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.

not a nurse yet but i am a cna. i want to be a nurse because my younger sister had cancer and passed away. now i want to help those kids with cancer.

That's wonderful that you followed your dream. So sorry to hear about your mother. Best luck to you always.

Do you think the nurses who are unbearable and unsupportive are just burnt out and not happy with themselves? Of course that's no excuse to treat others with such disdain! I certainly hope I don't run into this because I certainly had my share of it in the corporate world. As a new nurse, I would think you are somewhat anxious and just a little unsure of yourself many times. It's sad to think you can't go to others who are more experienced and trust that they will be willing to help you.

Specializes in er-psych.

I always wanted to be a teacher or a social worker, but got married and had two kids first. So when I decided to finally go to college at 29 nursing seemed to encompass all I loved, biology, social science and teaching. It was also a more reasonable degree plan with a better and shorter way to make more money to care for my family and myself than teaching or social work. I started with the ADN, just got my BSN and am now in grad school. That's another thing I love about nursing, the oppurtunities for education and different avenues are so great. It is hard to get bored with nursing, something I have a problem with.

Angelrejen77

My story is typicalI was a single parent, quit school in 11th grade to marry it didn't work. I struggled for 15yrs on 2-5$ an hr 2 and 3 jobs at time my mom and dad both died in yr 92L left me and my daughter lost and confused I decided I wanted to know why they died: could I have helped and can I help others. So my daughter turned 15 went to work parttime I was fulltime at a pizza hut I went to school. I found out several things about me, I love to make ppl smile and I love to make a difference even if its a small one. I have been an Rn for 8 yrs last 5 of them in Hospice, I make a difference now...and I could not have prolonged my families life. Everyone has a pre-planned time reguardless if you are a religious person or fate believer: it was their time.

Specializes in OB, HH, ADMIN, IC, ED, QI.
not a nurse yet but i am a cna. i want to be a nurse because my younger sister had cancer and passed away. now i want to help those kids with cancer.

Since you're WORKING as a CNA, you may not have the energy on your days off to do this (as you do most of the physical, real NURSING, but you can be helpful with kids who have it, by volunteering with your local American Cancer Society. They have lots of educational materials with the signs and symptoms of cancer for parents, and if you knit or crochet, you could make cute caps for those who have lost their hair. You could also contact "Make-A-Wish", to see how you can be of assistance to them.

If you were thinking that administering pain relieving meds would be a way of working through the sadness you may have experienced when your sister needed that and you couldn't give it, you might want to work for Hospice, so you could get a nurse in to do that. However, the most effectrive and preferred route for giving medications to kids, is oral. More of those are available now in Pediatrics, as finally the medical community is waking up to their duty to prevent/eliminate pain in children. EMLA (a patch with topical local anaesthetic) has been available (prescription only) for at least 25 years, and should be placed for an hour before accessing a vein to draw blood or place an IV, at a site the phlebotomist thinks best for the puncture.

20+/- years ago I attended a conference about easing children's pain, and I hear that it's just now being implemented widely. How anyone could have thought that children's nerve endings are less sensitive than ours, ought to have their heads examined, or have a recording of their screaming played over and over. The fear professionals have is that they'll compute it wrong, give to much, etc., etc. You could be part of that informational process in your community. Circumcising baby boys hurts, no matter that it's for a short period of time. Doctors and Nurses should use a topical anaesthetic, often (like during the procedure and on the vaseline wrap used afterward and at every diaper change)!

Well, I hope I've given you some food for thought, and that you'll take steps to be useful in the fight against cancer now, instead of waiting until you have that diploma/degree. There's much to be done!:twocents:

i guess, i am new. i wanted to be a nurse to make a difference. i love working with the eldery. i am currently in nursing school, graduating as an lpn in dec. i am going to work for a year and then go back for my rn. i know that i have going to make a difference because, i have faith. :heartbeat

Specializes in Psychiatrics.

i first decided i wanted to be a doctor when i was in fourth grade when er first came out. it was thursday night, 8 or 9 at night. my mom, who is an x-ray tech, said, "hey, come and sit down and watch this with me." it was the first episode of er. i was fascinated by doctors and nurses worked. it was that night that i told my mom "i want to be a doctor." my mom laughed and said, "if you want to be a doctor, you need to study science and math real hard, and if you still want to do this when you're older, then we'll talk some more." mom and i watched every episode of er for the next 7 seasons. when i was a junior in high school i still wanted to be a doctor. my mom suggested that i go into nursing. i really didn't want to at first. mom explained that if i got a degree in pre-med and then decided that i didn't like it, i wouldn't have really anything to fall back on, but if i went into nursing, i would have a number of opportunities and job openings that i could fall back on. the more i thought about it, the more it made sense. two days after i graduated from high school i started my lpn year at a local community college, in 2005 i got my lpn license, and in 2006 i got my rn license. in 2007 i started classes to get my bsn. currently i am taking a break from getting a break from getting my bsn degree, but i will be going back soon to finish it. in between finishing my rn and starting my bsn i got my emt-b training but i just recently got the testing out of the way. now i am currently trying to get my rn exempt so that i can be an rn on the ambulance on the volunteer fire department where i live.

Specializes in GERIATRICS, LTC.

I am an aquarian believing that it is our destiny to help mankind. I figured nursing would be a great way to do my part to help humanity and still be able to pay my bills.:wink2:

Specializes in ob/gyn, med surg, or, psych (adult).

I wanted to be a history or english teacher. My parents said that I needed a job with a future. (this was 1970, guys) They gave me 500.00 for clothes and in my Junior year of high school my very busy guidence counsler happily got me an early admission to a diploma school. (my mom and aunts are all nurses and went to the same school) Sooo to make a long story short I went to school thinking I would hate it. But I didn't and I have been a nurse since 1975.

44 years on the job, part time, as I helped raise our sons, hmmmm........

Funny, I had planned to be a teacher. I had made some inquiry at the local nursing school, but no serious application. Then my dad found out how much nursing school would save him compared to college:twocents:--that was it--I would be a nurse!!!

Once I was a nurse, I realized that it was the place for me:nurse:. I liked floating and did, for most of the years. Now at retirement age, I still work part-time and hope to continue to do so:yeah:...Now I have come to realize that nurses are teachers of a different sort--daily with friends and relatives as well as with our patients.:redbeathe

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

Dear Azmimi:

Teaching is as intrinsic to nursing as that old saw about giving those who are hungry fishing gear and seeds, rather than fish and produce....

If you feel like a change, try Home Health Nursing, where "ground roots" health begins. Hospice Nursing is great, too. I love the fact that anyone grieving has access to counselors at any Hospice program, no matter how long the grief has been going on, or whether that agency was employed for care in the instance counseling is needed, or not.

Only through learning preventive health and the tools for dealing with their diseases, will patients survive their illnesses and pass on the knowledge to the next generations (hopefully in more credible ways than verbally). The books for lay people available today about care of diseases, produced by Merck, the Mayo Clinic, etc. and reliable alternative methods, etc. is amazing.......

Best wishes from another 65 years or so Nurse.

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