Essay Sample on Why I Want to Be A Nurse

Nursing is a rewarding and challenging career that has the power to make a real difference in people’s lives. Whether your motivation is to help others, attain financial freedom, or both, writing a “Why I Want To Be A Nurse” essay is an excellent opportunity to express your passion and commitment to the field.

In this article, we’ll explore the reasons why you might want to become a nurse and provide you with helpful tips and inspiration for writing a powerful and persuasive essay .

Why I Want to Be A Nurse (Free Essay Sample)

Nursing is a career that offers a unique combination of hands-on care and emotional support to those in need. There are many reasons why someone might choose to become a nurse, including:

The Empathy and Altruism of Nursing

I have a strong desire to help people and hope to become a nurse. I think nursing is the best way for me to make a difference in other people’s lives because it combines my natural empathy and desire to help people. Nursing gives me a chance to positively touch people’s lives, which has always attracted me to the thought of doing so.

I saw the beneficial effects that nurses may have on people’s life as a child. I have always been moved by the kindness and concern they have for their patients. The small gestures of kindness, like holding a patient’s hand or speaking encouraging words, have always touched me. I think nurses have a special power to change people’s lives and leave a lasting impression, and I want to contribute to that.

Additionally, I think that becoming a nurse is a great and selfless job. To provide for their patients and ensure they are secure and comfortable, nurses put their own needs on hold. I absolutely respect this kind of dedication to helping others, and I aim to exhibit it in my own nursing career.

The Economic Benefits of Nursing

The financial stability that comes with being a nurse is one of the reasons I wish to pursue this career. Nursing is a field that is in high demand, which translates to a wealth of job opportunities and competitive salaries.  This profession offers the chance for a stable income, which makes it a good choice for people who want to secure their financial future.

Nursing not only gives economic freedom but also a flexible work schedule that promotes a healthy work-life balance. Many nurses can choose to work part-time or in a variety of places, such as clinics, hospitals, and schools..

A Love for the Science and Art of Nursing

To succeed in the unique field of nursing, one must have both artistic talent and scientific knowledge. This mix is what initially drew me to the thought of becoming a nurse. The human body and its mechanisms have always captivated me, and I enjoy learning about the science that underpins healthcare. But nursing requires more than just a scientific knowledge of the body. It also requires an artistic understanding of the patient and their needs.. Nursing is a demanding and fulfilling job since it combines science and art, which is why I’m drawn to it.

I saw as a child the effect nurses had on patients and their families. Their compassion and understanding have motivated me to seek a profession in nursing because they frequently offer comfort and help in the hardest of situations. My enthusiasm for the science and art of nursing will undoubtedly help me to have a good influence on other people’s lives. I want to work as a nurse and improve the lives of the people I take care of, whether it be by giving medication, educating patients, or just being a reassuring presence.

Continuous Professional Development in Nursing

I think the nursing industry is dynamic and always changing, which gives people a lot of chances to learn and grow. I would have the chance to continuously advance my knowledge and abilities in this sector if I choose to become a nurse. In turn, this would enable me to better care for my patients and stay abreast of professional developments.

There are several different nursing specialties available as well. There are many options, including critical care, pediatrics, gerontology, and surgical nursing. Because of the variety of disciplines available, nurses have the chance to develop their interests and find their niche. 

I am certain that a career in nursing will provide me the chance to pursue my passion for healthcare while also allowing me to grow professionally.

Nursing is a fulfilling and noble career that offers a mix of hands-on care, emotional support, and professional growth. I am inspired by the positive impact nurses have on patients and their families and aim to offer my own empathy and compassion. The nursing industry is constantly changing, providing ample opportunities for growth and job prospects with financial stability. The ultimate reward in a nursing career is the satisfaction of making a difference in people’s lives.

Tips for Writing A Compelling Why I Want To Be A Nurse Essay

Now that you understand the reasons why someone might want to become a nurse, it’s time to learn how to write a compelling essay. Here are some tips and strategies to help you get started:

Create an Outline

Before you start writing, it’s important to identify the main points you’ll discuss in your essay. This will help you stay organized and make your essay easier to read.

Start with an Attention-grabbing Introduction

Your introduction is your chance to make a good first impression and engage the reader. Start with a hook that captures the reader’s attention, such as a surprising statistic or personal story .

Be Specific and Personal

Rather than making general statements about why you want to become a nurse, be specific and personal. Share your own experiences, motivations, and passions, and explain why nursing is the right career choice for you.

Highlight your Skills and Qualifications

Nursing is a demanding and complex profession that requires a wide range of skills and qualifications. Be sure to highlight your relevant skills, such as compassion, communication, and problem-solving, and explain how they make you a good fit for the nursing field.

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How To Answer “Why Do You Want To Be A Nurse?” (With Examples)

  • Cover Letter
  • Registered Nurse Interview Questions
  • Registered Nurse Job Description
  • Why Did You Choose Nursing?

When you’re in a nursing interview, you’ll hear the common question “Why do you want to be a nurse ?”, so it’s essential to know how to answer it. Your answer should reflect on what it was that drew you to nursing and tell a story about it, such as the moment it was clear that you wanted to be a nurse.

Whether you want to be a pediatric nurse , emergency department nurse, or travel nurse, we’ll go over how to answer “Why did you choose nursing as a career?”, why interviewers ask this question, as well as some common mistakes to avoid.

Key Takeaways:

Try to think of a story or a moment that made it clear that a nursing career was right for you.

Interviewers ask “Why do you want to become a nurse?” so you can highlight your passion for nursing and what got you interested in the field.

