Why be a doctor, when you can be a nurse?

Firstly, the cliché of why we become nurses is of course to help people. That is our main job - to care for patients. Not only look after their medical needs, but also to care about them holistically as a person. And, at the end of the day there is nothing better than seeing the smiles on the patients that I've helped. For most of us the smiles and "thank you" that we receive are the driving force that keep us doing our job, and makes it feel worthwhile. I often say that "when you're a nurse you know that every day you will touch the lives of others and that others will touch yours." So, what is a nurse? A nurse is someone who goes above and beyond. They are the first at work, and the last to leave. They are the heart and soul of a hospital. We are in people’s lives for only a small time, but our impact lasts an eternity. No book teaches you how to cry with a patient. No class can teach you to be empathetic. No lecturer can teach you how to find dignity in giving a patient a bath. Nursing is more than paperwork and medication, it is being able to love people when they are at their weakest.

Nursing, for most of us, is more than a job, it is a lifestyle and a passion.

But, what are some of the reasons that we became nurses?
I found the perfect work - life balance. Sure the shift work can be tiring, but for most of us who work long 10-12 hours shifts we get a long weekend (although our version of a weekend might not actually be the weekend)! And, we always feel better when we see the poor registrars working long hours and still having to go home and study all night. So why be a doctor, when you can be a nurse? I work usually four 10 hour shifts a week, and I'm usually on-call overnight for one night a week. This leaves me with an incredible three day weekend to relax, go to the beach and have fun with friends!

Nursing also forces you to grow as a person. I remember when I started my degree I was this super quiet guy that always sat in the back of the room hoping not to get noticed. And now I have a bubbly and outgoing personality that developed because of my career in nursing. Not only that! But the career provides so many opportunities to advance yourself and learn new things!

I also love working with other nurses and team members, that’s why nursing is such an awesome job! I work with my patient to achieve positive outcomes, but as a team of nurses we all rely on each other to make these achievements manageable. And while we are working together, we're probably joking around and being a little bit crazy (why? Because we're nurses!).

So if you want the perfect career full of long weekends, making patients smile and working with your crazy colleagues then be a nurse! I wouldn’t have it any other way.

-Nurse Nick