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 will try to make this brief :p. I'm still a student but this is why I want to become a nurse!

-Always been highly interested and fascinated with the human body as long as I could remember

-Always been a sickly child :o. I still have issues with my body malfunctioning, and there's never a solid explanation...

-My best friend was shot while sitting on her door-step, twice in the left arm, shattered her bone. As I visited her in the hospital, my curiousity about the human body was aroused even more when the doctors performed several procedures such as attaching her arm to her hip bone, taking skin from her stomach and attaching it to her arm etc. It was horrible...but kinda cool at the same time :eek:

-Love people, love caring for people....but still have doubts in my mind if its for me because I still gag at the sight of puss, drewl, worms or a hole in someone's neck:barf01:We''l see...

My daughter was the same way, she alway gaged or threw up just thinking of spit, vomit or bm. She now works in a nursing home-it was the best thing for her (I didn't think it would last more than a week or two and she has been there 2+ years). She just graduated from LPN school and is doing great, in fact when she had a patient throwing up, she was the one holding the bag when the patient and her co-worker was vomiting!! You would be suprised how strong you really are when it comes down to it. (although I have watched RN's & LPN's turn green and have to leave the room at the sight of some things--everyone has their weakness)

I am still in school but what made me want to become a nurse is a fairly recent experience. After months on bed rest during my pregnancy our son was born at a very small 25 weeks. He was 1 pound 4oz and just barely 12 inches long. We spent 3 long months in the NICU and it was the most positive life changing experience i have ever encountered. I know my heart is for the NICU babies and their families. I want to experience all the NICU has to offer the good and the not so good. I am a strong and positive person and I know that I can be of help to parents and that I will take only the best care of those babies. I have learned so much from all the nurses I have met and I want to do for others what they have done not only for my son but our family aswell.

Originally Posted by reneed viewpost.gif

I graduated in 2000, passed NCLEX, but decided to raise my family and take care of an ill parent. Now its 2008 and I've been to sooo many job interviews, not to mention how many I've applied for. Took a refresher course and still I just keeping getting rejected. HELP!!! I don't know what to do next. Any suggestions??? Thanks in advance.
:cry:

I think one barrier you are facing is that the nursing shortage has resulted in employers who do not want to train you. At least in my area they are very demanding about experience because no one has time to orient or train you
.

That being said, do not give up. I don't know what fields you have tried, sometimes even a Dr. office is a place to start. Many nursing jobs place very high responsibility on even new grads. You need a place that will have support around while you get your feet wet. Back in the 80's when I graduated there were no jobs. I found a part-time one to start but a lot of girls in my class left the area to find work or even gave up on nursing. I supplemented my income working some private duty in a local hospital. Some private duty agencies will find cases that will fit your abilities and needs, and it is a good way to start out. Good luck.

I wasn't going to be a nurse. It was just a coincidence. Had worked at hospitals since 17 of age, and was very sure about NOT being a nurse. One day I went with my friend, who wanted badly to be a nurse, to the nursing school to get forms to apply. The register-lady handed the forms to me also and my friend insisted I filled the forms also.

Well, I was admitted, sadly not my friend.

Now I've been a nurse for over 25 years and look forward to go to work every day. I like my job a lot.

Specializes in RN-BC, CCRN, TCRN, CEN.
I wasn't going to be a nurse. It was just a coincidence. Had worked at hospitals since 17 of age, and was very sure about NOT being a nurse. One day I went with my friend, who wanted badly to be a nurse, to the nursing school to get forms to apply. The register-lady handed the forms to me also and my friend insisted I filled the forms also.

Well, I was admitted, sadly not my friend.

Now I've been a nurse for over 25 years and look forward to go to work every day. I like my job a lot.

Wow. That's awesome. I wish it was that easy these days! Fill out a form and you're in. Oh well, guess I'll have to keep up with this GPA system....

Jeremy

Specializes in everywhere.

WOW! I can't believe that is has been that long since I replied to this. I replied when I was in LVN-RN bridge program. I have been a RN since 2006, passed with honors, passed NCLEX with 75 questions!

I love being a nurse! I love taking care of my patients, I DON'T like management breathing done our necks to do more with less (staff, equipment, etc). I DON'T like the abusive families. Why do people think that it is okay to be so nasty to their loved ones nurse, then turn around and tell the doctor the opposite?

People never cease to amaze me.