Avoid saying anything negative because it can often be a red flag for interviewers.

How to answer why do you want to be a nurse.

How to answer “Why do you want to be a nurse?”

Example answers to “why do you want to be a nurse”, why interviewers ask this interview question, common mistakes to avoid when answering, interview tips for answering this question, possible follow-up questions:, nurse career path faq, final thoughts.

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To answer “Why do you want to be a nurse?” you should first ask yourself questions as to why you want to be a nurse, start at the root, and tell your interviewer a story. Below is a more detailed list of how to answer this interview question .

As yourself questions. Before the interview, ask yourself, putting money and career goals aside, why do YOU want to be a nurse? Consider the following questions to better understand your reasoning:

Do you want to help people?

Does the medical field excite you?

Do you have certain skills, such as communication or concentration under duress, that naturally fit the position?

Do you thrive when you get to build relationships with people?

Do you love both science and working with people?

Focus on these aspects of yourself when you are asked why you are choosing nursing as a career.

Start at the root. If you’ve wanted to be a nurse since you were a kid, start there. If you got into medicine thanks to an impactful college professor , make that your starting point.

Tell a story. Most interviewers prefer narratives over bullet point facts — especially with a personal question like this. Don’t feel like you have to make up some great tale about how a nurse saved the day when you were a child, but bring in real moments when it became clear that nursing was the career for you.

Talk about people and experiences. Nursing is all about building relationships, so your answer should touch on your empathy and ability to form bonds with the people you work with and serve. In this way, your answer will show that you want to be a nurse because you truly enjoy the process of nursing.

Bring it to the future. Close your answer with a nod to the future and what you’d like to accomplish in your brilliant new nursing career. Bringing your answer from the past to the future shows that you’re forward-thinking and determined enough to make your dreams a reality.

Below are example answers to “Why do you want to be a nurse?” for different scenarios such as pediatric or emergency room nursing. Remember to tailor your answers to your specific needs when you answer in your interview.

Pediatric nurse example answer

“I have wanted to get into nursing since I was very young. One of my earliest memories is of a nurse taking care of me when I had to go to the hospital for stitches. She was so kind and gentle with me that I didn’t even cry or panic. I remember leaving thinking that was the kind of person I wanted to be when I grew up. Ever since then, everything I have done has been working towards becoming a nurse.”

Emergency room nurse example answer

“When I was in college I took a course on basic first aid and found it super interesting. I started signing up for volunteer first aid positions and some of my fellow volunteers were nurses. I was curious about their job and the more I learned about what they did the more I found myself excited by the prospect of helping people in medical situations. I made friends with these nurses and they helped guide me through the application process.”

Travel nurse example answer

“Medicine is such an exciting field, and one of the biggest joys of nursing is that I’m always learning new things. I know people who dread getting their necessary CEUs every year, but for me, it’s a perk of the career. “For instance, just last year I completed my certification from the Wilderness Medical Society and can now serve as medical staff on the Appalachian Trail. But from Diabetes for APRNs to Nursing for Infertility courses, I’m always able to maintain my passion for nursing through continuous discovery and wonder at the medical field.”

Critical care nurse example answer

“I believe in helping people, especially in times of extreme need. When I worked as an EMT I was always the one asked to facilitate information between any involved party. I want to expand this skill and I think nursing is a good fit for me. My interests and experience with medical professionals are good for this job.”

Nurse midwife example answer

“I want to be a nurse because I am deeply committed to providing compassionate healthcare to women during one of the most significant and transformative moments of their life. Being a nurse midwife will allow me to empower women by advocating their choices and preferences during childbirth. “Being a nurse midwife will also allow me to make a positive impact on the lives of women and their families. I will be able to provide personalized care, emotional support , and educational resources to help ensure a smooth and empowering birthing experience for my patients.”

Oncology nurse example answer

“I want to be an oncology nurse because this field is driven by a profound desire to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those fighting cancer. I am committed to providing compassionate care to patients during their cancer journey. “Working as an oncology nurse also has the opportunities to be part of cutting-edge research and advancements in cancer treatments. I want to be at the forefront of innovation and help contribute to the improvement of cancer care outcomes.”

The interviewer will ask why you want to be a nurse to know how serious you are about the position. This isn’t a career to take lightly because there are many challenges.

Nursing is a profession with a prerequisite for assisting others in potentially high-stress environments. So by answering this question, you are given the opportunity to highlight not only your skills but more importantly, your passion for nursing and ability to keep cool under pressure.

Additionally, interviewers hope to learn why you got interested in the field in the first place. Telling a story about an impactful experience with a medical professional or about the sense of satisfaction you feel when helping a patient can help illustrate that you’re not only skillful but also have deep compassion for the people you’ll be working with.

You should avoid saying anything negative because it can be a red flag for the interviewer. Here are some other common mistakes you should avoid when answering:

Saying anything negative. A negative response will be a red flag for the interviewer. If you are one to complain or see the worse in a situation, this will make you a difficult coworker in an already difficult field.

Focusing on money or self-serving reasons. Even if the wages are an attractive feature of the profession, mentioning this as a reason will hurt you. The interviewer is looking for an answer that goes beyond your own needs.

Unrelated anecdotes. Don’t get caught up in telling stories about nursing that have nothing to do with you or the job. Remember to keep things relevant and concise.

Your answer should be positive and you should use a personal experience to help you answer and tell a story. Here are some more tips to keep in mind when answering this question:

Be positive. Nothing will concern an interviewer more if you are cynical and negative in an interview where the job requires a strong sense of empathy and selflessness. This does not mean you can’t, nor should, ignore the challenges of the profession. If you can reframe these difficulties with a positive mindset and a “can do” attitude, you will strengthen your impact in the interview.

