Why are you REALLY going into nursing? Honest answers please.

Nursing Students General Students

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Ok, I'm a bit frustrated with all of these posts telling us that we shouldn't go into nursing because we need a job and steady income. Sure, I do like to help people, but I need a steady job even more. So, I decided to post a poll to see if we can get some honest answers.

:p

I would have to say that i want to be an RN because of the job stability. I worked for Enron and went to a four year University wanting to study Business Mgmt. Then Enron collapsed :o !!! I always wanted to be a in healthcare but i figured i would have to be in school too long. Now i am 21 and i am in my last year of nursing school. I want to go on to be a CRNA... more money ... more stability. there is a family that would be very hungry if i wanted to volunteer as a healthcare professional that family would be mine!!!:chuckle

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Specializes in Pediatrics.

Agency working! I love the concept of per diem working. The autonomy is like being self-employed with you making your own hours, going where you want to go, working only in conditions you find comfortable: sans most of the politics I hear so much about. My aunt is a permanent LPN in a LTC facility. She is also contracted by TAD (an agency), so she will work usually 24 hours or so at the LTC and pick up 16 hours at TAD, and make about the same at both! If she were married, and her husband carried bennys, she would leave the permanent job altogether! :rotfl:

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Of course, I want a good and steady income to help support my family, but if I didn't love helping people, I would have to chose another path. I also enjoy working as part of a team. Hopefully this path will fulfill all my needs and allow me to help others in the process. :rolleyes: Does this sound too geeky?

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I'm not gonna lie i don't have a "calling" just more of a practical mind that thinks this will be a great fit for my personal, professional and familial goals.

Same Here!

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Specializes in ICU.

I would like an "important" job. I want something that pays well, has vast opportunties for infinite knowledge. I would like job security and it's amazing to know that I can up and move to almost anyplace in the world and not have to worry about finding a job. Then, on top of that I can "travel" there before I move to see if I like it, and if I do, I can let them pay for everything while I get stable. One of the blessings that come with being a nurse is to be able to help people feel better. What more could you want?

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Specializes in ICU, step down, dialysis.

Even though I have been out of nursing school for 19 years, I thought I'd share my story, since I haven't seen anyone mention this reason here.

Why I went to nursing school? I have no clue. I was at a college day thing at my high school April of my senior year one day, and saw a commuter school that had a table with information on their nursing program. At the time I was planning on going to go get a associate's degree in secretarial science (are there even programs called that anymore? LOL), but I picked up this brochure, and BAM...all of a sudden, I wanted to be a nurse! I had really no idea what it truly was all about, other than I was very intimidated by all the science I had to take from what I saw on the brochure. Unfortunately in high school, I got by with only what I had to, and didn't take any kind of chemistry or biology or any kind of college prep courses. I took only one year of math, which was all that was required at the time.

I knew no nurses, never been around any,there were none in my family or among friends, most of my family are teachers. I never spent any time in a nursing home or hospital watching any nurses either. My mom and dad who were both teachers thought I was nuts. My mom even said to me "oh, you want to TEACH nursing?" Uh, no. I had no idea what I was getting into, it was a completely blind decision.I just felt I wanted to do it; I had no calling or anything of the sort. It was just something inside me that told me to do it, and I really to this day can't explain it.

At the time nursing didn't really pay all that well, there was a big glut of nurses where I lived at, and very hard for us to find jobs after we graduated. So none of it was based on money or job availability at all.

Although I have found the past couple of years it has been a very frustrating job, in all honesty I have no regrets about my decision to become a nurse. I currently work at a surgical ICU and love it. But I haven't met anyone (I'm sure they are out there) who decided to become a nurse for my same reason...no idea why.

Sherri

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I decided 9 years ago that I wanted to be a nurse. When I had my second child, I almost lost him. He spent a week and a half in the hospital. I was there everyday watching those nurses take care of my son and keeping him going. I decided right then that I wanted to be nurse. Kind of my way of giving back. It never seemed the right time to get started until now. Yes, I do financially need this right now. I am just glad to finally get this opportunity.

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I am becoming an RN

1. - stepping stone to be a nurse anesthetist.

2. - I will always have a job.

I am becoming a CRNA

1. - because it fascinates me and I couldn't picture myself in any other field.

2. - because I will always have a job.

Plus I like to help people in need, but if I really wanted to do that, I would join the Red Cross.

Good luck to all.

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Plus I like to help people in need, but if I really wanted to do that, I would join the Red Cross.

Good point.

:lol2:

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Specializes in ICU, cardiac.