I had posted earlier that I had always wanted to be a nurse, my mom was a nurse. I had always been fascinated with the human body, the anatomy, the things that a body can tolerate. My EX-husband always told me that I wasn't smart to be a nurse. I passed both LVN and RN with honors, passed NCLEX with mimimum amount of questions. Sometimes I want to mail him a copy of my transcripts and ask him "who's stupid now?", but I decide that he isn't worth the copy paper or postage. LOL

I encourage anyone who wants to be a nurse to apply, to do it. It doesn't matter how old you are, you will be the same age in 2 years (or however long it takes you)with or without going to school.

Good luck to all of us!

Jeremy, it was certainly not any easier then. I graduated in 85', and we started with 150 students and finished with 49 graduates. The rest dropped or could not keep up a 3.0. There were over 450 students who applied for acceptance. I was lucky to get in, and lucky to get out with my sanity. Don't delude yourself that you have it any harder than us "older"nurses.

A lot of stories that many family members have nursing career background but in my family is none.At first, my ambition was wanted to be a doctor. I ws inspired by drama series of ER that was very famous when i was 7 years old but i had graduated my school year with result which not good to require into medicine.At the same time, my instinct said about being a nurse but i cannot admit myself that i cannot be a doctor. i put away about being a nurse. i didn't gave myself a chance to accept the nursing course because i knew myself who are really like to help people and also like to be a volunteer. now, i realize that i cannot go on like this and i had decided to take nursing as my life career. i have an interview on 5 nov for sponsorship in diploma nursing. I will do my best and take this opportunity to get into nursing course. i hope people in this forum can support me in what i am doing.:)

Wow, what a great thread for somebody like me to find. I just started nursing school, and unlike many of you, I don't have an uplifting story about how some nurse I met along the way inspired me. Frankly, up until a few years ago, I would not have considered the field. A little about me - I'm a 33yo male, and I've been out of college for 10 years, but my previous degree is in Interpersonal Communications. I've had a typical business-to-business sales career for the past 10 years, with times when I've done very well and other times when I've struggled to get by. Even in the best of times, convincing people to part ways with their money in exchange for items that may or may not be vital to their needs can be very frustrating. I don't pretend that Nursing will be easy, because I have spent enough time in LTC facilities and Hospitals to know that's not the case. But I've been burned out on selling for several years now, and with my wife, have done much soul searching. I will continue working while going to school for the next 1.5 years. Based on my personality and interests, Nursing seems to be a natural fit. Of course, like many men, I would not have considered nursing back when I originally went to college. My macho buddies would have skewered me, and I didn't have the maturity or wisdom at that point to see past those trivialities. I am just getting started on this journey, and am pursuing my ADN from a local CC. Once I (hopefully) have obtained employment in this field, I will continue building upon my education. I'm very excited, and I'm glad I found this website. It's a terrific information source.

Hi everybody!!!

I'm frm Brazil, went to nursing school there. I begin when I was 16 years old. I had to get a court order to be able to attend college so young, but I already knew what I wanted, that's why I fought for it. I have a aunt who is also a nurse, and I remember when I was a kid, looking at all the books and pictures, for some reason the human body always amazed me.

I'm now 26 years old, and I have been trying to get my license here in US for the past 4 years. I can wait to get back to the crazy life of shifts and worries and finisshing the day with that feeling of acomplishment and realization that we get when we do what we are good of.

I pray to God every day, to help me go trought this process whithout given up!

I'm a nurse and I love everything about it!

Specializes in ED, Flight.

Natural progression, I guess.

I spent several years as a combat medic, sometimes solely responsible for my team's medical care. To this day I think it may be the finest thing I ever did.

I had a good career in teaching and community work (religious education), and worked as a medic on the side. Another really good period in my life.

I'm a paramedic and flight medic. I started doing that full time when we moved for my wife's work. At some point I wanted to learn more and broaden my possibilities in patient care without leaving prehospital medicine. One day I just looked at my wife (also a health care worker) and said 'what do you think if I go to nursing school?' She said 'go for it!' I lucked out and got into the local U's second-degree track and here I am. Graduated last December and went to work right away in the ED. So far, I'm quite happy with that. I work part time and still devote some time to community work in the Jewish community.

Next stop? Who knows. Too old for med school and residency and don't want to make the commitment. Maybe ACNP if I get ambitious?

Meanwhile, I'm just trying to learn how to be a good nurse...:D

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