Be concise. A long-winded, rambling answer may give the impression that you have not considered the question ahead of time. That said, if you rush through your words, you may concern the interviewer as well. So, don’t be afraid to take breaths or have moments of silence, but choose your words carefully and effectively. Concise communication is a huge part of the nursing profession so here is an opportunity to highlight that skill.

Use personal experience. When answering the question “Why did you choose nursing as a career?” it can really help to bring in a personal touch to the response. This creates a unique answer that can help you stand out among other candidates. The personal experience may also reveal a moment of inspiration pointing towards why you chose nursing as a career.

Remember the job description. Use the skills required in the job description and apply them to yourself as you explain your interest in the field. Integrate them with care, you are not trying to restate your resume . Instead, consider how your skills have developed over time and how that relates to your interest in nursing. Remember, skills are developed through some kind of interest too.

Research the organization/department. Wherever you are applying to is going to have unique characteristics. Perhaps the organization focuses on low-income individuals or the elderly or intensive care patients. You may be able to bring this into your answer. Even if you do not, it is still good to give you context. By understanding where you’re applying to, you strengthen the explanation of why you are applying.

Practice your answer. Before the interview, practice this answer, preferably with someone else who can give you feedback such as a friend or family member. However, if you do not have that opportunity, practice in front of a mirror or, better yet, record yourself on your phone and listen back to what you said. In the end, you want to “train” for this question by giving yourself the opportunity to run through it a couple of times with the chance to tweak your response.

After the question “Why did you choose a nursing career?” there will most likely be follow-up questions. Here are some examples of other common interview questions and some tips on how to answer them. This will help you prepare yourself for the direction the interview may take.

What do you think is most difficult about being a nurse? Why?

Be aware of certain challenges of nursing ahead of time. Do some research . The worst thing you can do for yourself is be caught off guard by this question.

How are you at handling stress?

Consider what techniques you use for reducing stress. It is going to be important to show your competency. Consider answering in a way that reveals you to be a team player and aware of the stresses of your coworkers as well.

What are your long-term career goals?

The interviewer is going to be gauging your seriousness in becoming a nurse. It is not a profession that you can just “try-out”, so give an answer that shows sincere consideration for a long-term medical profession. Note: This does not necessarily tie you strictly to nursing. Many managers and hospital administrators come from nursing backgrounds.

Why do you want to work here?

Many interviewers will want to hear about not only your passion for nursing as a career but also how your passions align with their organization.

Look up the mission and vision of the facility before your interview and talk about how that resonates with you, or give an example of how you’ve seen them in action and want to be a part of that.

What drove your interest in this specialty?

Not every nurse fits well in every nursing role, so your interviewers will likely ask you why you want this particular job.

Whether this is the specialty you’ve always worked in or you’re trying something new, structure your answer similarly to your answer to the “Why do you want to be a nurse?” question.

Why would one want to be a nurse?

Many people want to be a nurse because it gives them an opportunity to help people in a meaningful way. Nurses not only perform specialized tasks that are vital to a person’s well-being, but they also get to emotionally support people who are going through an incredibly difficult time.

This can be as simple as being a calm, friendly presence or advocating for them with the rest of the medical staff, but it makes a huge impact on people’s lives.

In addition to this, many people choose to become nurses over another occupation that helps people because they love science and medicine or love the fast-paced, challenging work environment.

What is a good weakness to say in a nursing interview?

A good weakness to say in a nursing interview is a weakness that you’re actively working on. Whether your greatest weakness is that you’re too detailed with your paperwork or say yes to too many people and requests, always follow it up by explaining the steps you’re taking to overcome that weakness.

Hiring managers don’t expect you to be perfect, but they do expect you to be self-aware and take the initiative to minimize the impact of your weak spots.

What are the 6 C’s of nursing?

The 6 C’s of nursing are care, compassion, communication, courage, and commitment. These are principles taught to many nurses to help them learn how to give excellent care to patients.

They also help to set cultural expectations at medical facilities, since all of the nurses are upheld to this standard, no matter what their educational background or specialty.

What are some common nursing interview questions?

Some common nursing interview questions include:

What skills do you think are important for nurses to possess?

Describe your experience as a nurse and what you’ve learned from it.

How would you manage an uncooperative patient?

How well do you thrive in a fast-paced environment?

There are so many nursing jobs out there and nurses are in high demand. You will want to know what you’re getting yourself into before you are asked at the interview what brings you to the field.

Knowledge is power, so knowing your response to “Why did you choose a nursing career?” is crucial for success. This is your moment to shine and show why you are the best candidate for the job.

Those who are able to answer with sincerity and empathy are the types of nurses all organizations will want. So get yourself ready and figure out ahead of time why you want to be a nurse.

Nightingale College – How To Ace Your Nursing Job Interview: Questions, Answers & Tips

The College of St. Scholastica – Why do you want to be a nurse? Students share their sentiments

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Conor McMahon is a writer for Zippia, with previous experience in the nonprofit, customer service and technical support industries. He has a degree in Music Industry from Northeastern University and in his free time he plays guitar with his friends. Conor enjoys creative writing between his work doing professional content creation and technical documentation.

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How to Write an Essay About Why I Want to Become A Nurse

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Writing about why you want to be a nurse is your chance to tell your unique story. It’s not just about listing your qualities or experiences – it’s about showing the person behind those things.

Your essay should paint a picture of who you are, why nursing speaks to you, and how you’ll make a difference in people’s lives as a nurse.

