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

UPDATE: Changes: New Log In Requirement

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.

Specializes in infection control, peds, home infusion.

Since I was a child, I knew that whatever I chose to do with my life, it would be in service to others. I was always fascinated with medicine and the human body, so nursing just seemed like a good fit. And it is, although some days it really is a bummer.

I was in the military, and when I got out, I thought about nursing because of the diverse growth, and the opportunity to work anywhere. I heard about the nursing corps when I was in the military, and was really interested in the work and benefits. This is why I went to nursing school.

Specializes in Psych, Med-Surg.

I never could decide what I wanted to do with my life. I had a younger sister who knew from age 10 that she'd become a lawyer (and she did!), but despite being a good student I was clueless. I went through the "career testing" at the community college, and one of the results showed "healthcare." I then spent 4 years doing my BA in Psych. After working and making $10/hr, I thought that there had to be a way to help people and make a living. So back to the career counselor I went. He said "You should be a nurse" and I looked him straight in the eye and said "No way." Understand, I didn't think I could deal with the "blood and guts." But a few years later, I decided to give it a try. Would I do nursing school again? Not a chance. But it was a smart decision. And although the specialty I'm in now isn't for me, I'm sure to find my way back to being a Psych RN someday...

I was taking A&P for fun (yes people, I said for fun) because I absolutely love science. As I worked through labs I noticed that like 80% of the people there were pre-nursing school students. So I thought, what the hell, I'll give it a shot too! I figured if I finished and didn't like it, then it wouldn't be that much of a loss since the program was pretty short. Now that I'm an RN.... I'm still in the deciding phase of whether or not I'm going to continue this or not. I can't imagine myself being a nurse for the rest of my working career, but I also cringe about the thought of going to graduate school. Seems like the only people that are still being hired like crazy are RNs in this crappy economy. I'm in a pickle, so they say! I'm thinking about the CRNA route, but my family says I should dump the nursing gig and go to medical school if that's what I want to do.

I'm currently in a RN program in San Diego, Ca. I have wanted to become a Nurse since I was in High School. It all started when I took a Health Occupation course my senior year; I spent ¾ of my day in the Hospital assisting in every which way. I did the fun stuff too like cast myself and a friend LOL. It was cool back then anyway. I rotated throughout the hospital and took interest in all aspects of health care. I worked with patients and loved it. I can especially recall the patients that made inspiring comments to me such as "you are the kindest nurse I've met," "you've made my day with your smile," and "Thank you for being here for me." As simple as it was I felt like I made a difference in somebody's life that day, and that is a great feeling to have. Immediately after High School I got my CNA and began my journey to becoming a RN. As a CNA I worked at a staffing agency that placed me all over the hospitals where I gained more interest and explored many different fields. I could work anywhere as an RN, but most of all I would get the chance to make a difference in some ones life, even for a day. It might be your son or daughter or your worst enemy. Truth is that it doesn't matter because you still reap the same reward. I want to become a Nurse because I want to make someone feel better everyday. :heartbeat:lol2:

25 years ago I was volunteering in Chiapas, Mexico, on the Guatemalan border, working with Guatemalan refugees that were the victims of the repressive military dictatorship there. I had my Bachelor's degree in Community Studies, a liberal arts degree from UC Santa Cruz, and was living in an area with no electricity and no potable water. I became fluent in Spanish, great at digging latrines and fund raising abroad. But the real needs of the community would greet me daily in the form of children knocking on death's door related to diarrhea, or URI. Pregnancy complications, maternal death in childbirth, neonatal death; it was all a daily reality for these families. I finally realized that I needed more concrete skills that could be readily employed to truly make a difference.

I returned to the States and became an RN through the Los Angeles County School of Nursing, which I chose because of the unmatched clinicals and hands-on experience. I lived in an all Spanish speaking neighborhood, volunteered in a free clinic for central american refugees, and ultimately worked on Labor and Delivery at LA County.

I never returned to live in Latin America as I originally planned, although I have gone on various Health Education Delegations throughout Mexico and Central America. Twenty years later, I continue to work with a primarily Spanish speaking population on a busy OB floor, now in more livable Oregon. Interestingly, there is a sizable Mayan community here from northern Guate, the same community I was working with in Chiapas. I have never regretted my decision to go into nursing, and am grateful that I can make a living wage doing something so fulfilling and that truly touches others' lives. I feel honored and moved every birth I attend.

Science is the only thing that kept me interested throughout my childhood. I also want to help others. Health care just called out to me. At first, my major was premed then I learned nursing gives you a variety of fields to work in and the world needs more nurses anyways. This summer I plan to do volunteer work at a hospital and I hope I can job shadow a nurse!:p

Specializes in Rehabilitation.

I have always been interested in all things medical. I decided to be a nurse my junior year of highschool. I was rejected from nursing school twice due to high volume of applicants. Two angels started a nights and weekends ADN/RN program at my school. I will never forget the day I was accepted. It solidified my calling on this earth. I was meant to be an RN. Through the ups and downs of school, working and getting married, I made it. I passed my boards February 19th 2009.

I cannot wait to start working.

