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.

Specializes in Many.

I was 18 and was going to be a mechanical drafter, and when I went to school it wasn't all I thought it would be. So I came back home and in order to stay at home I had to go to school. I took general ed classess and passed with C's, some D's, withdrawls and some ditching. I then took a health class and thought it was interesting. After finishing that class I took the emergency medical technician course and fell in love with the medical field. I did some medical assisting and then landed a job as an emergency room technician at a local rural hospital. One night we had a patient that had to be choppered out. It was the first chopper I had seen. Watching the Flight Nurses come out of the chopper, as I stood there, listening to the rotors and jet sound. I got these huge goosebumps. As I lead them to the ER trauma room, I watched in amazement as these Flight Nurses worked fast and efficiently. They took over the patient as the MD gave them report. I have never seen any nurse or MD do such awesome work as these nurses did. At that moment, I new I wanted to be a Registered Nurse, a FLIGHT NURSE.

Need advice, worked in Finance and Health care for past ten years and have decided I want to be a Nurse Practioner. Live in San Francisco, Any programs or steps people recommend? Still new to SF area, but now in Chicago they have program at Rush where pay for your school, then you work their for 2 years after graduate, Love SF...anyone know of programs like that in SF area?

Thanks so much for any advice

Maureen

Need advice, worked in Finance and Health care for past ten years and have decided I want to be a Nurse Practioner. Live in San Francisco, Any programs or steps people recommend? Still new to SF area, but now in Chicago they have program at Rush where pay for your school, then you work their for 2 years after graduate, Love SF...anyone know of programs like that in SF area?

Thanks so much for any advice

Maureen

Specializes in NICU.

A lot of reasons, I guess. I used to work for child protective services, and many of my clients were medical neglect cases. I really felt like they lacked some basic education, and were overlooked within the healthcare system. Providers have a way of forgetting that they speak another language. So....I suppose I set out to learn that language, and got hooked. :)

And....because my son was diagnosed with ALL. I didn't know anything about medical terms and needs. In the process, I watched lots of people wander around lost, without a friendly face to help them. I felt like I could be that person.

And....because I love education, which accounts for so much of nursing. Some day I would like to teach full-time, but for a more reasonable wage than k-12.

And....because I've met some really great nurses, and some really lousy nurses. I work hard every day to be one of the great ones. Maybe some day we'll overtake the lousy ones! :yeah:

Specializes in LTC.

I was born with several problems especially with my kidneys. I basically grew up thinking going to the hospital was part of life. I thought the nurses were my family the way they treated my parents and I. Well, I gave up on even attempting nursing school d/t my low grades in math and science during highschool. One of my good friends sat me down when I was 33 yrs old and told me if I didn't try I would literally miss out on the best career in life. So,, I took the entrance exam didn't do bad to my surprise. Ended up getting the most improved student award and the rest is history.:nurse:

Specializes in ER/ OR/ PACU and now Occupational Health.

I am not a nurse yet but in a month I will graduate and take the NCLEX and then will be a :nurse: so I am going to post too!

I have a HUGE port wine stain birthmark that covers the ENTIRE right side of my face and eye. I have Glaucoma because of it and it's also in my throat. When I was 18 months old I had surgery because of my Glaucoma. Following that until about 2 years ago I had NUMEROUS (like 20-30) laser surgeries throughout my life to try to have it removed. Growing up I was always in and out of surgery and was scared to death most of the time. Without the WONDERFUL nurses that took care of my (including my Mom who has been a nurse for 30 years), I would not be the person I am today. They cared for me, they hugged me, held my hand, dried my tears, and brought me a great comfort in my times of extreme terror. I thought that if I could just do that for one person, my life would have a great puropse. After conquoring my fear of surgery and becoming a surgical tech (for the last 8 years) I have already reached my goal and am continuing on to become an RN....who CARES about people!!!

Don't ever forget that it only takes a minute to change someones life! When you are tired and ready to go home, don't forget to stay positive because someone may be depending on you when they are scared to death.

Thank all of you for the wonderful job you do!:redpinkhe:nurse:

I became a nurse cause it was shorter than the PharmD program

What type of pts and how many are you assigned when you are at a hospital as a Graduate nurse?

All Through high school I wanted to be a nurse, I started at a 2 year college and finish with Business Adimin. and Mangment (not nursing I know) I guess I was needed a qucik gradifcation of earning a degree. Well a little after finishing college Guess where I got a job at, uab hospital as a unit Secretary in NICU and becoming a Unit Secretary wataching all of the other nurses made relaize for the thrid time in my life why I should become a nurse. I guess I had to go through all of this just to take note of what I sholud be doing which is a nursing.:nurse:

All Through high school I wanted to be a nurse, I started at a 2 year college and finish with Business Adimin. and Mangment (not nursing I know) I guess I needed a qucik gradifcation of earning a Degree. Well a little after finishing college Guess where I got a job at, uab hospital as a unit Secretary in NICU. Becoming a Unit Secretary wataching all of the other nurses made relaize for the thrid time in my life why I should become a nurse. I guess I had to go through all of this just to take note of what I sholud be doing which is a nursing.:nurse:

Specializes in HCA, Physch, WC, Management.

