Why did you take up nursing? What's your story?

Every nurse has their own story to tell about how or why they chose to enter the nursing profession. Some may have been inspired by a personal experience with healthcare, while others may have been drawn to the idea of caring for others. Some may have stumbled upon nursing by chance, while others knew from a young age that it was their calling. Whatever the reason, each nurse has a unique narrative that led them to become a caregiver. These stories are a testament to the diversity and passion within the nursing community and the profound impact that healthcare can have on our lives.

Please be as detailed or as short as you wish. It'll be interesting to hear everyone's stories.

I decided to go back to school 5 years after graduating high school. When I considered what to go back to school for, I looked in the newspaper and saw many ads for RNs. I thought "I could do that" and that was that. I was off to nursing school. I graduated and immediately started working in CCU on night shift and loved it, but I never found my true calling until I started working as hospice nurse. I can't imagine doing anything else.

i just love nursing!

its a calling....:saint::saint::saint:

I was thrown into it due to my daughter.....I actually always wanted to be a hairdresser even went to school for it.....When I had my daughter she was almost 3 weeks old and got sick with Meningitis & Encephalitis together. It did alot of damage neurologically..as she was perfectly healthy and normal prior to this. There are alot of things she has gone through medically....she was only supposed to live to be one month old IF she was one of the lucky ones..and she will be 17 on July 5th....she has a boatload of things going on but I love her just as much as if she were "normal" She ended up with severe brain damage from the illness....when she first went through it at her worst she was bent backwards head and feet touching so she looked like a donut..and stiff as a board, we took her home in her corificeat like this....we pretty much took her home to die at that point...anyway she has had tons of things done, as well as many bouts with illnesses & keeps on going.....she has a trach, g tube, seizures, severe scoliosis from the CP.....etc etc...so by "Having" to learn how to take care of her at home after all of the different things she has gone through I have home care nurses that work with her in my home too & they are what got me into nursing...I never even gave nursing a thought until 9 years ago.......and now I absolutely love it & wished I did it years ago...I have been doing nursing care for 17 years as far as what my daughter requires for day to day needs but I will be an RN officially this Dec...yay!!!!! I really learned alot of stuff from the nurses who take care of my daughter....and it has really helped me with what I do on clinicals as far as nursing care.....I see how hard nurses work & I have nothing but admiration for them.....I cannot wait to become a working RN..can't get here fast enough!! I started out taking a couple of classes a semester back in 1999 so it took me until now...7 years later to finally be graduating........I always joke that I could of been a doctor by now.....everyone tells me they are very proud at what I have accomplished and so what if it takes me 20 years to get there because under the circumstances I am lucky to have been able to even do this with everything I have to do with her.......and one of her nurses who has been with us for 9 years ..she is an LPN ( has been for many many years) & can run circles around any nurse at any educational level & has alot more knowledge & common sense than most I ever saw..which is why I never will judge any nurse reagrdless of their educational level.....it's the care & how they give it that is the important thing..........she always says to me "look at all the people your daughter has brought together" " look at all you've accomplished because of her" and it is soooooo true! So I always remember the place I came from & will never forget that as I hope it will make me a good nurse as I go through my career.....All nurses are hard workers:balloons:

Me a nurse? You must be joking. Everyone I knew suggested it and I resisted like crazy.

I can relate to this! I have gone on and off the idea of nursing many times, but it keeps jumping back in front of me! LOL Everyone I know says it's what I should do and now I've finally accepted that it's the only thing that feels like the right fit for me. I have 3 kids and have run a home daycare for 8 years and I was hoping to get away from smells and body fluids, but I guess that's what I was born to do - at least I can't be grossed out easily! LOL

Like many others in this thread, I also have a child with special medical needs and I really believe that I can handle whatever nursing school and the job throws at me!

Also like another post I've read, I had a "misspent youth" and have seen lots of violence and drug related death and destruction and I feel a need to contribute in a positive way. First through parenting and daycare, now through health care.

