I get asked quite often why I chose nursing as my profession. My response “I don’t know if I chose nursing or if nursing chose me”.
At a young age of seven I was learning how to change “cloth” diapers and warm bottles for my baby brother. My summers and spare time were spent babysitting and caring for my nieces and nephews or my parents would volunteer my services to babysit their friend’s children.
My sister was an avid reader, and one of the series of books she enjoyed was Cherry Ames. She enjoyed those books so much that she often tried to bring them to life by having my brother’s act as soldiers and she and I would have be the army nurses tending their wounds. I think that was the beginning of something I wasn’t aware of.
My parents were always busy volunteering for the church or community. Through their experiences I gained my sense of community responsibility and advocacy. I think it was through all of these early experiences that my “calling” to nursing was seeded.
When I graduated from high school I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. My mom had me registered at a Community college to take a legal secretary course. I think I had other ideas and went out and got myself a job working on a temporary assignment for one of the government agencies. That temporary job lasted 10 years. It was the last two years of that job that I realized that was not what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. So I explored the possibility of entering into nursing. I was 28 married with two children one of whom was only 8 months old when I went back to school full time. When I look back on those years I just shake my head and ask myself what I was thinking.
As a nursing student we were exposed to many areas of nursing. Being a mom many of my classmates thought I would love our obstetrical rotation or better yet our pediatric rotation. Not so, although I enjoyed bathing the little babies and helping the moms nurse their little newborns I realized early on that this was not the area for me. But because nursing is so broad, there are so many areas one can nurse.
I started my career as a med/surg nurse. I worked on a heavy medical ward where we did primary nursing. It was back breaking work and long 12 hour day and night shifts. After a year and half of that I transitioned into Palliative care which I absolutely loved and did for almost 5 years. I then found that I wanted more, the adrenaline junky in me wanted a little more excitement, so back to school I went and took my critical care training.
My critical care training opened up many doors for me I’ve worked in a variety of critical care environments such Emergency,ICU and now Post Anesthetic recovery.
I have never regretted entering nursing, I think it was the best thing I ever did for myself. Nursing is a challenging and yet rewarding career. I am passionate about health care and an advocate for ensuring that every Canadian receives the best care possible, regardless of their financial status.
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about thing that matter”
~Martin Luther King Jr.~
6 comments:
Well the fact that you've enjoyed your career says that you chose well. :)
Probably because my mom was an R.N., up until my senior year in high school, that was what I wanted to be too. However, life interrupted in a variety of ways and I ended up working in D.C., doing primarily work in the early years of computer stuff -data entry and then programming for a bit. After moving back home to PA, and getting divorced, my "career" -such as it was then seemed to revolve primarily around food service and selling Avon! It wasn't till I was 46 years old that I decided to go to college and at the grand old age of 50, I graduated with my B.S. degree in Rehabilitation Education (Counseling.) However, I was never able to find employment in my major so 17 years since I graduated, I've never really used my education and degree. (Probably due to the age discrimination that everyone says of course, doesn't exist but I'd ask those people to please prove it to me!) Anyway, I've often thought how differently my life may have been had I followed through on my early dreams and gone to nurse's training -at least, I wouldn't have endured near as much of the low-level employment and wages over the years, had I done that. But then I wouldn't have many of the other things I have today -lots and lots of memories of meeting crazy, zany truck drivers for one thing, a little working knowledge of computers (not that much in today's computers other than good typing skills there though) and of course, I most likely would never have met my ex-husband and had the children I have and now, the grandkids too. It's all a trade-off I suppose and learning to make do with what you ended up doing too! Glad you were fortunate enough to have chosen a field in which your talents really shine and which you obviously do love and enjoy!
What a wonderful choice you made. I wish I had met a nurse like you during my what seems like frequent surgeries. Sadly though, I did not. Mostly they are overworked, abrupt, always in a hurry and sometimes downright rude and intimidating. I especially hated the nurses at our local hospital that took care of my elderly mom. Didn't seem like they liked their jobs much. Kudos to you and a bonus that you love doing it...ciao
Like you, I think my desire to be a teacher came from my love of learning and playing "school" with my friends. I was always the teacher telling everyone else what to do and how to do it. lol
This year helping Mom recover from surgery and the resulting spinal cord injury I have a new appreciation for nurses. She has had many great ones in the hospital and in-patient therapy. Doctors were hardly ever there when I was, so it was the nurse who kept me informed and trained me in how to care for my mother. Thanks for making a difference in so many lives. - Margy
For my birthday this year my husband bought me 6 vintage Cherry Ames books!!!! I LOVED IT!!!
Post a Comment