I knew my passion was to become a nurse ever since I held up my first toy stethoscope as a kid. I have long enjoyed helping people with their problems and always tried to find applicable solutions. I know that nurses make a reasonable amount of money, and many nurses I know rant about how much they adore their job. It has always been a yearning desire for me to get a profession concerning the medical field.
I already know that to become a nurse, I need to overcome prolonged schooling with respectable grades. It requires a good heart and high composure to work with patients on a day to day basis. Moreover, I know that cooperation within the community around me is also an important objective in the path it takes to become a successful nurse. Being able to communicate is a major component of nursing. It requires much dedication to become a nurse because of the many aspects that are contributed to the career.
Before putting all my effort and commitment into one specific profession, I would like to explore deeper into a nursing career to assure that it is the best occupation for me. The specific tasks they complete and the overall portrayal of a nurse are very important factors before pursuing this career. Therefore, I will need to know the job description of a nurse. The job description will give me a clear perspective of what it is like in this field, the mandatory requirements, and the overall outlook of a nurse. Being knowledgeable of the average salary a nurse earns will also benefit my insight, although it is not the most important to me. I need to assure that I will have financial security for a good living in the future. Since I am currently a high school student, being conscious of the requirements I need to put into action now to become a nurse will surely guide me. Furthermore, knowing the level of education it takes to become a nurse is also very helpful, so I can be aware of how many years it will take until being qualified to work. My final question resides in what qualifications are mandatory for nursing. I need to be able to see if my characteristics are compatible with those of nurses. This will assure if I am capable of sustaining a nursing career.
Findings
My online resources were obtained from various intriguing websites that I took time researching for. It was a struggle looking for these websites, mostly because a lot of them were not credible, such as Wikipedia. However, it was very fascinating browsing through articles because they were about the profession I dream to be. My only book source was accessed at the Granite Hills High School Library. It was a very thought-provoking period when selecting the book I wanted to use. I searched through a variety of books that were not relevant to my topic; however, I then settled down with a book that correlated to nursing.
The first thing I pondered about nursing was what exactly is a nurse. A nurse, by definition, is “a person trained to take care of the sick or infirm” (“The Complete Job Description” 1). Nurses are usually the people who come to check up on patients before consulting with the actual doctor. They are usually found in hospitals or a generic doctor’s office. Although not being the primary person that prescribes medication and full-on interacts physically with the patients, nurses are still expected to help the sick and improve their health in ways they were trained in.
The next thing I wanted to know was the actions a nurse performs on a day to day basis. A nurse assists physicians as well as supplying care for patients. For instance, a nurse is responsible for observing, registering, and “reporting symptoms or changes in patient’s conditions” as well as “conducting diagnostic tests, supervising less skilled licensed or certified nurses, and preparing patients for examination and treatment” (“The Complete Job Description” 1). Nurses are in charge of providing the necessary information a physician may need to help the patient. Moreover, a nurse also gets to interact with the patient such as asking questions, reassuring and clarifying health issues.
The environment of a nurse is very composite and mutual. A majority of nurses work in hospitals and surgery centers (“The Complete Job Description” 1). These nurses may work up to twenty-four-hour shifts or only part-time. Even though nurses work in very clean areas, they may also come into relation with people that are undergoing infectious diseases. As a result, nurses always have to be alert on certain guidelines to protect themselves, such as washing their hands.
Money is not a significant element of choosing my job; however, I do find comfort in knowing that my future job will keep me financially stable. Nurses that work in California earn an average of $102,700 each year (“Registered Nurse Salary” 1). However, annual pay does not only rely on the job but also relies on experience. For instance, if a nurse has more experience in their job, they might earn a salary nearing the higher- end of the scale.
The area a nurse is working in greatly affects their salary. Working in heavily populated areas of California will also result in an increase in annual salary (“Registered Nurse Salary” 2). Areas such as San Francisco and Los Angeles would be great examples of this because of their popularity and large populations. Since I live in San Diego, this might come to benefit me. However, getting a higher end of pay may not always be the case for every nurse.
Taking initiative now during high school to prepare me for a nursing job is very constructive for my future. In general, nurses are expected to take chemistry, physics, and biology courses to help prepare for human anatomy (Farnen 1). These classes will give helpful preparation for how the human body works and alert me on different aspects that I will need to become familiar with. Other advice would be to join any clubs concerning the medical field, so I can enhance my learning before actually studying at a university.
I may also embellish my knowledge by volunteering at places where the medical field is prominent. For instance, “Nursing camps often offer classes in nursing skills, first-aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation training” (Farnen 1). In nursing homes or hospitals, volunteers have the possible chance to give direct patient care. Training by being a volunteer will help me physically understand the perspective of what a nurse might have to go through daily. It will also help me interact with patients using proper dialogue.
The degree in education a nurse is required to fulfill is also something I speculated about. Registered nurses are required to have at least an associate’s degree, and a bachelor’s degree is also an option (“Registered Nursing Degrees” 1). An associate’s degree is a two-year post-secondary degree. This is not much schooling to undergo. However, after receiving an associate’s degree, nurses will need to take the National Council Licensure Examination (“Registered Nursing Degrees” 1). From their state board of nursing, nurses need to register for a nursing license to take the exam. Nurses must also check with their state board to make sure they meet the requirements to undergo the exam since each state has diverse standards (“Registered Nursing Degrees” 1).
To pursue a career in nursing, I also need to be aware of the main qualifications of a nurse to ensure they correlate with my personal traits. Attention to detail is important so nurses can make sure that every part of the work is done correctly and efficiently (Mcalpine 17). This means that any change, large or small, has to be monitored and reported to colleagues and staff. Nurses need to make sure that their work is done exactly the way it should be carried out, because if not, significant issues may occur with patients or with medical technology.
A friendly approach is also a vital factor in nursing so they can address patients without harm (Mcalpine 16). Being ill can be stressful itself; patients may be going through frightening or uncomfortable situations. Nurses need to be attentive so patients can open up about concerns and issues regarding their mental or physical health. Nurses have to try their best to reassure worries to make patients feel relaxed even during the patient’s most vulnerable moments.
What I Learned
I learned that becoming a nurse requires prolonged determination, willpower, and persistence. The overall description of a nurse is a depiction of a job I would love. The high salary will benefit me in my future so I can settle down and live sufficiently. I already found myself taking action currently to become a nurse with required high school courses. Becoming a nurse will need to take exceeded the amount of effort that I have to put in during university and schooling, but my dedication will help me through any struggles. I share the many qualifications listed for nurses, so I believe my characteristics reflect my passion for nursing.
I always had an ambition to help people with anything they needed assistance in, including health. Much perseverance needs to be put into process so I can succeed. The overall aspects of nursing intrigue me and many of the services they perform are things I want to do in the future. The information I have uncovered over the course of my findings has struck my determination as a learner to keep striving for my ambitions. My steady string of experiences that I have accumulated so far leads me to believe that the most solid decision is based on both gut feeling and careful deliberation; nursing is my passion.
