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"Do I have what it takes to be a nurse?" This is a common question that prospective nursing students begin with. It's also one that they sometimes think they can answer on their own, at least at first.

"Well, I'm a caring sort of person; I've watched Gray's Anatomy and E.R. on TV, and haven't been too grossed out by the blood and guts; my Aunt Agnes was in the hospital and I just loved how the nurses were with her and with all of us when we visited; I'm sure I want to be a nurse... yes, I'm sure...I think...."

All of these things are well and good, and may even have some merit in the decision-making process. But they fall way short of providing you with a true picture of whether or not you have what it takes to be a professional nurse. Why? Because you do not yet have a true picture of what a professional nurse is and what he/she does.

Nurses work in dozens and dozens of different areas. They also work in many places which are far-removed from traditional, hospital-based bedside care. Many nurses do not work with patients at all. You can find RN's working in a number of businesses, and even in their own businesses! This is part of what makes a career in nursing so alluring.

To know if you have "what it takes" depends on knowing what you want to do, knowing what it is about nursing that excites you, motivates you, and--more importantly--knowing why. And you can't possibly know that until you've been exposed to all the different options! That said, there are a few key qualities that every excellent nurse I've ever met has possessed. They are:

1. A passion for nursing. Excellent nurses, no matter what field they've chosen to pursue, are passionate about what they do. They love being nurses. Does this mean that they never have a bad day? Of course not. We all have bad days. But even at the end of a bad day, they recognize fully that being a nurse is what they love...and they look forward to the new day that will begin tomorrow.


2. A thirst for knowledge. Excellent nurses recognize that their education doesn't end when they graduate from nursing school and pass the licensing exam. This milestone in their lives, as big as it is, merely makes them knowledgeable enough to hopefully not hurt anyone their first day on the job! Nursing is a profession that is primarily learned on the job, and that learning never ends.


3. A selfless spirit. Excellent nurses focus their energies on making the lives of others better through their work. They will work long and hard...and by hard, I mean physically hard...in serving the needs of others.

Are all nurses selfless givers? No, they're not. I've met some incredibly self-centered, self-focused nurses. Are their patients well-cared for? Enough to get by, yes. Are they good nurses? They're decent...but a self-focused nurse will NEVER be an excellent nurse.

Nursing is not a career that you should choose based on potential salary or perceived job-security alone. While they are things to consider, they are the "self-focused" things of nursing. Nurses work in intense situations every day, and you need to have a clear idea of "why" you want to be a nurse if you are going to be able to figure out "how" you will be able to thrive in that physically and emotionally intense work environment. It is the passion for nursing which will usher you into a career you will truly love. Take the time to discover if you have that passion, and then you will know if you really have what it takes to be a nurse.

Lori Havens R.N., B.S.N., is the author of "7 Essential Questions Every Future Nurse Must Ask," a free "mini e-course" which helps answer the biggest questions that people looking into nursing as a career option have; she has also authored "Should I Be A Nurse? A Journey of Self-Exploration for Those Considering A Career in Nursing," a 102 page e-book which takes the reader through a series of carefully-crafted "conversations" and thought-provoking exercises designed to help answer that all-important question: "Should I Be A Nurse?" Both are available at her website, which you can visit at: http://www.isnursing4me.com/home.html

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