Nursing as a Vocation

My Reasons for Choosing Nursing As a Career

One statement by Hall (1996) in the article on nursing philosophy “Don’t fence me in” which really resonated me was the ways in which caring and curiosity motivated the author to choose nursing as a career: “I am aware of a hunger to care—strong impulses to help, nurture, and offer comfort” (p.326). In embarking upon my profession, I firmly believed nursing was a career in which I could help others, and could feel as if I was making a meaningful contribution every day at work. In my own family, I witnessed the profound impact chronic ill health had upon some of my relatives’ lives, and also how nurses were often at the front lines, offering care and assistance to make weathering a health crisis easier for our family. I wanted to have that same impact through my own career on others.

I am also a person who thrives on change, and I like the fact every day at work is different, because patients are always different. Although there are frequent challenges at work, when unexpected things arise, and if we are short-staffed, but I prefer that to things being routine. I love learning, and being a good nurse requires constant learning, both about the profession and the patients I am treating.

Becoming a nurse practitioner is particularly meaningful for me because of the unique independence of that caregiving role. Becoming a nurse practitioner would allow me to embrace both the best aspects of nursing and medicine, both being able to give personal attention to my patients in a meaningful way, emphasizing the caregiving and patient-centric aspect of nursing, while possessing the capabilities to still be highly independent and use all of the diagnostic and treatment knowledge I have within the full scope of my practice knowledge (Poghosyan et al. 2017). Since I am someone who thrives upon change and enjoys learning, the additional learning and training required by this independence is also welcome. I will have greater autonomy to be able to treat patients the way they should be treated.

Within 5 years, I see myself living up to my fullest potential as a nurse practitioner, possessing greater independence than I ever have before in my career. I hope to have established more meaningful relationships with my patients and have helped them take steps to improve proactively their health through improved primary care. I also see myself working as part of an interdisciplinary team when it is necessary, which may consist of physicians, physical and occupational therapists, nutritionists, and other providers. I hope that my voice will be taken seriously, given the investment I have made in my education. I see myself as both a collaborator and a valuable independent actor.

Within 10 years, I hope to build on these skills. I know the healthcare environment is constantly changing, and I hope to keep changing with it, adapting to circumstances, and learning about the necessary changes in technology and treatment so I can give my patients optimal care. I also hope to be learning about the multicultural environment and diverse patient population, so I can be sensitive, caring and culturally competent. Within 20 years, I hope to have a flourishing career and maybe have made a transition to specialization or administration, having a professional influence, and mentoring other nurse practitioners. It is also possible that I may be operating independently as a primary care provider within the maximum scope of my practice.