In this guide, How to Write an Essay About Why I Want to Become A Nurse, we’ll walk through everything you need to know to write a stellar essay about why you want to become a nurse. We’ll cover what to include, how to start strong, common themes to explore, and tips to make your essay stand out.

So let’s dive in and get you on your way to nursing school!

How to Write an Essay About Why I Want to Become A Nurse

Table of Contents

Why I Want to Become a Nurse: Crafting a Compelling Nurse Essay

What should i include in my nurse essay.

When you sit down to write your essay on why you want to become a nurse, there are a few key elements you’ll want to include. These will help create a well-rounded picture of you as a future nurse.

Key Elements of a Strong Personal Statement

  • Your motivation: Explain what drew you to nursing in the first place. Was it a personal experience? A role model? A desire to help others?
  • Your qualities: Highlight the traits you have that would make you a great nurse, like compassion, attention to detail, or ability to stay calm under pressure.
  • Your experiences: Share any relevant experiences you’ve had, whether it’s volunteering at a hospital, caring for a family member, or shadowing a nurse.
  • Your goals: Talk about what you hope to achieve as a nurse and how this aligns with your personal values.
  • Your understanding of nursing: Show that you know what nursing really involves – both the rewards and the challenges.

How to Articulate Your Desire to Help People

One of the most common reasons people choose nursing is the desire to help others. But how do you express this in a way that doesn’t sound cliché? Here are some tips:

  • Be specific: Instead of just saying “I want to help people,” give examples of how you want to help. For instance, “I want to provide comfort to patients during their most vulnerable moments.”
  • Share a story: If you have a personal experience that sparked your desire to help, tell that story. It could be about a time you or a loved one received great care from a nurse.
  • Connect it to nursing: Explain why you believe nursing is the best way for you to help others. What about nursing specifically appeals to you?

What Makes Nursing a Unique Profession?

In your essay, it’s good to show that you understand what sets nursing apart from other healthcare professions. Here are some unique aspects of nursing you might want to touch on:

  • Patient advocacy: Nurses often act as a voice for their patients, ensuring their needs are met.
  • Holistic care: Nurses care for the whole person – not just their physical health, but their emotional and mental well-being too.
  • Constant learning: The medical field is always changing, and nurses are lifelong learners.
  • Versatility: Nursing offers many different specialties and work environments.
  • Human connection: Nurses often form meaningful bonds with patients and their families.

How Do I Start My Essay on Wanting to Be a Nurse?

The beginning of your essay is crucial – it’s your chance to grab the reader’s attention and make them want to keep reading. Here are some tips for crafting a strong introduction:

Crafting an Attention-Grabbing Introduction

  • Start with a hook: This could be a surprising fact about nursing, a powerful quote, or a thought-provoking question.
  • Share a vivid anecdote: Begin with a short story that illustrates why you’re drawn to nursing.
  • State your purpose clearly: Within the first paragraph, make it clear that you’re explaining why you want to become a nurse.
  • Keep it concise: Your introduction should be engaging but brief – aim for 3-5 sentences.

Here’s an example of how you might start your essay:

“The steady beep of the heart monitor, the hushed voices of concerned family members, and the gentle reassurance of a nurse – these are the sounds that first drew me to the world of nursing. It was during my grandmother’s hospital stay that I witnessed firsthand the profound impact a compassionate nurse can have on a patient’s journey. From that moment, I knew I wanted to become a nurse and make that same difference in people’s lives.”

Sharing Your Personal Journey in Nursing

Your essay should tell the story of how you came to choose nursing as your career path. This personal journey is unique to you and is what will make your essay stand out. Here are some questions to help you reflect on your journey:

  • When did you first become interested in nursing?
  • Was there a specific moment or experience that confirmed this was the right path for you?
  • How have your experiences so far (volunteering, coursework, etc.) shaped your understanding of nursing?
  • What challenges have you faced on your path to nursing, and how have you overcome them?

What Motivated You to Choose Nursing?

There are many reasons why someone might choose nursing as a career. Reflecting on your personal motivations will help make your essay more authentic and compelling. Some common motivations include:

  • A desire to make a difference in people’s lives
  • Interest in healthcare and medicine
  • Personal experience with illness or caregiving
  • Admiration for a nurse role model
  • The variety and opportunities within the nursing field
  • Job security and career growth potential

Remember, it’s okay to have multiple motivations. The key is to explain them honestly and show how they’ve shaped your decision to become a nurse.

What Are Common Themes in a ‘Become a Nurse’ Essay?

While every nursing essay is unique, there are some common themes that often come up. Including these in your essay can help demonstrate your understanding of what it means to be a nurse.

The Importance of Making a Difference in People’s Lives

One of the most rewarding aspects of nursing is the ability to make a real difference in people’s lives. In your essay, you might want to:

  • Describe a time when you saw a nurse make a difference
  • Explain how you hope to impact patients’ lives as a nurse
  • Discuss why making a difference is important to you personally

For example: “I’ve always been drawn to professions where I can make a tangible difference in people’s lives. In nursing, I see the opportunity to do this every day – whether it’s easing a patient’s pain, providing emotional support to a worried family member, or educating someone about managing their health condition.”