Carolyn

I was thrown into it due to my daughter.....I actually always wanted to be a hairdresser even went to school for it.....When I had my daughter she was almost 3 weeks old and got sick with Meningitis & Encephalitis together. It did alot of damage neurologically..as she was perfectly healthy and normal prior to this. There are alot of things she has gone through medically....she was only supposed to live to be one month old IF she was one of the lucky ones..and she will be 17 on July 5th....she has a boatload of things going on but I love her just as much as if she were "normal" She ended up with severe brain damage from the illness....when she first went through it at her worst she was bent backwards head and feet touching so she looked like a donut..and stiff as a board, we took her home in her corificeat like this....we pretty much took her home to die at that point...anyway she has had tons of things done, as well as many bouts with illnesses & keeps on going.....she has a trach, g tube, seizures, severe scoliosis from the CP.....etc etc...so by "Having" to learn how to take care of her at home after all of the different things she has gone through I have home care nurses that work with her in my home too & they are what got me into nursing...I never even gave nursing a thought until 9 years ago.......and now I absolutely love it & wished I did it years ago...I have been doing nursing care for 17 years as far as what my daughter requires for day to day needs but I will be an RN officially this Dec...yay!!!!! I really learned alot of stuff from the nurses who take care of my daughter....and it has really helped me with what I do on clinicals as far as nursing care.....I see how hard nurses work & I have nothing but admiration for them.....I cannot wait to become a working RN..can't get here fast enough!! I started out taking a couple of classes a semester back in 1999 so it took me until now...7 years later to finally be graduating........I always joke that I could of been a doctor by now.....everyone tells me they are very proud at what I have accomplished and so what if it takes me 20 years to get there because under the circumstances I am lucky to have been able to even do this with everything I have to do with her.......and one of her nurses who has been with us for 9 years ..she is an LPN ( has been for many many years) & can run circles around any nurse at any educational level & has alot more knowledge & common sense than most I ever saw..which is why I never will judge any nurse reagrdless of their educational level.....it's the care & how they give it that is the important thing..........she always says to me "look at all the people your daughter has brought together" " look at all you've accomplished because of her" and it is soooooo true! So I always remember the place I came from & will never forget that as I hope it will make me a good nurse as I go through my career.....All nurses are hard workers:balloons:

Wow, Way to go....what a story, what courage......you have my admiration.

keeep up the goood work everybody.. god bless you all

Specializes in all facets of clinic fp to surg et ob.

to foster care at 16--mom alcoholic--traveled all over for 4-5 years then pregnant and married alcoholic--5 years later divorced with one kiddo-lots of therapy then nursing seemed like a way to support kiddo and continue to try and "fix" people --now know just need to help people am good listener--short and sweet

Reading this I know at least half the people on this forum knows what they are talking about. Help me out lol

https://allnurses.com/forums/f8/need-some-help-165828.html

Nursing is my second career:) My first career was highly technical and I'll leave it at that. I retired after 20 years and suddenly felt like a kid again deciding what it was I wanted to do. I picked nursing for alot of reasons. With nursing I know that what I contribute can make a positive difference in other people's life. I love the fact that if I get bored - there are a million and one things I can do along with the level of responsibility and autonomy that goes along with nursing.

I'm starting my first job next monday folks. A little scared and excited all at the same time:balloons:

i just love nursing!

its a calling....:saint::saint::saint:

I concur......

Hello all,

I am a soon to be nursing student in VA. I will be entering a nursing program in the fall.

It's not a calling for me; it's a job. A job that I can't believe has turned into a career.

I always wanted to be a lawyer, but then, I'm not a creative person and I thought college was for doctors, lawyers, and teachers. Didn't realize there were other choices. I went into the military with my BA in political science because there were no jobs for liberal arts majors in the recession of the 1970s, got out in 1982 and couldn't find a job in the recession of the 1980s. I worked as a temp secretary despite having an MA in management. I was visiting my grandparents and my aunt and uncle came over, and somehow the discussion was about nursing. My aunt by then had already been a nurse for about twenty years, and she loves it. So I suddenly got the idea in my head to go to nursing school, which shocked the heck out of my family. They were as surprised at the sudden interest in medicine as I was, and asked why I didn't just go to medical school. As if.

There were a few entry-level MSN programs for non-nurse baccalaureates even then, but I couldn't afford them. Most of the other creative options that people now take for granted didn't exist back then. So I used up my savings, lived like a pauper, borrowed what I could, and got my nursing diploma. I wanted to quit school a few times but figured I'd end up back as a temp secretary.

Eventually I did get into law school and did well, but dropped out when my work schedule conflicted with school. I still kick myself for that.

I've wanted to go back to school but couldn't justify the expense when I have a child whose education hasn't been taken care of. But my mother left us enough money to get her a decent start, so now maybe I can go back after all. That and a little tuition reimbursement.

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