Many enter the medical field with dollar signs attached to their brains. They pick this career as it is a stable job and pays rather well. At 18, a person may have dreamed of becoming a nurse, or even a doctor, knowing without any doubt, that they want to go into the medical profession.
Sometimes young adults are instructed by their parents to pick a career quickly, as they are paying for college, and want to make sure they have made a wise investment in their children’s education. Maybe mom or dad was a nurse or a doctor and they wanted to follow in their foot steps.
When my daughter graduated high school, she had no idea what she wanted to do in life. We would sit for hours trying to see what sparked her interest. She was a hard worker, holding a job since she was 16 years of age, but could not seem to find any direction that truly interested her.
I had been a nurse for many years and she grew up watching me work in my career. One day she said, “Mom I want to be a nurse!” Of course, I was thrilled on all counts. First, that she had picked a career, and secondly that she wanted to follow in my steps. It was something that I could help her achieve.
She started nursing school, with very high hopes. There were a few concerns, by me and the family but we kept them to ourselves, as we did not want to discourage her decision. These concerns should not have been dismissed so easily. We knew that my daughter did not do well at the sight of blood or sick people. Why in the world would she choose this career path?
Her grandfather had a stroke and my daughter was around 14 years of age. She went to the hospital to see him. She was standing by his bedside and before we knew it, she had fainted in his room. She did not feel she was scared or nervous, so we rather chalked it up to it being “grandpa,” and she was worried about him. A couple years later, she got her wisdom teeth out, and fainted once more at the site of her own blood.
Even then, we thought, maybe a fluke, let us just see what happens. My daughter started her first nursing classes and realized by the second class that she would have to touch people. I thought this was a no brainer but in her mind, she did not think that far ahead. She dropped her second class and continued general classes no longer wanting to be a nurse.
It got me thinking about how many go into the medical profession that may would have done better picking another career path. If one is honest, they may recognize those red flags.
When one is young, and picking a career path, they may not have an idea what they are really getting into. There is no crime in deciding this was not the right path, and changing goals. I do think there are some clear indicators that will help one decide if the medical field is one for them. There are also other parts of the medical field, which do not require working so close with patients and this could be an option if one really wants to be in the medical field.
Personality does play a role but does not mean someone who is more reserved and quiet cannot be a good doctor or nurse. They may have a different personality. I have known some wonderful nurses and doctors that are excellent in their line of work but do not have that warm, fuzzy feel to them. That is quite different from knowing they really do not like caring for others. Compassion and care must go into this field. The people that depend on nurses and doctors need someone who has a heart for this type of work.
Here are some guidelines that I think one should look at when they are thinking about becoming a nurse.
1-Do you like caring for other people?
2-Does blood, guts, and other body fluids make you faint.
3- Are you doing it just for the money?
4- Are you going into the medical field because mom or dad expects this of you?
5- Are you a giver or a taker?
6- Are you a nurturing type of person?
7- Do you like being around people?
8- Are you expecting to get many accolades?
9- Are you willing to go the extra mile without pay at times?
10- Why do you want to become a doctor or a nurse?
Nursing is a work done from the depths of one’s heart; it should never be taken lightly!
“Let whoever is in charge keep this simple question in her head – (not, how can I always do this right thing myself, but) how can I provide for the right thing to be always done?”
~Florence Nightingale
