Why do you want to be "JUST" a nurse?

Nursing Students General Students

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I am so excited about becoming a nurse (I'm on the waitlist and will start Fall 2012). I really feeling like this is the career path that will fit me and that it is such an amazing and honorable job. I have a friend who is in the healthcare field that several times questioned my decision to go to NS telling me that I'm smart enough to be a Dr. etc. He kept prodding and asking "why?" i wanted to become a nurse. For a while I just explained my desire to become a nurse but didn't get Ito it any more because he was really being kind about it an actually complimenting my intelligence. But at the same time he was questioning me he was also insulting the nursing profession. Eventually, I explained again why I wanted to become a nurse that I didn't want to be a Dr (both my age and interest being limiting factors) and I finally told him how insulting he was being. This decision has been made, I am thrilled about it and I'm not changing my mind. I hope he and others don't lose respect for me because I want to be "just" a nurse.

Thankfully the most important persons opinion, my husband, is wholeheartedly behind me! I wonder how the rest of you deal with these attitudes and what do you say to the "just" a nurse question?

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Specializes in LTC, Med-surg.

Never had someone questioned me about wanting to be only a nurse but if a person were to I'd just be like, "Because thats my passion." I figure if the person already has such an attitude about the profession than its no use to convince otherwise.

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I get that all the time. In fact, I even had one of my nursing instructors ask me why I wasn't going for an MD.

I usually just smile and say it's because I want to do hands on care for the patient, which MDs usually don't have time for, and leave it at that. I have personal reasons as well that I won't go into.

Just know that you don't have to justify your decision to anyone. If you are happy, that's all that matters! Good luck on your nursing journey!

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I want to be a nurse because I love science-biochem, anatomy etc. however I also love working with and spending time with the patient. I love the TLC type of nursing, caring and looking after patients even with basic needs because they are JUST as important as all the other aspects of health care. Doctors are of course essential to the care of the patient too but don't get to spend much time with, or really get to know the patient (defo not as well as the nurse) That is the main reason however other reasons would include the fact that it is very long to become a fully fledged doctor and that it is also extremely expensive. I just want to work as a team with the doctors, physiotherapists, dieticians, speech therapists and so on! To work as a team, respect for each other and their profession is essential and at the end of the day we chose our profession for a reason! :) To care for the ill and the vunerable......we ALL do that! :)

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most people do not realize what it really takes to be a nurse. you wont understand until you are in nursing school. RNs are undervalued by lay people but its just cause they dont get it. tell your friend to come to my school and take one of our test. he will see not only do you have to be intelligent but you have to be a good critical thinker. Nursing school is nothing like what people expect it to be

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Specializes in Med Surg - Renal.
Thankfully the most important persons opinion, my husband, is wholeheartedly behind me! I wonder how the rest of you deal with these attitudes and what do you say to the "just" a nurse question?

Whenever someone asks me why I became a nurse instead of a doctor, I usually say, "Because I like working with people."

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Specializes in SDU, Tele.

honestly i don't like debt. i don't like the idea of being in school for 8ish years, then residency etc until finally being able to practice. scares me. not having enough time with family doesn't sound great to me. i like that nursing gives me flexibility to be a caregiver but also to someday be a wife and possibly a mother.

i love medicine, love doctors, love nephrology and cardiology--but i don't like the lifestyle.

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I don't. ;)

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There are so many people out there who have a gpa higher than 4 and not everybody wants to be a doctor. That's the problem w people ,they assume all smart students go to med school or should go to med school.

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I ask myself that question sometimes when I'm wiping someone's buttocks and and another nurse comes in and says 203 wants pain medicine and 205 is asking when his discharge papers will be ready, oh and your cna is still at lunch.

Then I remember that someday my mother is going to be in a hospital and I want someone to clean her, keep her comfortable, and get her out of their asap all with a smile on their face :)

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"Because nursing is my passion."

OR

"If you knew what nursing school was like you wouldn't say "JUST a nurse."

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Since I haven't started nursing school yet I dont know how anyone would believe me if I said it was my passion. Though I do feel that it is and really will be once I actually start I can't say from experience only from an idea of what I think nursing will be...

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