Discussing Goals in Nursing as Part of Your Career Path

Your essay should not only explain why you want to become a nurse but also touch on your future goals in the nursing field. This shows that you’re thinking long-term and are committed to growing in your career. Some goals you might discuss:

  • Specializing in a particular area of nursing (e.g., pediatrics, oncology, critical care)
  • Pursuing advanced education to become a nurse practitioner or nurse anesthetist
  • Taking on leadership roles in healthcare
  • Contributing to nursing research or education

Here’s how you might incorporate this: “While my immediate goal is to become a registered nurse and gain experience in a hospital setting, I’m excited about the many paths a nursing career can take. In the future, I hope to specialize in pediatric nursing and perhaps even pursue a role as a pediatric nurse practitioner. I’m drawn to the idea of building long-term relationships with young patients and their families, supporting them through various stages of growth and health.”

Incorporating Experiences that Influenced Your Decision

Personal experiences often play a big role in the decision to become a nurse. Sharing these experiences in your essay can make it more personal and impactful. These might include:

  • Volunteering at a hospital or clinic
  • Caring for a sick family member
  • Overcoming a personal health challenge
  • Shadowing a nurse or other healthcare professional
  • Participating in a health-related school program

When sharing these experiences, focus on what you learned and how they confirmed or shaped your desire to become a nurse. For instance: “Last summer, I volunteered at a local community health clinic. I was amazed by the nurses’ ability to connect with patients from all walks of life, providing not just medical care but also education and emotional support. This experience reinforced my desire to become a nurse and showed me the importance of cultural competence in healthcare.”

How Can I Make My Nursing Scholarship Essay Stand Out?

With so many passionate aspiring nurses applying to nursing schools, it’s important to make your essay stand out. Here are some strategies to help your nursing scholarship essay shine:

Highlighting Unique Personal Experiences

While many applicants may have similar motivations for wanting to become a nurse, your personal experiences are unique to you. Use these to your advantage:

  • Share specific stories that shaped your decision to pursue nursing
  • Describe how you’ve already started preparing for a nursing career
  • Discuss any challenges you’ve overcome on your path to nursing

For example: “Growing up in a rural community with limited access to healthcare, I saw firsthand the critical role nurses play in maintaining community health. From organizing vaccination drives to providing home care for elderly residents, the nurses in my town were true healthcare heroes. Their dedication inspired me to want to bring that same level of care to underserved communities as a nurse.”

Connecting Your Goals to the Nursing Profession

Show how your personal goals align with the nursing profession:

  • Explain how nursing will help you fulfill your passion for helping others
  • Discuss how your strengths and interests fit with specific areas of nursing
  • Share your vision for how you want to contribute to the nursing field

Here’s an example: “My goal is not just to treat illnesses, but to promote overall well-being. I’m particularly interested in preventive care and patient education. As a nurse, I hope to empower patients with the knowledge and tools they need to take control of their health, potentially preventing serious illnesses before they occur.”

What to Avoid in Your Nursing Scholarship Essay

While it’s important to know what to include in your essay, it’s equally crucial to know what to avoid:

  • Clichés: Avoid overused phrases like “I’ve always wanted to be a nurse” without providing specific reasons or experiences.
  • Negativity: Don’t speak negatively about other healthcare professions or complain about past experiences.
  • Exaggeration: Be honest about your experiences and motivations. Admissions committees can often spot insincerity.
  • Too much focus on money or job security: While these are valid considerations, your essay should primarily focus on your passion for nursing and desire to help others.
  • Irrelevant information: Stay focused on experiences and qualities relevant to nursing.
  • Errors: Proofread carefully to avoid spelling and grammar mistakes.

Why Is It Important to Share Your Passion for Nursing?

Your passion for nursing is what will drive you through the challenges of nursing school and a nursing career. It’s important to convey this passion in your essay because it shows your commitment to the field.

Demonstrating Your Commitment to the Nursing Field

Show your dedication to nursing by:

  • Discussing any steps you’ve already taken towards becoming a nurse (volunteering, relevant coursework, certifications)
  • Explaining how you plan to continue growing and learning in the nursing field
  • Sharing your long-term vision for your nursing career

For instance: “My commitment to nursing goes beyond just wanting a stable career. I’ve already started preparing by volunteering at a local hospital, taking advanced biology courses, and getting certified in CPR. I’m excited to continue this journey in nursing school and beyond, always striving to provide the best possible care for my future patients.”

How Passion Influences Your Nursing Career

Explain how your passion will make you a better nurse:

  • Discuss how your enthusiasm will help you overcome challenges
  • Explain how your passion will benefit your future patients
  • Share how your dedication will contribute to the nursing profession as a whole

Here’s an example: “My passion for nursing isn’t just about personal fulfillment – it’s about the impact I can have on my patients. I believe that when you’re truly passionate about what you do, it shows in the quality of care you provide. My enthusiasm for nursing will drive me to stay updated on the latest medical advancements, to always go the extra mile for my patients, and to be a positive force in the healthcare team.”

Stories of Impact: Making a Difference in Healthcare

Share stories that illustrate the impact nurses can have:

  • Describe a time when you witnessed a nurse making a significant difference
  • Discuss a healthcare issue you’re passionate about addressing as a nurse
  • Share your vision of how you hope to impact healthcare in your career

For example: “During my hospital volunteer experience, I saw a nurse sit with a scared child before surgery, explaining the procedure with patience and kindness. The child’s fear visibly melted away. This moment crystallized for me the profound impact nurses can have, not just on physical health, but on emotional well-being too. As a nurse, I hope to provide this level of holistic care, making a difference in my patients’ lives one interaction at a time.”

What Are the Next Steps After Writing My Nurse Essay?

