB Clinic as a student hire...I still only make $12hr. To me that $20-25 IS a lot of money. It's the difference between living in a craphole and buying a decent house in a good neighborhood where I can let my kids play outside and not be afraid to let them!
Intentions are not to offend, but only to state the huge responsibility in nursing. Caring for someone who is dependant on you for their total care and their attitude make a big difference in that patients outcome. Patients will open up more to someone who is genuine than to someone who performs like it's just a job. The ability to provide the best care and outcome in a patient's life is from competent care, therefore, when choosing this field, altruism should be one of the characteristics of that person. Trust can depend on that care that is given. There are many unpleasant skills that are performed that can be stressful and overwhelming, a nurse that is most caring can make a difference in a patient's psychological, emotional and physical well being. It is true that a patient will most likely trust and relax, have less anxiety with that nurse who is most compassionate. If it were my choice to choosing the person who would care for me if my health were in jeopardy, my choice would be a nurse with the traits of ;going beyond, giving of self, caring for others being a personal choice, willingly to do without hesitation, wanting to make a difference for others. Competence and caring are interrelated, moving forward in this profession is one that truly makes a difference in a patient's outcome.
These are facts that I, myself have experienced working with patients, for 11 years now. My facts and opinions are just words to take into consideration, not to put anyone in a defensive mode. Just something to take in and learn from if you haven't had much experience in working in the field. But you will learn and see when you do. The field is definately all about learning, you always learn something everytime you go to work.
MedChica
562 Posts
I agree. I wouldn't feel any sort of way about it. MANY people go to college w/o knowing why or what they want to study. They just attend b/c everyone else is or b/c their parents told them to.
*shrug*
But - I had a I joined the military b/c I was sick of college and the whole 'body o knowledge' bull. I was impatient. So...joined the AF and did xray-ct.
there are other 'helping' professions - but, the 'helping' varies and personality comes into play.
I couldn't be a teacher. I'd knock the hell out of one of these kids....
Social Work...eh. Doesn't interest me and they aren't paid enough. Friend of mine had to get her Master's to crack $40,000.
Nursing...I like. I love working in the hospital. I feel, like, everyone's job is crucial and the results are staring you right in the face. With the exception of md's, it's the most hands-on job in the facility. Nothing compares to bedside, imo.
Beyond this, there's upward mobility. Some may take offense at this, but...hey - I don't believe in starting and staying at the bottom. I want a degree. I want options and to build on my skill-set/knowledge.
NP, management...CNS - whatever.
I only say it because some on here act as though we're shallow and materialistic.
No...we just think ahead.
I believe in being WELL compensated for my knowledge and exp.
I'd NEVER enter an occupation that didn't offer something at the end of the rainbow.
Sorry for typo/error. I'm on a school computer and trying to get out of here. I don't think I'm supposed to be using non-school related sites.
*laugh*