Thanks to everyone for sharing their stories. It is people like you who influence others to begin the wonderful journey of becoming a nurse. :nurse:

Do you know that you became a nurse on the same day my husband and I got married--only that happened 43 years ago. Congratulations. Yes, I have been a nurse now for 45 years and becoming one was the best decision for me that I could have made as a young person. I enjoy what I do, yes, I still work, though I have taken a position that allows me much more flexibility in scheduling as a part-time float at an outpatient surgical facility.

Nursing is one of the few occupations that allows flexible days, hours and a variety of types of work--you can teach, sell, do bedside, research, be in bio technical, the law aspect, forensics, it goes on and on.

I wish you the best in your nursing career, remember to give a job a reasonable trial, but if you hate what you are doing, don't be afraid to search for something different until you come upon the perfect job for YOU. Life is too short to be wishing you didn't have to be there day in and day out--we all have certain days when we wish we were somewhere else, but if it is always miserable, it is time to change.

Again, Congratulations AzMimi

Specializes in Pediatric Intensive Care, Long Term care.

My miracle baby, Dinah,inspired me to pursue nursing. Before I got preggo with her, i was pursuing a Microbiologu degree and then left school my thrid yr because i began to realize I HATED my major and had no passion whatsoever for the field. Then i had my daughter at 24 weeks preggo and my life changed forevr. She was only 1 lb and 14 oz. We were given no hope and all from the docters but it was the nurses who gave me inspiration. I will never forget the nurse that let me hold me daughter for the first time when she was 31 days old. I thought I couldnt hold her because she was so small..i was terrified that I would hurt her. This same nurse taught me how to give my then tiny 3 lb baby a bath. From the things that I saw and thenurses i bonded with during those long an dlonely nights in the NICU i was also given this passon for nursing. i want to save the lives of children. Yeah, I know I cant save every patient but the pursuit is a worthy cause. I believe in hope when hope is not an option...

Specializes in OR.

First of all I have to say my mom is a nurse and I grew up in the breakrooms of the hospital and nurses were just part of my life . My mom would have me suit up in some scrubs and help her stock meds and linens. I will never forget those times with mom and I knew nursing was going to be apart of me forever and effect me later in life. My mom had a horrible accident that involved a horse and major head injury . I remember seeing my mom sprawled out on the street less then a mile from her house she had a grand mal seizure infront of me and I thought she had died. The horse fell on top of her crushing her head into the street her helmet split up the side of her head . She was rushed to the hospital and laid in a coma for a few days . I kept a bedside vigil for the next couple days finally she woke up . I remember watching the nurses rushing up and down the halls with a paper trail following behind them admitting and discharging patients. O God I thought these nurses are so over worked and pre occupied with other patients besides my mom. No techs were available to give showers or anything . My mom was in need of a shower badly , a very kind nurse who was obviously busy offered a shower for my mom but I had realized she was really busy . And jumped in got my mom up and in that shower chair everybody stopped and stared as I wheeled my 15 year veteran nurse mom up that long hallway .Wow I was in tears all the time because she was so dependent on me that day she had always been my rock and now I was her rock of support and protection . I knew that nursing was in my blood and couldn't ignore what I was destined to be . From that moment on in my life I knew I wanted to a nurse and that vigil and taking care of my mom when she was the weakest . My mom is now okay and made a complete recovery and is still a nurse.

I was a second degree nurse, with a former career in marketing and PR. However, as time went on, I became suffocated by having to spend so much time on a computer, just emailing, basically, for a living. I mean -- I enjoyed my work, but all I DID was sit at that computer! I wanted a career that was active and hands on. I wanted something where I was doing something significant and not something just tied to increasing the bottom line. Oddly enough, my first job in PR was with GM -- SO thankful I left that company years ago.

I had always done well in biology and anatomy in high school, but never did well in chemistry, so I assumed I could never be a nurse, so I didn't pursue it. I wish SO badly I would have done it earlier in life. (I went to nsg school at the age of 42).

I was also a military wife for many years, and always had a tough time finding a job in my former field. We'd move every 2-3 years, , and it would take me a year to find a quality job and then hubby would get orders AGAIN. The day that I attended a nursing recruiting event after I'd earned my BSN and had 20+ nursing managers all swarming around me, handing me their cards, trying to persuade ME to come to their unit . . . in a strange way, I felt like a movie star!! I just felt so good to be wanted, and needed and to have MY pick of jobs!

Now, although nursing is about the toughest job I've ever done (next to child rearing), I am SO excited to have a career that I can do until the day I am no longer physically or mentally able to work. Age will not matter. I have so many options available to me, I am not hampered by anyting other than my own limitations. For a middle aged woman with not a lot of former job experience, this is a wonderful position to be in. Career woes no more -- my only challenge is choosing WHICH field of nursing to go in next. I happily look forward to the next 15 years or more, and am considering applying to grad school to be a NP.

My husband has been deployed twice, also, to Iraq these past six years and I had to face the realization that he may or may not make it back. It could happen to any woman at any time. I think ALL women need to find work and be able to support themselves. I'm glad I have something that I can make a living at, in case anything ever happened to him. I know many women my age who have never worked and rely on their husbands just a bit too much. I don't want to ever be in that boat.

Anyway, long winded -- but I DO feel nursing is a fantastic 2nd career for anyone, and I hope to combine my former degree with nursing in some way in the future.

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