What's your story? Why did you take up nursing?

3 Everyone has his or her own story about how or why they became a nurse. What's your story?

Please be as detailed or as short as you wish. It'll be interesting to hear everyone's stories.
I was a bad kid. I ran around with the wrong crowd. Got into some things I shouldn't have and saw some things I shouldn't have.The things I saw stuck with me due to the violent nature and the impact and I wished then I could help out in some way.... and vowed to do great things later. I knew then I wanted to be a nurse.Z PS: I'll write more detail later..when it's not 3 am. :chuckle

I've always found the human body fascinating, enjoyed biology and anatomy. While in Jr. High school, one of my best friend's mom was a nurse, and the idea of being a nurse intrigued me. I also new a flight paramedic and his stories always peaked my interest as well. While in High School, I made my mind up that I wanted to be an ER nurse and eventually become a flight nurse. I went to nursing school, started out in Geriatrics, became very interested in Nursing Informatics, which at the time was fairly new. I was amazed at how little the Nursing Home and Hospitals used technology, and I loved using computers to save time. I never did anything with my interest in Informatics directly. I then moved to the hospital, worked Telemetry, and then I went to work in CCU for several years. Back in 1995, I started a nursing website as a hobby when I was in nursing school back in 95, that hobby became a passion, and then became a business for me. That website is now called allnurses.com (this website ) has grown to significantly since it's early days. I've never for one minute regretted becoming a nurse!While I never became an ER nurse or a flight nurse, I am very happy where my nursing career has taken me

I was in my back yard one evening with a nice fat possum on the grill. I heard a noise and looked up to see a spacecraft directly above me. In an instant, I was transported into a dimly lit area equipped with strange equipment. Then a 3 ft tall being with a single eye in the center of his neck...or what I though was a neck, kicked me in the shins. As I jerked my leg up out of the way, several of the little critters pushed me back on an exam table. The next few hours were a blur as I went in and out of consciousness. Before I knew what was happening I was graduating from nursing school. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Well I applied to the local supermarket and they didn't have any vacancies, I was gutted, all my life I'd dreamed of stacking shelves. As a last resort I went to nursing. :chuckle

In the Australian outback town where I grew up, being a nurse was the only job you could continue working at AFTER you married! It was a town ruled by the union movement, and married women weren't permitted to hold jobs! The jobs had to be for the single girls only. TRUE! Understand, I'm talking about the 1960's. Not that my decision to become a nurse was something I really considered or thought out in great detail. I really "sort of" fell into it. I'd actually always wanted to study law! However, circumstances sent me on a different pathway.I'm always grateful I did become a nurse. I've never been unemployed, other than by choice, and have had an incredible journey along the way. It's a profession whereby you can travel and see other places and always be assurred of obtaining a job. Something I've done over the years. I think the thing that has always held true for me about being a nurse is; it's a REAL job! It has purpose. It has a reason for being. I realise ALL jobs have reason/purpose, so NO need to flame me! But nursing just has that edge and something more/extra, over most other jobs. Would I do it all over again, given my time over? Hmmm .... the jury's still out on that one.

Quote from z's playaI was a bad kid. I ran around with the wrong crowd. Got into some things I shouldn't have and saw some things I shouldn't have.The things I saw stuck with me due to the violent nature and the impact and I wished then I could help out in some way.... and vowed to do great things later. I knew then I wanted to be a nurse.Z PS: I'll write more detail later..when it's not 3 am. :chuckle

I am at work and my story is a bit detailed so I will write it up when I get home and post it on here. I think it's interesting to know what drives people to chose this as a career.

hi! i am a new graduate. i am going to be 26 next week, but i have wanted to be an rn since i was in 8th grade. funny story? i had a lot of ear infections in 7th and 8th grade, and i went to the doctor... back then, to me, he was about it. the "hunk" of my dreams! ha ha! ever since then i have been interested in medicine. i had a collection of gloves from different places that i snatched on my way out. (now i can get all i want!) i graduated high school, went to college for one year for and art major (my other love), but realized i wouldn't be able to do anything to make money in the area i was, and was not going to move to a big city to make big money. so, i got married (nope, not the doctor!! he he), 3 years later had a son, then after he turned a year i decided to pursue my dream. that was 3 years ago, my son is now 4, and i am now an rn. i have not gotten a job yet, and i have not taken my boards. (i just graduated last friday!) so i am very anxious and excited to get out there and start in the real world!!!

Quote from laurlaurwell i applied to the local supermarket and they didn't have any vacancies, i was gutted, all my life i'd dreamed of stacking shelves. as a last resort i went to nursing. :chuckle

My mom was a 2nd grade teacher (now retired.) I decided early on that I would never be a teacher - way too much work. Never thought about being a nurse, I wanted to be a vet.After my oldest son was born, I had contact with several nurses who made a big impact on me with their kindness, gentleness and concern beyond the immediate problems. Still didn't think about being a nurse, mostly because I had screwed up my life, not graduated HS, and felt I had missed my chance at going to college.After my last child was born, I decided I had to make something of myself and decided to become a psychologist. I got a community college class book and started thumbing through it. Being a psychologist started to look boring. I looked at all the cool classes nurses got to take - anatomy, chemistry, biology. I decided to do that instead.So, 18 years later, here I am. It took me from 1991-1999 to earn a 4 year degree - 1 class at a time sometimes. Little kids and life got in the way. Somewhere along the line, I forgot about ever wanting to be anything but a nurse. Now, although some days I feel like running into McDonalds and filling out an application - I can't imagine working in any other field and being satisfied at the end of the day. It sounds like a cliche, but it's the little things that keep me going back to work, and make me feel good about what I'm doing. Even the patients you work your fingers to the bone for 12 hours on - touch and go the whole way - who don't remember you, but think the nurse who extubated them the next day must be the best nurse in the whole world. I look at them up walking around, going home to be with their families - and I think, well at least I did something right!

Quote from earthlovers123Hi Z ,Do you Stay awake all the time ?or are you night owl like me ?

I didn't dream of becoming a nurse growing up. I was originally a nuclear medicine major. My older sister became ill with leukemia, and fought an amazing fight. She was the strongest, bravest person I will ever know. She always said that when she recovered, she was going to go back to school to be a nurse. It will be four years next month since she passed away. She was only 30. The care from that she received from her nurses was nothing short of extraordinary. When I returned to school that fall, I switched majors, and just graduated with my BSN last weekend. I am 24 years old, and so glad that switched so young, because I know that I am going to love doing this for the rest of my life. Bekahlynn