Why Nursing

Why nursing? The question seems harmless enough, but the question why nursing needs more of an answer than just “I care about people” or “job security”. A question like this is deceptive in the way that it has a multi-layered answer and no answer is ever wrong. When answering a question like why nursing, your answer must be as complex as the study of nursing can be and is at any given moment.
My Decision:
My decision to become a nurse came very early on in my life and from then on my desire to be a nurse has only grown. In May of 2005 at the young age of 8, I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. The diagnosis was a very frightening experience for me but what really helped me through it was of course my family but also very importantly the nurses who were there by my side taking care of me. Over the years I have been taken care of by numerous nurses both in the hospital and in many doctor’s offices and each of them has had a unique and positive impact on my life. They have inspired me to want to take care of others not only from a healthcare perspective but also emotionally and mentally. My nurses have taught me that being a nurse is more than just taking care of people that it is also about relationship building. They have helped me realize my goals of being able to impact the lives of others, being able to build relationships, and being able to continually learn in my career throughout my lifetime. Through the care and attention they have shown me I have grown to realize that I have a passion to do with my life what they have done for me, which is to care for and inspire others. It is because of these inspiring men and women that I decided to go to school to become a nurse.
Some Concerns:
Even though I am absolutely positive that a career in nursing is what I want in life, I still have some concerns. My biggest concern is that I will become too attached to my patients. I am a very compassionate person and I want so badly to be a positive influence in the lives of others that I can sometimes become overly invested in a cause. Another big concern of mine is that I will become too busy to have a personal life. I really want to work in the NICU or pediatric oncology and I realize that both of those departments can take up a lot of time and energy, leaving little of either left to give to a personal life. Perhaps the most obvious concern I have is the possibility that I will mess up. I really want to be successful as a nurse and the fear of messing up and not being able to pursue my passion is a fear that I have as I pursue a nursing career. All of these concerns are valid in my opinion but they also seem to be manageable; I am sure that if I delegate both my time and my resources these concerns will not stand in my way as I work towards becoming a successful nurse.
Unanswered Questions: While I know that I want to be a nurse, I also know that there is so much that I don’t know. In the long list of unanswered questions I have the most important question for me is what I can do to ensure success and avoid mistakes and failure as a nurse. I wonder what if any mistakes are okay to make? And what do I do in the event of a serious mistake? Another question I have is what exactly does a conflict of interest include? Do I need to work in a place other than my hometown to avoid this? How do I approach a conflict of interest with sensitivity while maintaining professionalism? Along with those questions I wonder how I will find the answer to these questions or questions like them once I am out of school and in the work place. I also have questions that specifically pertain to classes I will take as I progress in nursing school. I have these unanswered questions and so many more, but I am confident that throughout my four years in the Gonzaga University Nursing Program they will all be answered.
Why nursing? In answering this multi-faceted question I have not only answered some of my own questions, I have also cemented the fact that I want to be a nurse. I have no doubts in what I want to do with my life and I am ready to take on the challenge that is nursing school. Knowing that I want to be nurse is only half the battle, now I must make it through school and pass my NCLEX exam at the end of it all. But all of this will be worth it when I can look back years from now and know that I made the right choice.