What inclined me towards nursing?

I always wanted to do something in the medical field, but I didn’t really know if I wanted to be a physician, dentist, surgeon, respiratory therapist, or EMT. I never actually looked into nursing while growing up. I thought nurses worked 12 hours a day, 5 times a week, and had no life. I figured I might as well become a physician and be busy while having that “boss” status. I was young, clueless, and very indecisive.

I got married at 18 (that’s a different story for another day), and I shifted my focus into exploring life with my husband. I put aside pursuing my education and career for a while. I had my daughter 3 years after my marriage and was so busy being a mom that I had no time to think about anything else. But continuing higher education was always in the back of my mind.

When my daughter was 16 months, I started looking for a part-time job because I was so bored at home and wanted to finally go out there and experience life and make new friends. My first job was as a medical assistant to an audiologist. We would go to pre-K and headstart programs and check the hearing of little kids. I learned so much, but we met our objective in three weeks, and the audiologist had to let me go. I was sad because I really enjoyed working with her and it was a wonderful experience.

After that, I got a job offer a month later from a pharmacy for the pharmacy technician position. I became registered and certified through them, so I got to learn so much through the job. I became good friends with all my colleagues. I ended up staying there for almost 3 years before I quit in July 2019 (that’s another story for another day as well).

Anyways, while working at the pharmacy, I thought I will be a pharmacy technician for the rest of my life. I actually ended up being a senior tech, but I always wanted more. Unfortunately, once you become a senior, there’s no going up unless you become a pharmacist. I did consider becoming a pharmacist, but I didn’t want to be in school for 8 years, and I didn’t think I would enjoy being a pharmacist.

I enrolled in a community college for the dental hygiene program in 2018, but I had to drop out after starting my prerequisites because I found out I was pregnant with my second child and had severe morning sickness. I did not want to fail my classes because I was paying out of pocket.

Even though I felt like a failure, that was the best decision I made. I wasn’t expecting my second child because the doctors told me that there’s always a 50% chance of having a miscarriage every time I conceived. I suffered from multiple complications while being pregnant, but we made it. He was another blessing in disguise for us. 

After giving birth when I was back at work, I remember being so unhappy because I felt like I hadn’t accomplished anything- career-wise. I wanted to become something more. So, I had a life-changing conversation with one of the staff pharmacists. I asked for his opinion regarding choosing a career. That is when he explained that his sister was a nurse, and it’s the best career choice especially for a mother. He told me that nurses usually work 3 times a week and get 4 days off and that the nursing profession is flexible, and there are so many different fields to choose from.

I had no idea, and so that day when I went home, I did my research. I saw nursing in a whole different light. I started showing interest in nursing that I made up my mind to become one. That’s when I started taking my prerequisites, and finally, here I am about to begin my journey into nursing school in the fall of 2020.

So far, I have completed all my prerequisites and some of my general education requirements from a community college. I transferred to a state college, and they accepted me into their nursing program for fall 2020. I can’t wait to share my experience, so follow me on my journey!