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

Specializes in ED, Cardiac Medicine, Retail Health.

The "devine calling" of the bill collectors.

Specializes in Infectious Disease.
The "devine calling" of the bill collectors.

Amen to that!!

The "devine calling" of the bill collectors.

Ditto!

:lol2:

Specializes in Trauma,ER,CCU/OHU/Nsg Ed/Nsg Research.

Lizz,

Don't underestimate the fact that you seem to be genuinely interested in you own nursing education, you mix well with other nurses, and you seem to enjoy learning new things about the field of nursing. Maybe you are "called" to nursing more than you think? You certainly seem cut out for it. And let's face it- we all know people who aren't cut out for it.

Ad for me, I initially went into the field for the income. But what I found out was that I was a darn good nurse and I really, really like what I do. It gives me the inclination to continue in my studies. I wouldn't waste my time with furthering my nursing education if I wasn't interested in the subject matter, especially in the independent study format. I thoroughly enjoy learning new things related to nursing. But, I am a huge nerd...lol.

Well, what I'd really like to do is not have to work at all, and stay at home painting pictures and drinking tea all day.... Unfortunately the real world has reared it's ugly head and eldest daughter is heading off for high school this August, and we have NO college funds whatsoever. Hubby is in a very high stress job and wants to downsize, so I have to make up the financial defecit.

Why nursing? 2 reasons: I did lots of online personality/ideal job tests and nursing kept coming up. I had a lot of problems actually believing this at first, because it just didn't appeal to me....then I remembered the addiction I've had to TV hospital programs in the past, and what my favourite game was as a child: pretending to be nurse and bandaging up my teddy bears LOL!

There are aspects of nursing that I'm really not sure about, but it's a very flexible qualification that can lead to all sorts of different job situations, so I'm just going to go with the flow and decide what to do with it later.

Paint

I chose nursing because:

1. To be there for the patients first and formost. whether it is to give them a shoulder to cry on or an encouraging word on taking the first step after a long debilitating illness. Just like the nurses who were there for me three years ago when I needed them the most.

2. The challenge of having patients with complicated conditions that require me to think fast on my feet.

3. Being there for the family to help them.

4. I realized after being laidoff and looking back on my career in Corporate America that I was not happy.

5. Job security. Money isn't important to me. It became unimportant after I went through a devistating and extremely debillitating illness three years and realized that I could have all the money in the world, but when I did not have my health, I had nothing.

It was the money. :)

My husband has always had a job that was seasonal (farming, logging). Winters were tough.

After my youngest started 1st grade, I started nursing school. I had almost a BS from my earlier excursion in college as a Social Work major.

I chose nursing because it was in the "helping" field and for the money.

steph

Why did I go into nursing?

For Jared.

My last year of highschool (junior year actually - left early) one of my very good friends died just so suddenly. He had stayed home from school because he said he wasn't feeling well. Was on his way to the bathroom in his house and collapsed. His mom tried to get him into the car but when she moved him he started to seize. Called 911 - got his heart going again but it was too late. Preliminary blood tests showed leukemia. Then an autopsy showed his spleen burst - he had mono. It took three weeks for this information to cross my path.

I was so lost and upset and stressed and teachers just kept telling me I had to get my act together for AP tests and for next year's athletics and for SATs. I didn't understand why Jared died or why he couldn't have lived if they got his heart going again or how his spleen burst or why it was him and not someone else (like me for instance when I had mono for several months a few years back). His dad died in 1993 of a brain aneurysm and our freshman year of high school his mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. Things were overwhelming and I just wanted to know WHY. But I didn't want to ask anyone and I knew no one wanted to answer me. So, I left school a year early to the yells from my sport coaches and to the yells of my honors class instructors and to the yells of my parents. I don't ever want to feel so helpless or ignorant ever again.

oops!

Sorry if I wasn't clear on my post. Thanks for your concern, but my son did make it and now is a healthy 9 year old. But just seeing the care and concern of the nurses during the ordeal was wonderful. It is heart wrenching to have your baby sick and still in the hospital, while you go home. But the nurses were great at understanding. They helped him make it, so I hope to be able to do the same for someone elses' loved one.

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

1. Because I need a challenging job that I care about.

2. They'll have a really hard time outsourcing my job to India!

Seriously, the money is a huge factor, because there's no way I'd be shelling out the dough for another degree if I thought I wouldn't have a good paying job at the end of it. I can't say that I ever felt a calling towards nursing, because I had a very skewed idea of what it was all about (bed pans and pillow fluffing, etc). Also I have always worked in a male dominated environment (forestry), and the idea of working with so many women and the gossip and politics that can go along with it is still one of my major concerns. But there are SO many options with nursing-- if the hospital environment doesn't work out I figure I'll try to get into flight/rescue nursing.

But at the end of the day the information and skills you gain from a nursing degree (or other health care degree) is personally useful like no other.

I am because I want to help people, have a steady income, and job. I was thinking "I am going to be getting married and having children soon. I need to select a career path that will be best for that." And that combined with my desire to help people, helped me to make my decision.

Not true in my area. There is a surplus of nurses here. Many weeks the only nursing ads in the paper are for jobs in other cities, or out of the state.

Whenever my employer runs an ad, we aways get way more nurses applying than we have jobs for.

Just curious.., but WHERE do you live?? We are so short of nurses here, that I can work all the Overtime that I can handle... since the hospitals here would rather pay us overtime, instead of paying the Agency to provide temp nurses....; I work a minimum of 48 hrs / week..., and occasionally will work from 56-60 hrs a week, in cardiac care.

(FYI, I had wanted to be a nurse for as long as I can remember, because I truly CARE about people, and I do provide the caring, personal touch that my patients need...)

Stormy

BSN (1988)

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