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

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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

Funny this thread should come to my attention - dh and I were talking about this the other day!

I do want to help people and the profession really does interest me, but if the pay sucked, I probably wouldn't become a nurse at this point in my life. I am 36 with 3 kids. Dh makes good money, but I am just not willing to get into debt and work my a$$ off doing crazy shifts without a good earning potential!

I was much more idealistic when I was younger, but now I want a comfortable life for my family. Lucky for me nursing combines my passion with a good paycheque :)

C

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It only takes two years to finish up the training for an RN and it pays great. It's also in demand. Sooo.. Yeah.

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I don't know why I chose nursing.....I was a medic in the service and guess this felt natural and comfortable. I knew I was smart enough and that I could rejoin the military as an officer when finished.

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Specializes in Photolab technician.

All through high school I wanted to be an ER doc. After getting some field experience and talking with doctors, nurses and the like, I decided I didn't want to go to school for that long and to work that many hours. Sure the prestige and pay are nice, but that's all you get. Your life is work. I'm not like that. I live life to have fun and nursing gives me that option. I can still care for patients and actually as a nurse you get to see them more. It's a job that requires independent thinking and gives you a feeling of worthwhile that no other job can touch. Plus the pay isn't bad lol.

I'd like to be a PA one day, I'm actually only two classes away from completing the prerequisites. I wanted to be a nurse before a PA, I didn't chose to be a nurse just to be a PA. I've only learned more about the career over the last two years and it seems like the path I intend to head down. I'm still 2 1/2 years away from getting my BSN so time will tell. :)

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There are many reasons why I want to be a nurse.

1. Ive always wanted to help people. I lost my job in april and knew I couldnt be a fast food manager for the rest of my life. Iv'e always wanted to make a difference in peoples lives. I think about the patients that dont have family. I had a job I wanted a career something to be proud of. Something at the end of the day I know I did something to help people. Ive always had my mom and my brother tell me go for nursing its a good field etc. My mom is a teacher and my brother is a doctor. They have said in the last few years about the nursing shortage. I was told by many Id make a great nurse. It will not be about the money but it will be about a secure job and benefits.

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When I decided on nursing I made the choice purely because I wanted to do what I saw the nurses doing, being someone of purpose in a fascinating, hard working, and sometimes gut wrenching career. I found out afterwards that it was a very stable job. I am actually giving up everything for a shot at it including my friends (all of them) and the possibility of getting a job in my degree (biology). I actually turned down a job offer in a National Jewish (where I used to volunteer) lab recently for a volunteer position that would afford me a valuable patient contact experience and hopefully get me into nursing school. For now I work at best buy as a customer service associate while going to phlebotomy school. I will owe about 90k in loans when I am done and every nurse I have talked to says the money is not enough compensation. They have also told me that if I wanted the money and the security there are other things out there that can offer the same with less work, less stress, and more appreciation. There is genuinely nothing else in this world that I want to do.

If you have been a nurse for a while try and remember what got you excited when you got into school. When everyone gets old they will likely end up with few possessions and living in a nursing home like my grandma. She said she felt as if she had nothing to show for her life. She did not live an altruistic life even in the smallest of ways until recently so of course she began to question her time and her purpose on this earth. As a good nurse you will have much more at those times. You will know that you gave something very important and entrusted to few in serving a purpose higher than yourself. Gives me goosebumps!

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I got into nursing at age 42 because I always wanted to be a nurse. The money is an added benefit. If I didn't like being a nurse, the money would not be enough to compensate for the job.

I don't care if someone goes into nursing for the money if they take good care of their patients.

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Ok, so if you weren't paid for that, would you still do it? Seriously.

:uhoh21:

That's not a realistic question. Most of us have to work. But we want to work doing we feel makes a difference.

Personal I feel I was born to be a nurse, but I was also born with a need to eat and have a warm place to sleep. ;). I made ok money as a LPN ($14-$18) and good money now as a RN ($26). But as I stated above, it would not be enough if I did not love what I do.

And yes, if I was born rich and didn't have to worry about bills, I would be a nurse for free.

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Specializes in Emergency/Cath Lab.

When I was younger I always wanted to have a job that would never have to be behind a desk all day long. I soon found out that I was an adrenaline junky also and loved first aid through Boy Scouts/First Responder. Which led to me taking my EMT and found that I really did love helping people. That soon turned into trauma/ICU nursing as my career goal.

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For the past ten years, there has always been a part of me that wanted to be a nurse. I want to be able to make a difference in the lives of others, and I do not feel as if I have been able to make enough of a difference in my past jobs. I remember the nurses I have encountered throughout my life, both good and bad, and I am very grateful to the good nurses I have had. I want to be able to affect others the way these nurses affected me. Additionally, nursing provides decent pay and several advancement opportunities, which are important aspects to consider when choosing any career. There are several posts on this site that question the reasons people go into nursing, but as long as someone is good at their job, I do not think the reasons he or she chose a certain field are particularly significant.

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I honestly don't know how I fell into this. When I graduated from high school I knew that I wanted to work in the medical field, but couldn't decide what to do. My friend from high school said that she was doing nursing, so I decided to do that since I couldn't make up my mind. Since then I've been working as a CNA and now in my 3rd semester of nursing school and have no regrets.

Some other reasons I decided to do nursing was job stability, interest in medicine, and the fact that the pay is decent.

wow....how do u manage? job and school together????

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I wanted to do something meaningful and help people. I had this idea in mind of working abroad with Doctors without Borders. Now I'm just nervous I'll become a RN and kill someone because I won't know what I'm doing.

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