Why did you decide to become a nurse?

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I personally chose it because I love the medical/hospital environment, and I really enjoy helping others.

Specializes in M/S, Pulmonary, Travel, Homecare, Psych..

Anyway, to answer the question:

As I stated above, I went in for "the calling". I still am motivated by altruistic intentions, but I'm not such a fanatic about it anymore. It's a personal journey as far as the altruism goes.

I do believe one is happier when they see the value in what they are doing, and I see a lot of value in nursing.

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Specializes in Med-surg, telemetry, oncology.

Initially, it was for altruistic reasons. I wanted to help people, I wanted a job that mattered, I wanted to know that I made a difference, etc.

I still see the value in the things that I do. But I also see the benefits that come with having a career in nursing, that have nothing to do with altruism or helping people.

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

There are so many threads on this. To answer the question though, it was simply because I wait listed for dental hygiene but didn't want to wait a year to start school.

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Specializes in GENERAL.
I personally chose it because I love the medical/hospital environment, and I really enjoy helping others.

Wife=Baby=Get a Job!!!

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Specializes in Infection Control, Med/Surg, LTC.

Temporary Insanity. That and I'm a 3rd generation nurse, now retired!

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I chose nursing because I was too immature to make my own decision so I followed the advice of family.

Eventually I grew up and it turned out that hard work and being able to impact others is what I eat for breakfast.

To have essentially chosen a career blindly and have it turn out this way has been a blessing.

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I never even thought of nursing as a career choice. Back when I was 17 I took the asvab and the test pretty much gave me three choices, psych tech (I think it is called mental health specialist now) petroleum supply specialist, or medic. I ended up choosing the Army Medic MOS which eventually led me to qualify for the Army's LPN program. I would have been just as happy hiding behind my E-4 and staying a medic but my Platoon Sgt encouraged me to attend the LPN program.

I think this is why I never went beyond LPN and became an RN. I have always wondered if I based my whole life on a test. I eventually received my bachelors in a different field altogether but a history degree only pays so much, lol. So here I am back in an LPN job.

I eventually went to a career counselor and took another test to see what other jobs I might excel at.

Guess what was one of my top choices.

Nursing.

Was actually hoping for something else. I just can't get away from it!

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Specializes in ICU, trauma.

i actually really dislike this question. Friends and family seem to fixate on this question as well and it's frustrating because i don't really have a good story for it. In nursing school many of my classmates had some sort of experience like their dad was in the hospital bla bla bla. Truth be told i like the thrill of working in the ICU and critical thinking. You wouldn't ask someone that works in accounting why they chose it as a career, so why a nurse?

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Specializes in M/S, Pulmonary, Travel, Homecare, Psych..
i actually really dislike this question. Friends and family seem to fixate on this question as well and it's frustrating because i don't really have a good story for it. In nursing school many of my classmates had some sort of experience like their dad was in the hospital bla bla bla. Truth be told i like the thrill of working in the ICU and critical thinking. You wouldn't ask someone that works in accounting why they chose it as a career, so why a nurse?

Non nurses fixate on this because they are seeking an answer that a nurse working "for the calling" would give. They want to hear something uplifting and altruistic. Some get bent out of shape when the answer is just "I was young, my friends were doing it so I did too."

I do believe for most of us, it really is something as simple as that. But, since we believe you must have a calling to belong to the ranks of nursing............we create our own story to fit in.

That is why some "for the calling" nurses are so fanatical about it and promote the "If you are here for money you don't belong" mentality. Lacking a true sense of a calling for themselves, they over compensate and are trying to convince themselves they belong.

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Specializes in Critical Care and ED.

I literally fell into nursing by accident. I was young and wild and had a serious motorcycle accident. I got hit by a drunk driver late one night and ended up in the hospital with some serious leg/hand/shoulder injuries so I stayed there a few weeks. While there I kind of had a revelation and realized that I could do this and was fascinated by hospitals, so as soon as I got out I applied to nursing school and the rest is history. Nursing saved my life, literally and figuratively. That was 25 years ago and here I am.

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Specializes in ER.
That is why some "for the calling" nurses are so fanatical about it and promote the "If you are here for money you don't belong" mentality. Lacking a true sense of a calling for themselves, they over compensate and are trying to convince themselves they belong.

That is completely how I ended up in nursing. It was a 2 year degree that made decent money. Fortunately it's something I'm not terrible at, and only hate my job a couple days a week. Although I am a bit of a nurse nerd now, and occasionally read Uptodate in my spare time.

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Specializes in Mental Health.

I thought I was going to save the world :(

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