Once you’ve written your essay, your work isn’t quite done. Here are the next steps to ensure your essay is the best it can be:

Editing and Revising for Clarity and Impact

  • Take a break: Step away from your essay for a day or two, then come back to it with fresh eyes.
  • Read it out loud: This can help you catch awkward phrasing or sentences that don’t flow well.
  • Check for clarity: Make sure each paragraph has a clear main point that supports your overall message.
  • Eliminate redundancy: Look for places where you’ve repeated ideas and consolidate them.
  • Strengthen your language: Replace vague words with more specific, impactful ones.
  • Proofread: Check for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors.

Seeking Feedback from Nursing Professionals

Getting input from people in the nursing field can be incredibly valuable:

  • Ask a nurse you know to read your essay. They can provide insight into whether you’ve accurately represented the profession.
  • If possible, have a nursing school admissions counselor review your essay. They can give you an idea of how it compares to other essays they’ve seen.
  • Consider having an English teacher or writing tutor look over your essay for structure and clarity.

Remember, while feedback is helpful, make sure the essay still sounds like you. Don’t let others’ suggestions overshadow your unique voice.

Preparing for the Nursing School Application Process

Your essay is just one part of your nursing school application. Here are some other steps to prepare:

  • Research schools: Look into the specific requirements for each nursing program you’re interested in.
  • Gather transcripts: Request official transcripts from all previous schools.
  • Secure recommendations: Ask for letters of recommendation from teachers, employers, or volunteer supervisors who can speak to your potential as a nurse.
  • Prepare for interviews: Many nursing programs require interviews. Practice answering common questions about why you want to be a nurse.
  • Plan for prerequisites: Make sure you’ve completed or are enrolled in all required prerequisite courses.
  • Consider finances: Look into scholarship opportunities and financial aid options.

Remember, the application process can be lengthy, so start early and stay organized. Your thoughtful, well-crafted essay on why you want to become a nurse will be a strong foundation for your application.

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Essay On Why I Want To Become A Nurse

FAQs on How to Write an Essay About Why I Want to Become A Nurse

How do you write an introduction for a nursing essay.

To write a strong introduction for your nursing essay, start with an attention-grabbing opening like a relevant quote, a surprising statistic about nursing, or a brief personal anecdote. Then, clearly state your purpose – explain that you’re writing about why you want to become a nurse. Briefly outline the main points you’ll cover in your essay. Keep it concise, aiming for 3-5 sentences that set the tone for the rest of your essay.

Why do you dream of becoming a nurse?

I dream of becoming a nurse because I want to make a tangible difference in people’s lives during their most vulnerable moments. Nursing offers a unique opportunity to combine my passion for science and healthcare with my desire to provide compassionate care. I’m drawn to the challenges and rewards of the nursing profession, the opportunity for continuous learning, and the chance to be a crucial part of the healthcare team.

Why am I motivated to be a nurse?

I’m motivated to be a nurse for several reasons. Firstly, I have a strong desire to help others and make a positive impact on people’s lives. Secondly, I’m fascinated by the human body and medical science, and nursing allows me to apply this knowledge practically. Additionally, I value the versatility of the nursing profession – the various specialties and work environments offer opportunities for continual growth and learning. Lastly, my personal experiences with healthcare have shown me the crucial role nurses play, and I want to be part of that important work.

Why do I love to be a nurse?

 Nursing offers the opportunity to directly impact people’s lives in meaningful ways every day. I would love the chance to provide comfort and care to patients, to be an advocate for their needs, and to work as part of a healthcare team. The constant learning and growth in nursing is exciting to me, as is the ability to specialize in areas that particularly interest me. Most of all, I would love knowing that my work as a nurse would make a real difference in people’s lives.

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Why I Want To Be A Nurse Essay

Why I Want To Be A Nurse Essay

Applying for nursing school is an exciting step towards a rewarding career helping others. The nursing school essay, also known as a personal statement, is a critical part of the application. This is your chance to showcase your passion for the nursing profession and explain why you want to become a nurse.

This guide will show you exactly what admission committees are looking for in a strong nursing school application essay. Let’s walk through how to plan, write, and polish your “why I want to be a nurse” personal statement so it stands out from the competition.

What To Include In Your Nursing Essay

Writing a compelling nursing school essay requires advanced planning and preparation. Follow these tips to create an effective personal statement:

Plan Your Nurse Essay

The first step is to carefully conceptualize your nursing school admissions essay. Jot down some notes answering these key questions:

  • Why do you want to go into nursing?
  • What personal experiences or traits draw you to the field of nursing?
  • How have you demonstrated commitment to caring for others?
  • What are your academic and professional qualifications for nursing?

From here, you can start mapping out a logical flow of key points to cover in your nursing school application essay.

Show an Emotional Connection to the Profession

Admission committees want to see that you have genuine passion and empathy for the nursing career choice. Dedicate part of your personal statement to describing your intrinsic motivations and positive impacts for desiring to become a nurse.

Avoid cliché reasons like “I want to help people.” Instead, get specific by sharing a personal anecdote that emotionally moved you towards nursing.

Here’s an example of how you could open your nursing school entrance essay by highlighting a meaningful patient-care interaction:

“Holding Mrs. Wilson’s trembling hand, I watched her fearful eyes relax as I reassured her that the medical team would take excellent care of her. At that moment, providing empathetic comfort to calm her nerves despite the clinical chaos around us, I knew deep down that nursing was my calling.”

This introduction immediately establishes an emotional pull towards the human side of healthcare. From here, explain how this or similar experiences instilled a drive in you to become a nurse.

Show That You Care

Much of nursing is providing compassionate, person-centered care. Therefore, your “why I want to be a nurse” essay should emphasize your ability to be caring, empathetic, patient, and comforting to others.

