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 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.

I'm 34. Nursing is my second career, and I have been a nurse but for one year. This is probably the most corny explanation imaginable, but honestly I got tired of working my tush off for work that really helped nobody. I wanted to do something that really benefited others.

I've enjoyed a relatively blessed life and wanted to repay that blessing by showing compassion to others while earning a decent living doing it. I also have a husband and two kids who mean the world to me, and if I have to be apart from my family to help pay our family's way, I wanted my husband and kids to say that mom is out there helping people, as opposed to, "Mom's at work correcting grammar of people more educated than herself and spends 12 hours a day away from us to meet a deadline artificially imposed by greedy corporate Fat Cats."

I don't know. Talking to a patient with a GCS of 7T as if they were my next door neighbor and holding a frightened family member's hand through their loved one's potentially terminal traumatic brain injury nourishes my soul in ways that clocking in 9 to 5 for a corporate giant can't.

My name is ConkyTonker, and I'm a Neuro Trauma nurse.

hello everyone,

this is a bit off the subject. i am an rn in nyc and i'm interested in starting a nurse staffing agency. if anyone has any level of expertise in this area and have any recommendations, your assistance would be greatly appreciated.

thanks,

amoymak :idea:

I became a nurse because I believe it was my calling. When I was 10 years old I remember telling my mother that I wanted to be a doctor because she was so sick. I did not make to become a doctor because the family came first. I became an RN instead and I love every minute of it.

How did I become an RN?

Well, back in high school, I would watch General Hospital. Bobbie Spencer was a nursing student back then... and it seemed like she was having soo much fun... and, I wanted to have fun, too. Yep, I decided to become a nurse after watching an actress portray a nursing student.

I was a horrible student in biology class, and the though of taking chemistry was too overwhelming, as I tended to struggle with science classes. So, I gave up the dream of becoming an RN and decided to become a paralegal. Then, in my senior year of high school, I learned that LPN's did not have to take chemsistry, so I threw my heart back into nursing. By this time, my fascination with student nurse Bobbie Spencer was history, and I think I wanted to be a nurse for the right reasons (although now, I can't recall what they were).

Several years later, I was tired of being an LPN. I felt that I had peaked, and was looking for a challange. I decided to become a respiratory therapist, as I knew I wanted to stay in health care. That decision, of course, required me to take Chemistry, which, I managed to ace in summer school.

Well, since I had the chemistry out of the way, WHY NOT become an RN? And, so, I did. And now, I am blessed to work as a hospice nurse. It is the most rewarding position I have ever held.

Specializes in Jill of all trades, master of none?.

A man (?) after my own heart! I must, must must have a t-shirt with your "House" pic! Where did you find it?

I have wanted to be a nurse since I can remember. I love helping people and really enjoy being around people. I got my GED at age 28 and went to a technical shool at age 30 and became a LPN. Against great odds I made it through nursing school. We had 2 small children and my husband at the time got busted for growing pot in the back yard. (I did not smoke pot, but knew about the plants) I was sure that I was going to have to quit nursing school and my dreams of becoming a nurse were crushed. Counsilors at the tech school helped me get food stamps and found some churches to pay the bills. Along while in nursing school my husband at the time did not want me going to school, he gave me heck about it. I graduated in 1991 and 15 years later I am back in school to obtain my RN,BSN. Now with a husband who is totally supportive of me and my career choice. What a differance!!! I LOVE my job, have been at the same hospital for 15 years and they are working with my school schedule to keep me on part time. (my school schedule changes from semester to semester)

May all your dreams come true!!!:gandalf: Life is magic!!!

Specializes in OR, ER.

i've always wanted to be an accountant:) .learned to love nursing back when i was 17(2nd yr)..when i witnessed someone giving birth (hospital..during rotation in clinicals)and actually giving my nephew his first bath(cousin gave birth at home).i didn't know that my chosen career will bring me this far..somedays i regret being one because of frustrations at work...but hey i'm still here and loving it!

hooray nurses!

Specializes in emergency.

Well, i was a musician for 10 years, as well as a whole myriad of other failed half ass careers, and then my wife said she was pregnent! Well that got my ass in gear. Living on beer money and no benefits was fine for a rock n roller but not for my daughter.

So I did a cost/time benefit analysis of careers in America, turns out CRNA had the greatest ratio. So next day I signed up for Nursing.[no interest in doing any other scope of practise]

Cold, calculated, financially orientated,...absolutly, but it is the truth. And I will be a damn good one one day!:studyowl:

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

Awwww thanks! ;)

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