Why did you choose Nursing?

Why did you choose to do nursing over other healthcare careers (e.g. paramedic, doctor etc.)? 

100% honest answer? My mom and grandma worked in a hospital and I thought it was kinda cool. Nursing just really seemed like the only option when I was in high school because I didn't feel like going to school for 12 years.

I considered respiratory therapy but was convinced by coworkers to do nursing because of all of the various options that nursing offers.  They were right.

1 hour ago, Golden_RN said:

I considered respiratory therapy but was convinced by coworkers to do nursing because of all of the various options that nursing offers.  They were right.

Thanks everyone. As in you could help people's respiratory issues along with other medical needs?

I wanted to go into medicine until I discovered the math that goes along with chemistry and I found out that someone has to pay for a college education.  Teaching fell along the wayside when I really decided that I could not stand school any longer.  Since nobody jumped at asking me to marry while still in high school, that left nursing or cosmetology, and I have trouble combing my own hair.  Teaching, nursing, and marriage were the career goals of women in my generation.  With the competition for any kind of work still there, I imagine I would be just as fraught with anxiety over my future if I had to do it over again today.

14 hours ago, Bones17 said:

Thanks everyone. As in you could help people's respiratory issues along with other medical needs?

I think they mean it more in the sense of if you get tired of 1 specialty, you can try something completely new. Or, if a hospital shift rotation doesn't work in your life, there are other specialties and environments which schedules differ: community based, office based, company based, school based. You have the option to work full time, part time, or prn which can also be much more conducive to family life. A lot of other career choices (medical field or not) don't necessarily offer that.

Edited Feb 20 by ihavealltheice

3 hours ago, ihavealltheice said:

I think they mean it more in the sense of if you get tired of 1 specialty, you can try something completely new. Or, if a hospital shift rotation doesn't work in your life, there are other specialties and environments which schedules differ: community based, office based, company based, school based. You have the option to work full time, part time, or prn which can also be much more conducive to family life. A lot of other career choices (medical field or not) don't necessarily offer that.

Exactly!  Because nursing is a 24hours/day business with lots of different avenues, I've worked around what my family needs or what I prefer at different times of my life: AMs, PMs, nocs, weekends, 9-5 M-F, on the floor, in an office, in a classroom, at a school, 8 hours, 12 hours, different specialties, at the bedside, far away from the bedside.  Most other careers would not offer this flexibility and ability to change up our environment.  At times I have disliked nursing but the flexibility has made it all worth it.

19 hours ago, Golden_RN said:

Exactly!  Because nursing is a 24hours/day business with lots of different avenues, I've worked around what my family needs or what I prefer at different times of my life: AMs, PMs, nocs, weekends, 9-5 M-F, on the floor, in an office, in a classroom, at a school, 8 hours, 12 hours, different specialties, at the bedside, far away from the bedside.  Most other careers would not offer this flexibility and ability to change up our environment.  At times I have disliked nursing but the flexibility has made it all worth it.

Yes! Several times I have considered getting out of nursing (especially in the last 2 years), but it is the flexibility for my family that keeps me here.

Because becoming a veterinarian is too long in school and too much debt. Little did I know I would be in grad school with 130k+ in student loans. Should have became the vet.

I always wanted to be a psychologist and accepted a job as a mental health worker at a psychiatric hospital to build my resume in preparation for PhD programs. I was absolutely amazed at the skill, knowledge, and passion the psychiatric nurses had and what a great work life balance they appeared to have. I am now a developmental disabilities nurse administrator and am working on graduate school to become a psychiatric nurse practitioner. I work hard every day and am constantly challenged on how I can make a bigger impact on peoples lives -  I cannot imagine being in any other discipline. 

Cherry Ames                                                                             

Dixie McCall

My mom, grandmother, great aunt, moms best friend...don't ever remember wanting to do anything else.

 

Didn’t have the grades for anything else at the time and one of my friends said it was a good career.