Share examples that showcase your natural inclination for caregiving:

“Volunteering at the Red Cross shelter after the wildfires by comforting displaced families demonstrated my patience and attentiveness to those suffering. Even as some evacuees grew frustrated by the chaos, I calmly reassured them that we would do everything possible to assist with their recoveries and ensure they felt cared for.”

This example highlights key soft skills needed in nursing as a career, like compassion, active listening, the desire to help, and providing a calming presence under pressure.

Share Your Aspirations

A strong application essay will also articulate your goals and vision for contributing to the nursing field. What are you hoping to achieve through a career in nursing?

Here is an example of discussing aspirations in a nursing school personal statement:

“My long-term aspiration is to become a nurse leader by earning an advanced degree and management experience. I aim to leverage my organizational, communication and critical thinking skills to mentor junior staff, improve operational workflows, and advocate for policies that enhance quality of care. In nursing, I’ve found my true calling – to provide critical care, and help others by being a source of compassion and driving excellence in healthcare delivery.”

This type of self-motivated, forward-looking vision demonstrates maturity, strong goals, and natural leadership qualities.

Describe Your Nursing Skills and Qualifications

Finally, your nursing school entrance essay should summarize the skills; profession offers, and experience that makes you an excellent candidate for the nursing program. Highlight relevant strengths like:

  • Academic achievements (science/healthcare courses, GPA, etc.)
  • Extracurricular activities (volunteering, internships, etc.)
  • Relevant work experience (patient care roles like CNA, medical assistant, etc.)
  • Other transferable skills (communication, leadership, teamwork, critical thinking, etc.)

For example:

“My passion for science, healthcare experience as a CNA, and volunteering at a community health fair have prepared me to thrive in the intellectually stimulating and collaborative nursing curriculum. I bring dedication, attention to detail, and a strong work ethic as demonstrated by my 3.8 GPA studying Biology at the University of Michigan.”

With application essays, it’s all about showcasing why you would make an outstanding addition to the nursing program, making a difference through your qualifications and intangible traits.

How Do You Write an Introduction to a Nurse Essay?

Now that you’ve brainstormed content ideas, it’s time to turn them into a polished personal statement. Here are some tips for crafting an attention-grabbing introduction to your nursing school essay:

Hook the Reader with a Personal Story

One of the most engaging ways to start writing your essay is by recounting a brief personal story that illuminates your drive to become a nurse. This can immediately immerse the reader in your intrinsic motivations.

For example , you could open with an anecdote describing a meaningful instance of care and comfort you provided to someone in need:

“Tears streamed down Mrs. Hernandez’s face as she told me about losing her husband to cancer last year. As a hospice volunteer, I held her hand, listening intently to her painful story of grief and loss…”

This type of vivid introduction pulls the reader into the narrative straight away. From here, you can continue sharing details about the scenario and its influence on your desire to pursue nursing.

Illustrate the Human Impact of Nursing

Another compelling way to begin your nursing personal statement is by painting a picture of nursing’s profound impact on patients and their families. This highlights your understanding of the profession’s vital role.

For instance:

“Looking a trembling new mother in the eyes as she first held her newborn, relieved knowing both were safe and healthy after a complicated delivery – that is the human difference nurses make each and every day.”

This type of introduction emphasizes nursing’s profound emotional impact on patients during vulnerable yet joyful moments. It activates the reader’s empathy by bringing them into the vivid scene while showing your own insight into the medical field.

Articulate Passion for Helping Others

Finally, you can start your nursing application essay by asserting your resounding passion for caring for others. This clear expression allows you to succinctly introduce central values like empathy and compassion.

“Ever since I was a young volunteer candy striper in my local hospital, I’ve held an unwavering passion for helping those suffering through the profound act of nursing. I was born to care for others.”

This authoritative opening clearly states your emotional connection to nursing in a compelling yet concise way. You can then build on this assertion of passion through personal examples and further explanation.

No matter how you start your nursing school essay, the introduction should vividly showcase your motivation and why you chose nursing. Set the tone early with your authorship and emotion.

Why I Want To Be A Nurse Essay Examples 

Now let’s analyze some complete sample nursing personal statements for inspiration on crafting your own:

Why I Want to Be a Nurse at a Hospital: Essay

Essay on why i want to be a nurse assistant, 1000-word essay on why i want to be a nurse, essay on why i want to be a nurse, why i want to be a nurse: argumentative essay, mental health nursing personal statement, why i want to be a pediatrics nurse, why i want to be a nurse practitioner essay, writing a why i want to become a nurse essay.

To craft a standout nursing school application essay, prospective students should engage the reader with an emotional opening that illuminates their calling to the profession, whether through a compelling personal anecdote or vivid imagery expressing the profound impact of nursing. 

The conclusion should be resolved by painting an inspiring vision of how the writer’s skills, values, and determination will be channeled into excellence as a nursing student and future registered nurse, making an empathetic difference in patients’ lives.

With focused, mature writing that radiates passion and preparedness, a “why I want to become a registered nurse” personal statement can stand out amidst the competition as a window into a promising applicant’s commitment to this vital healthcare profession.

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  • December 27, 2022

How to Write: Why I Want to Be a Nurse Essay

The Why I Want to Be a Nurse essay is one of the most common components on nursing school applications. There are tons of reasons to become a nurse, but yours are unique – a good nursing essay will stand out and be remembered by those who read it. In addition to general admission, this could even be your ticket to some scholarships for nursing school!

Let’s dive into how to write your Why I Want to Be a Nurse essay and get you into nursing school!

Planning Your Nursing Essay

why i want to be a nurse essay

Before you get into writing anything, you should always complete your pre-writing phase of brainstorming and planning for what you want to write about. Only then can you start considering your structure and details that you want to include.

