When I tell people I am studying nursing, I often get comments like “Oh, I could never do that!” or “Aw bless your heart”. I usually feel happy when I hear these comments.

However, occasionally I’ll get comments like “Oh, why not be a doctor so you could make a lot more money?” or “Oh, you’ll have a hard time dealing with all of those people.” Yes, nursing is challenging, I will have bad days, and I won’t be a millionaire.

I didn’t pick this profession to make a lot of money. I chose it because I believe it will be a very rewarding job of helping people get better, manage their disease, and have the best quality of life possible. I’m not after job security, I’m after job satisfaction.

I chose nursing because I want a rewarding career experience

Being a nurse means I will work with patients who have had recent trauma, a sudden health crisis, surgery, or maybe even diagnosis of a chronic illness.

These patients need the support of a healthcare team to help them obtain an optimal level of health and maintain it. As a nurse I’ll be able to assist patients by helping them regain their strength, battle disease, and regain joy and health functioning in their lives.

Every time after I finish a clinical, I have an incredible warmth in my heart knowing I helped someone get closer to their health and life goals. To me that’s more rewarding than any paycheck will ever be.

.

I chose nursing because I don’t want to limit my career

Yes, I’m grateful nursing has job security. If you don’t have a marketable skill, you can’t work and benefit society. I’m even more grateful that nursing has so many different career choices and specialties.

I can work on a hospital floor, in surgery, with hemodialysis, at physician offices, in schools, or teach nursing and become a researcher. The list goes on.

There are so many different opportunities I’ll never have to settle at a job. Yes I’m grateful I’ll always have somewhere to work, but I’m even more grateful I’ll have the chance to work in so many places with so many patients.

I chose nursing because it excites me

Sometimes I ask people what their major is and they talk about more like a prison sentence than a career path. I’m genuinely excited to work in the medical field. The human anatomy and disease processes fascinate me.

What’s more is that I’m actually able to be a war leader in the health battle my patients will fight. Treatments continue to improve, and new treatments are made available. It’s amazing what can be done, and how much of a patient’s body we can save, even after major accidents.

The fact I will be able to help make a healthier, happier world is exhilarating.

I chose nursing because it makes me happy

Taking care of people truly makes me happy. Yes, I wipe butts and may have patients give me a hard time. Not everything about my job is a dream. Knowing when I wake up that I can change someone’s life makes it that much easier to get out of bed.

I love seeing the smile on a patient’s face after they begin having pain relief, see an improvement in their condition, or even just find a reason to laugh.

The thing about humans is we need certain things in our life to makes us feel we have a fulfilling life. We need to feel useful, productive and accomplished. We also need to share happiness and pleasant experiences with other humans. Nursing does all of these for me and so much more.

So yes, I’m grateful for a secure job with a good paycheck. My job won’t be easy and sometimes I’ll leave shifts frustrated and or just wanting to cry. Most importantly, I’ll be a happy and productive individual with the ability to help people of all kinds live a healthier and happier life.