An Introvert's Guide To Nursing

Wow, as a soldier lab tech in a small Meddac as well, hopefully a futue nurse too, I feel like you wrote this just for me. Thank you!

Very uplifting post. Thanks for sharing, SoldierNurse.

^^^^^ THIS! Thank you SoldierNurse! I also am an introvert and all of my life people have jumped to the wrong conclusion of who I am...I get told constantly that I seem unfriendly and a little intimidating when u first get to know me. my circle of friends is small.. I would rather have a handful of TRUE friends then a bunch of acquaintances. Large social gatherings exhaust me..My family now realizes that after a social event, I need private time at home to re energize.I am misunderstood fairly often and a common phrase I hear is " you are so much more talkative and nice once people get to know you". I love to people watch and say very little. My "nurse face" is interpreted as I'm aggravated or mad ( I'm really just in deep thought). The weird part is that some of my closest friend are extroverts? I guess opposites do attract? They perk me up and I keep them grounded .SoldierNurse, thanks for writing what all introverts are thinking but are just too shy to outwardly express!

Great read, you just have to find a way to break out of that shell and succeed...

Thank you SoliderNurse for this amazing article! I am also an introvert and this article describes me perfectly. Everyone (even extroverts) needs to read this article.

Quote from alidinakGreat read, you just have to find a way to break out of that shell and succeed...

Seriously, SoldierNurse, you are awesome! This is the best, most positive perspective on being an introvert that I have seen. Thank you!

Your article caught my eye because I am married to an introvert. He is not a nurse , but everything else you described about being an introvert is spot on! I felt like you were writing about him! I mean you could be twins! I am always looking for knowledge,wanting to understand so that I can be sensitive to his ( and others) feelings. Introverts rock! Thanks for a your wonderful insights and much needed information for those who might not otherwise understand.

This article will encourage me throughout nursing school - thank you for this inspiring post and your insights. I hope that my shyness won't limit me too much as a nurse!

Thank you for posting your story. I am a new nurse that is also an introvert and I experience many of the same feelings and inner conflicts that you described. It is helpful to learn about the all the ways in which we introverts can overcome our challenges.

Thanks for all the feedback! I'm glad to see that this article accurately conveyed the experience and feelings of so many other folks like me.One of the many myths I wanted to disperse in this article is that introverts are somehow socially crippled or antisocial. Social anxiety can go with introversion, as can antisocial behavior, but they are not married to each other as many people seem to think. One of the misconceptions that bothers me the most about introverts is the idea that we hate people. That's a totally separate problem. While we may not enjoy social interaction to varying levels, that doesn't mean we cannot become adept in social situations and succeed just as well as anyone else in the world of work or business.I, like many introverts, enjoy controlled social situations. Parties and huge gatherings seem out of control to me, especially if I don't know anyone. But if you tuck me away in a dark cafe corner with my BFF from nursing school, we'll talk all day long and I'll head home a little tired but very happy. Interesingly, I've figured out via a few weddings that I actually enjoy large crowds as long as I know most everyone there. When my sister married and my parents' siblings came into town, I was ecstatic to have such a huge gathering of fun people in the same place.As for how we're perceived by the outside world, it's absolutely worth your while as an introvert to pay attention and perhaps intentionally change your normal social habits when you're in a clinical setting or workplace. I've also been told by preceptees (whom I love!) that I'm typically somewhat intimidating at first. I'm very, very meticulous and I don't tend to fluff things up when I speak. However, I do enjoy mentoring and getting to know people one-on-one, so as time goes by, my preceptees will usually discover my big secret: I'm not as scary as I initially come off. I'm actually pretty goofy, especially at 0300 on night shift!My father (Lord love him!) was insightful enough to know that I'd probably be dealing with people all the time when I grew up as I've wanted to be a nurse since my years numbered in the single-digits. A very socially competent introvert himself (to the point where I believed that he was actually an extrovert for many, many years), he showed me how to talk with folks, strike up a conversation with darn near anyone, and even took me with him on business trips to trade shows and had me talk to folks who'd approach our booth. It was invaluable experience that taught me how to react in a vast variety of situations. Believe that it greatly benefitted me in my adulthood, especially after I joined the service and started to rub elbows with folks from every walk of life.Like every human being in existance, there's more to a personality than you can see at any given time. With introverts, we just have to try a little harder to show the world who we really are. It can take some time, but it's absolutely worth the effort! To my fellow introverts and the extroverts who we care about (and vice versa), thanks for your support!Carry on.

THANK YOU! I feel like you wrote this article just for me. I still find myself being surprised that there are actually people out there who feel/think the same way I do. You did such a fantastic and thorough job of describing what it's like to be an introvert in the nursing world. I've been kind of hard on myself (surprise) recently, for a variety of reasons, but this article really made me feel better.For those who have not read it, I recommend the book Quiet, by Susan Cain.