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.

well my story starts back in the days when i was a iv/pharmacy tech supervisor (for 12 yrs). the last couple of years i worked side by side 2 great rn's. they kept saying things like, why are you here? you could be a great nurse. your wasting your skills. anyway, i ended up moving from florida back to my hometown in ny. i was still only able to make $7 to $8 per hour, i was sick of it. i quit my job, signed up for our local community college, for pre-recs, since i had been out of school for many years (i was 30yo). before the end of my first year, i got pregnant with #2, #1 was 4yo. i continued on and started nursing school in aug, 5 1/2 months prego. we had our finals on dec 17th and he was delivered dec 19th via c-section. i returned with everyone else 2 1/2 weeks later and finished on time the year after, he was 1 1/2 when i graduated. i even made the honor roll a couple of times. my hubby had to work 60 to 70 hrs per week just to get by, but it was worth all the stuggles!!

Hi all :)

I am curious as to what everyone's personal motivation was to origionally become a nurse?

I am a nursing student and I think that there are some people in my class that are strictly interested in the pay.. but I really just want to work with people, comfort them, help them feel better, etc.

So, I'm just curious.. why did all of you become nurses? Why do you continue even when some days can be really hard? :)

Specializes in Med Surg, Peds, OB, L/D, Ortho.

i don't believe i had a choice! since i was 5 yrs. old i knew i wanted to be a nurse. it is a genetic thing in my family! started with my grandmother who was an lpn. i am an rn.....my sister is an endo tech....my brother is an adolescent psych. counseler....my other brother is a cop...my other sister is a cosmotologist. all in people helping fields. gotta be genetic! lol;)

My grandmother was my inspiration to become a nurse. She was a neonatal nurse and died suddenly my senior year of high school from an aneurysm. At the time I was going back and forth between nursing and something else. That's what ultimately pushed me to go to nursing school.

Specializes in OB, Med-Surg.

I think I answered this before, but, my inspiration was the fact I seen my mother struggle raising kids she couldn't afford. I lived dirt poor and had a not so fun childhood. I decided since I so badly wanted to be a mother myself I was going to pick a career that would enable me to stand on my own two feet if I ever had to. I also care so much about other people, especially children, I wanted to help make a difference, even if it is only a small one.

Specializes in ER, Infusion therapy, Oncology.

At the beginning I did it to support my family. Now I realize it was destiny. I can not imagine doing anything else. Nursing is the most satisfying thing I have ever done.

Specializes in NICU.

I have no idea. I guess it was a calling.

Specializes in Neuro, Cardiology, ICU, Med/Surg.

I don't know if there's a cool way to insert a link to another thread on another forum here (other than just posting its url as I did)... but I stated my reasons in great gory detail in this story: https://allnurses.com/forums/f300/mahogany-door-272985.html

I am just beginning the pre-req process for nursing school so I'm not there yet, but the science of it all is what is drawing me to the profession. I used to work as a veterinary technician and since leaving that 3 years ago I've realized how much I miss the medical field. I loved the critical thinking, diagnosis and treatment processes and watching the healing process. I loved surgery and the OR, especially when I got to scrub in and help. I'm hoping to pursue the OR once I become a nurse.

Specializes in Med-Surg.

I think my full story is listed in the link above, but basically my granddaddy's death was very traumatic for me, and I decided to become a nurse to take care of my family if they are ever in his place. And if I help other's family along the way, the all the better :)

My husband won't let me quit is the reason I keep going :jester:

Actually, I still love it. I've gotten close to all the women I work with, we're a big family. I couldnt' imagine leaving them. And when I have time to take care of my patients the way I want to, I can't imagine loving any job more. I really do feel like I'm there bright spot of sunshine :flwrhrts:

----Ookay...ignore the last sentence. I got a little carried away....

I start my pre-nursing classes in the fall, but I suppose my reasons will still be the same when I actually become a nurse as they are now.

Me: Born almost 3 months early, lots of time in the NICU, followed by 2 years of surgeries and hospital trips, then another major surgery a few years ago.

My Mom: ICU about half a dozen times at this point. Last time, we were told she wouldn't make it or would be brain damaged. Somehow, she's fine other than some memory loss.

My Little Brother: Died in the ICU after a very sudden onset of acute pancreatitis. They spent 20 minutes trying to revive my brother, even though as soon as they got a look at him in the ER, we were told he probably wasn't coming home. I guess they try harder when it's a kid. (2 weeks shy of his 15th birthday).

A lot of health care workers have put a lot of time and energy into my family. (Who HAS this kind of luck? Seriously?!) That's not counting stitches, broken bones, and all the other trips to the ER you make when there are 3 little boys in your family. I figured, the money is good, medicine is interesting, and I REALLY ought to do something to "pay it forward". Also, I hate pantyhose, so I'm pretty excited about wearing scrubs.

Specializes in LTC, CPR instructor, First aid instructor..

Nurses were the first people who treated me with love and kindness when I had my tonsillectomy. I didn't want to go home.

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