I never had any real career aspirations growing up. All I ever wanted to be was a mom. I knew I wanted to go to college but I never gave any thought to what I would do.

I had minimal interest in science in HS. I enjoyed Biology when we studied blood typing, genetics and dissection but that was where my interest ended. I was more interested in writing and theater but I had major stage fright and never had confidence in my writing. I lacked enthusiasm in my last 2 years of HS. I barely managed to graduate high school with my friends but was surprised when I didn't get accepted into my only choice college which I only wanted to go to because my older brother was there. I decided that I would attend CC for a year and then transfer to UIA after that.

I had worked in Nutrition Services at my local hospital in my Jr & Sr year of HS and I really enjoyed it. I was fascinated with the ER and triage. That was when my interest in the health care field was first piqued. I thought I wanted to be a paramedic. When I graduated HS though, I quit my job there to go to CC full-time. I did great in my gen ed classes my first year but floundered my second year. I had decided to stay local at the persistence of my boyfriend at the time instead of going away to UIA as planned. I ended up dropping out of CC half-way through my 2nd semester of MIT/MIS classes and never formally dropped my courses, resulting in my being placed on financial aid suspension.

I took time off from school and kept saying I was going to go back "next year" or "in the fall" or "when my car is paid off" or "when my bills are caught up" but it never seemed to happen. I worked at different jobs and moved several places throughout the country. When I came moved home from IN with no job, no education, and no plan, my best friend suggested I do HCA work for an MR facility she had worked for. I didn't think I was cut out for it but I did it anyway and I loved it for the four years I was there. Still had little to no interest in anything medical even though family and friends often commented that I should become a nurse.

I finally paid off my credit cards, my car loan, etc after five years. After a big fight one night with my ex, in which he told me he didn't want to ever get married and didn't want any more kids (effectively shattering my only dream for my life - becoming a mom) I knew I needed to get my life in order and leave him.

I went through a lengthy process of begging for reinstatement of my financial aid and then signed up for classes. I was all set to take more gen ed classes when my uncle stopped me in the hall outside the registrar's office (he works at the CC) and said, "Why didn't you sign up for Nursing classes?" I just kind of shrugged it off. But then I went home and thought it over for a couple days. Why didn't I sign up for Nursing classes? All the jobs I have had, I took them because I felt like I could help people. Every career idea I vetoed was because I didn't feel I would be helping people enough. Maybe I could be a nurse.

The next day I went back to the college, dropped all of my classes and signed up for whatever courses I needed to prepare for the nursing program. I sat through a pre-nursing orientation that fall and heard the director of the program talk about how they sometimes referred to NS as "Leave Your A-hole Boyfriend/Husband And Move On With Your Life School" and kind of laughed to myself but... After bolstering my confidence by losing 100lbs, finishing my first semester of courses, and gathering up my support system, I left my own a-hole ex and moved back home with my mom. I was miserable and cried my way through my summer Chem class and worried constantly that I'd made a mistake going back to school and leaving my ex but the longer I went, the more confident I was that I had done the right thing.

This summer I will be a CNA and in August I begin Nursing school. Nothing has ever seemed so right to me until I made the decision to become a nurse. I choose to make a career of doing the one thing I know I am good at - taking care of people. And if one day I will be able to take care of my own kids and they can look up to me and be proud of the decisions I made, I feel my life will truly be fulfilled.

:heartbeat :redbeathe :heartbeat

Specializes in OB, HH, ADMIN, IC, ED, QI.

I was no academic, until I was in nursing school and found my path. After repeating my last grade in HS, and doing poorlky I thought I'd never get in. However, my clergyperson wrote a letter of recommendation for me, which highlighted my uncle's philanthropic nature, and they did take me. When I took the licensing exams (the ones now developed after I took mine), I rode the bus back to nurses' residence swapping answers to the questions with my class mates, and when they'd all answerede differently than I did, I panicked. However, I had the highest grade ever attained in Canada or the USA in the same exam! I can only explain it with the sage saying, "When the student is ready, the teacher appears", and that "everything happens for a reason".

After I got my degree and had wprked some, I took a job as an Inservice Coordinator, and found that I not only loved teaching, I was totally hooked on education. I still love taking classes......

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