Why do I want to become a nurse? Several reasons:

1)Science was always one of my favorite subjects

which was why I got a biology degree. Was always asked if I was going to teach or do nursing. My mom has been a preschool teacher for 25+ years and I just couldn't see myself doing it. As for nursing, hospitals always fascinated me as a kid and I loved going to the doctor's office because I thought they were so cool, but I didn't think that I could handle the "ick" factor ( you know, the body fluids, lots of blood etc.)

2)Couldn't find a job with my degree where I live, so I tried being a teacher's aide for a year after college. At the same time I also worked for a temp agency for three years as a clerical temp. Only good to come out of those three years was I met my husband while working as a temp at his place of employment. I decided that teaching was NOT for me. I got real frustrated with the school system and just couldn't take it anymore. I did think about going back to school after graduating to get a nursing degree, but I just couldn't ask my parents to help me get through 2-4 more years of school after they helped me get my biology degree, so I just put it on the back burner and did a lot of reading about nursing to make sure I really wanted to do it.

3) 6 months after getting married, I got my first real job with benefits working as a unit secretary at an outpatient dialysis clinic. Was able to get over my "ick" factor while working there. Spent three years at the clinic and while I was there I got the "calling" to be a nurse. I felt I was mature enough to handle it and I discovered that I LOVED working on the treatment floor with the patients ( I took vitals, thier weight and helped them get settled in the chair before they were hooked up to the machine). I left there after three years due to crappy management and a boss that backstabbed me one too many times. Shortly before I left I started taking refresher courses to get myself back into the swing of going to school with an eye on applying to nursing school.

4) I then went on to work for a sports medicine clinic as an administrative secretary for the docs in the practice. I talked to patients on the phone about appointments but I really missed the direct patient contact I had at the dialysis clinic. I then realized that I really wanted to be a nurse. While I was there I was accepted into nursing school. I left the clinic after being there for two years because I needed a weekend job while I was in nursing school. Then I went on to work as an ICU unit clerk for a year, got tired of waiting for a patient care aide position to open up and just started working at another hospital as a PCA, which is where I will be working at upon graduation. To sum it up, I was a secretary for 8 years, did not see myself doing that for the rest of my life, wanted to do SOMETHING with my biology degree, wanted the job security of knowing I can do almost ANYTHING with this job, go anywhere I want to go and basically set my own hours and be in a job where I am always learning and will not reach that "glass ceiling" that a lot of secretaries reach after doing if for so long. And yes, the money is not that bad either.

_____________________________

Walk in love, walk in service and you will walk in honor.

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Specializes in Bone Marrow Transplant.

Honestly, I'm going to nursing school because I like the medicine aspect of nursing. Now, most people would say...why don't you become a doctor? Well, nursing also includes supportive care and emotional care which I feel is very important, and I love to do that. By the way, the pay isn't too bad either, but you DEFINITELY work for it.

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Specializes in Infectious Disease.
I decided 9 years ago that I wanted to be a nurse. When I had my second child, I almost lost him. He spent a week and a half in the hospital. I was there everyday watching those nurses take care of my son and keeping him going. I decided right then that I wanted to be nurse. Kind of my way of giving back. It never seemed the right time to get started until now. Yes, I do financially need this right now. I am just glad to finally get this opportunity.

I am so sorry for your loss. It makes a world of difference when the nurses who are taking

care of your loved one is a good nurse.

I lost my nephew in July 02. He was two years old. His nurse at the Children's Hospital

in DC was an angel. We never would have made it without her. She talked to us, prayed

with us, and explained everything that was happening with our baby. Her care gave my

sister the confidence she needed to make the hard decisions regarding her son. It also

propelled me to take the biggest step I have taken since I became a wife and mother.

I will never forget her.

Now, as for me, I have wanted to be a nurse for a long time. I volunteered at a nursing

home when I was 14 years old and was hooked. Life, love, and children happened so I

put it off. After working for 12 years in the IT sector, I had my third child and decided to

stay home for a while. I became a state certified home childcare provider, which pays

no money, but afforded me the chance to spend more time with my kids.

My reality is that I have three children who need to be put through college in the

near future. I have a mortgage to pay, a dog to feed, and a husband who needs to

update his stereo and TV equipment once every 2 months. Never mind the fact

that he has an addiction to the new car smell. :p

While I believe nursing is my "calling". I would ignore that calling if it didn't pay well.

Also, I have been harping on my children about the virtues of a college education when

I didn't have one. So, going back to school also took away my kids ability to use me

as an example of what one can accomplish with only a high school diploma.:p

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