1. It's not redundant.
I have worked a 9-5 job. I have worked jobs that varied in shift but I was utterly bored out of my mind. I want something more. I want excitement and new experiences. I want to be able to come home after a long shift and have more to say than "I talked to angry people all day" or "I analyzed building plans, there were 12,036 ""A"" style windows."
2. You HAVE to be good and you have to know how to react to all types of situations.
I have always, ALWAYS been a perfectionist. I have to know that I can excel at whatever I attempt. Working in trauma you have to know every department and react accordingly. You have to be on the top of your game in order to keep this critical patient alive. That is the kind of determination that I thrive on.
3. You have to be versatile.
I am flexible and pretty good at rolling with whatever punches are thrown my way. That is an essential characteristic of being a trauma nurse. You have to roll with whatever situation is handed to you day in and day out.
4. I want to make a difference.
As cliche as that sounds, I want to help people in their weakest moments. I want to be the one that pumps your heart with my bare hands (gloves, of course) (I actually stole that story from an ER nurse who is my best friend, Thanks Chasity!). I want to be the one that is there to watch you open your eyes after whatever awful, traumatic experience forced you to close them.
5. I don't care who you were, your past, or anything about your flaws.
People ask all of the time "What would you do if a murderer came into the trauma center and needed help?" Well, I am going to help them. It's my job to help you, to bring you back to a healthy stance. It's my job to treat you like everyone else. I don't care if you are homeless and dirty, I will help you. I don't care about your political preferences or your religious beliefs (unless they interfere with certain treatment). I will help you. I don't care if you are a Wall Street billionaire, I will help you just the same as the homeless man next door to you.
6. I am an adrenaline junkie.
I love it. I love the excitement. I love the pulsating feeling that magnifies by 1000 when you know it is time to do your job. I love the way your heart beat speeds up and you can feel it in your toes. My brain works better when life is fast. My brain can follow suit and keep up with that 90 mph heart rate.
7. I get great satisfaction from knowing that I helped someone and that I did my best.
I love helping people and I love knowing that I could service them in their time of need. I want to help everyone and if I can even make a small difference in one person's life then that makes everything worth it.
