As the nationwide nursing shortage continues, thousands of people flock to google to search “How do I become a nurse?” Here are 4 important questions to ask before you pursue this amazing career.
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What Is My ‘Why’?
Have you always been the type of person who cares for everyone? Do you feel a calling to help end pain and suffering? Many nursing professionals hear about the chance to earn thousands of dollars per week in this profession but ask any great nurse and they will tell you that if the driving motivation is money, this might not be your calling. Make sure that your driving motivator comes from a servant heart willing to work extra hours, stay late, deal with difficult patients and families, and much more that cannot be defined if you truly want a lasting career in this field.
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How Well Do I Handle Stress?
A high percentage of nurses leave the profession within their first 5 years. Why? Stress has been noted as one of the main factors. You may find yourself working under poor management, or your facility may be understaffed causing a greater workload. Many nurses report negative experience due to work environments related to coworkers and a lack of respect from other healthcare professionals. You may lose a patient to an illness even though you and your team did everything in your power to save them. Again, your passion for providing care has to be central in order to overcome these stress related factors.
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Is Multitasking and Prioritization a Strength of Mine?
Are you able to decide quickly between what needs to be done and what needs to be done now? There are many specialty fields inside of this profession and all of them require that you have a strong ability to attend to any issue, in any situation, at any time while remembering to accomplish each of them. This skill is not only necessary but vital and can mean a matter of life and death in this line of work.
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Do I Want to Make a Difference?
As a nurse, you will have such an amazing opportunity to make an impact in the lives of your patients. Many nurses report that the satisfaction and fulfillment which come from making a difference are second to none. Can you think of a time when a nurse made you feel like their number one priority? You will have the chance to make a difference in the lives of thousands for generations to come.
Summary
The nursing profession is a very challenging yet rewarding career. When evaluating your future, take into account all these items to make a solid and well thought out decision. What is your why? Perhaps that is the most important question. If you find yourself to be a mission minded individual that willingly and enthusiastically will walk alongside people with empathy and compassion, going through traumatic and life changing situations, you just may have found your calling! That being true, our healthcare system needs you!