Why did you want to be a nurse?

Nurses General Nursing

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It's a simple questions that so many seem to struggle with.

When I was 9 years old my mother who was a LPN and in school to become an RN was taken from me. I saw her hard work and dedication and the love she had for what she was doing. That's when I knew I wanted to not only be a nurse, but also finish the legacy that my mom who was 3 months shy of being an RN was trying to leave for my brothers and I. I have come through a ton of valleys and I'm going step by step, but I'm almost past the first part..that's the reason I will be a nurse. í ½í¸‰

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Specializes in Oncology.

My grandmother died of lung cancer when I was 6 years old. I told her that I would find the cure for cancer.

I have always been the confidante, the empath, and the "mom" of my friend groups.

I love science and biology.

Helping people appealed to me.

There's a human factor that I liked over medical or pharmacy programs.

My mama is a nurse.

I was a Girl Scout and loved learning everything for my First Aid badge.

This scene in Scrubs:

I am so glad I am a nurse. Lots of things pointed me here, and I am glad I have arrived.

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Specializes in 15 years in ICU, 22 years in PACU.

In response to your comment about the "struggle" (why on earth) rather than a simple answer to "why did you want to be a nurse".

I believe there is an enormous disconnect between the public perception of the nurses role and the actual job. And by public I also mean people/patients that have observed nurses work.

The media does us a huge disservice by portraying nurses as angels of mercy with a calling to nursing that makes us fountains of compassion and empathy. However, when the business model is applied to Hospitals and management is driven by profit, treating patients like people is not cost-effective. Consumers of health care are treated like cattle, herd 'em in, tally up the diseases, bill for services rendered, next. Nurses who find themselves as instruments of this machine either check out mentally or quit physically.

In reality the money machine known as modern healthcare is a disease-focused entity that knows which side it's bread is buttered on. There just ain't no money in illness prevention. High tech innovations need sick people to justify their existence, preying on people's desire for instant gratification and immunity from suffering the consequences of their own actions.

NONE of the patients or family members I work with know the real story about nursing. I would never tell them they are an inconvenience, pain in the azz, smelly, ill-tempered or waste of medical resources but working with these entitled, violent, nasty people send plenty of nurses heading for the door. (This is NOT what I went into nursing for.)

So there is a struggle to reconcile what I thought nursing was and what nursing is.

I hope that answered part of your question.

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Specializes in LTC, Med-surg.

I wanted to be a nurse because I wanted to do something that was interesting and at the same time challenged me daily. I don't like routine things and love the variety of the nursing world. What I am unhappy about is how stressful it is and how little patient conversation happens in my specialty: geriatrics. It seems I am there to push pills down their throat, fill out mounds of paper work, and do wound treatments on my 20-30 patients a day. The nurse aides are the real ones that talk to them and have time to do the compassion things every day. Not me. I'm the pill pusher.

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Specializes in Aged, Palliative Care, Oncology.

I wantd to be an air hostess from age 9 up. i like th idea of being kind to people and making them feel at ease.

i looked in community college/TAFE pamphlet after my final studies (which i didnt study for) around 05 and saw aged care cert 3. 6 months fulltime. 6 months l8r at age 19 i was an assistant nurse n loved it. few years later decided i was gonna go to uni and become registeted. fiiiiiinally made it n im as happy as a bee with honey. (sorry about poor punctuatuon. too tired).

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Specializes in ORTHO, PCU, ED.

I wanted to be a pediatrician but know I'm not smart enough. I wanted to help people since I am a people person. I also wanted a decent job that I figured there was a decent market for, and I wanted to drive a decent car and live a decent life.

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Specializes in Aged, Palliative Care, Oncology.

i know its hard. we dont hve the time to scratch our bums let alone talk with our patients!!! it sucks. i can def see difference with nurses aid (i used to be able to chat away!!!) Now.... gosh Ill be lucky if I get a toilet break considering the mounting mound of clinical tasks we gotta do, i.e . repeated obs, showers, toiketting, manual handling, 2-3 pill rounds, answering buzzerz, phones, paging, taking messages and remembering to pass them oní ½í¸§. cleaning clothes, pans, poop, vomit, demanding needs and wants, docs rounds, following up location n source of meds from pharmacy or getting a chart recharted, aggressive behaviour, ALL the paper work and documentation. 9th day ever tomorrow!!! MY GOODNESS......!!!!!

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Specializes in Aged, Palliative Care, Oncology.

not smart enough???? WHAT!! NONSENSE! Do wht u wanna do be what u wanna be. u can do medicine. its just limited spots (competitive) therefore hard to get in.

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I think for me, that, it would be a satisfactory job. I started out as a nursing major in college but then soon changed my major as I felt it was not for me. After years of doing a job I do enjoy and knowing I have a calling to help others, I have come to the realization that I would like to go to nursing school to help others. My ultimate goal is to be a nurse practitioner/midwife and I would like to work domestically as well as internationally. I have relatives that I have went to nursing school my entire life and I helped them study through the process so I definitely have knowledge in the field. I am excited to begin this new journey.

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I love science and learning about pathophysiology. I wanted a career where I can continue to learn something new everyday. I wanted something flexible/stable that would give me the opportunity to pursue a more advanced career if I wanted to (ACNP, CRNA). Helping people is a plus, one of my favorite parts is tucking a little old lady (or gentleman) in bed after a nice, warm bath, clean sheets, and with a warmed blanket, and have them smile and say, "I feel so much better now!" It really makes me feel good :)

I also like gruesome things, and blood/wounds/guts are cool :woot:

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Specializes in LTC Facilities/Home Health.

I am going to school to become a nurse because after soo many years of being a nurse aide I've seen a lot and I've done alot. I have became close to residents when working in a nursing homes only to watch them pass. I have done hospice care and watched my client be reanimated with his pacemaker and not run out of the room lol, I'd say it's got to be a calling. I'm a nurturing person, a people person and perform well under stress so I guess that's why I've lasted this long.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

To become a masterpiece in creating values of mankind and to be a human being lived and worked for ailing hearts.

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