Step 1: Brainstorm an event or a list of moments that began your interest in nursing.

If this is a lifelong dream, then maybe you can’t remember when you first became interested in nursing. But what moments have helped you continue down this path?

Some people may not have a specific healthcare related experience that inspired them to take this path. That’s okay! You can think broadly and consider times you were satisfied by helping someone with a task or volunteered.

Haven’t taken a writing class in a hot minute? Here are some effective strategies for brainstorming your ideas.

Step 2: Consider what you did to learn more about nursing.

Think about when you began researching nursing as a viable career option. What made nursing more appealing than a different career?

Step 3: Write down what made you decide to choose nursing as a career path.

If you can boil your reasoning down to a sentence or two, then that will be the thesis for your Why I Chose Nursing essay.

What to Include: Why I Want to Be a Nurse Essay

Introduction: your hook and story.

introduction for nursing essay

Your test scores and transcripts tell the story of your technical aptitude. But your essay is an opportunity to give your application an emotional route. What experiences have made you passionate about nursing? Have you cared for sick loved ones before? Are there nurses in your family?

Your introduction is where you’ll explain the stake that you have in this. You want the admissions team to understand that you belong in the program. Not just that you have the academic qualifications, but that you’ll be an asset to the entire nursing profession.

In kindergarten, there was an accident while my family was camping. A pot of boiling water tipped over onto my leg. The burns were so bad that I had to be airlifted to a regional hospital. I don’t remember much of the incident itself today, but I remember the nurses who helped me recover. They turned a frightening experience into something much kinder. I want to be able to give that to a child by working as a pediatric nurse.

Paragraph 1: Detail the event or moment you became interested in nursing.

This is a paragraph where you really want to reel the reader in. You’ve hooked them with the broad overview of your story: what sets you apart, why you’re so interested in the nursing profession. Now you can detail a specific moment.

Pick one moment and capture it in as much detail as you can. For example, maybe you remember waiting in a hospital for news about a loved one. Perhaps it was the kindness of a nurse who treated you. Or, in contrast, it was a time that a nurse wasn’t kind, and it made you want to do better for a patient in need.

Despite spending several weeks in the hospital, I didn’t immediately develop a desire to become a nurse. Growing up, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with my life. Then in my sophomore year of high school, my neighbor’s son got sick. He was about the same age as I had been when I was in the hospital. When I babysat him, we would swap hospital stories — the good and the bad! And suddenly it dawned on me that if I was a nurse, I could help make those bad stories a little less painful.

Paragraph 2-3: Show how you have used that experience to build your foundation towards nursing school.

Here is where you’ll take your personal experiences into account. Nursing school requires more than just empathy. You will need to have core science credits and an ability to understand the human body. The best nurses are adaptable in the workplace and always willing to learn. You can browse a list of skills nurses need to thrive in the workplace.

I spent a lot of time researching my neighbor’s son’s condition. Though his illness wasn’t terminal, it was degenerative. He began to lose his hearing a few months after his diagnosis. I joined his father in learning sign language to communicate better. During that time period, I spent a lot of time thinking about how so many people have to struggle so hard to communicate.

I want to be a nurse who can give relief to the most vulnerable patients. Every person’s needs are different. A child’s needs are different from a developmentally disabled adult’s, which are different from the needs of someone hard of hearing, and so forth. I’ve seen firsthand the frustration that occurs when communication isn’t easy. So I’ve focused on learning adaptable communication methods and educating myself about the groups that are most overlooked in hospital settings.

Paragraphs 4-5: Detail how you will use your strengths and skills in your nursing career.

This is the point at which you can start to talk about your specific skills, similar to a job interview. You want to highlight any particularly unique aspects, then make sure to solidly establish your core competency. A dream of becoming a nurse can’t just be a dream; you need detail to back it up.

If you know where you want to place your specific focus as a nurse, mention it! Talk about your career goals and how you want to work with your patients and what you hope to learn in doing so.

I think it’s so important for patients to have a nurse that listens to them, and that goes doubly for patients with communication struggles. During my career, I want to continue practicing and using ASL with my patients. I want to improve the quality of care for chronically ill people, especially because so many report anxiety around healthcare settings.

It’s also important to me to keep learning and adapting constantly. I never want to stop learning new skills and refreshing my knowledge. Understanding a patient’s vital signs and demeanor could mean the difference between life and death. In the high-pressure environment of nursing, I strive to have the answers to the questions my patients have – I’ll never stop seeking knowledge.

Conclusion: Reiterate your skills and qualifications, saying why they’d make you a great fit for the program.

The conclusion is fairly straightforward. You’ve provided your thesis: why you want to be a nurse. You’ve explained when the desire started, what experiences support it, and what you plan for the future. Now you just need to tie those things together in a neat summary. Remind the admissions team of why you’re a unique candidate to fit this role.

A long stay in the hospital as a child doesn’t qualify me to be a nurse by itself. But that experience has laid the foundation for my desire to work in healthcare settings. There are a thousand careers that help people, but nursing is personal and dear to me. I want to make sure that any vulnerable patient has access to the care they need, and I can use my adaptability and communication skills to do that.

Related: Stay Organized for the School Year with These Nursing School Planners

Do’s and Don’t’s for Nursing School Essays

dos and donts of nursing school essays

Do: Show that you care about people.

Illustrate that you want to help people and have compassion for their suffering. It helps to talk about specific people or groups of people that you care for.

Do: Explain the qualifications that will make you a good fit as a nurse.

Talk about your adaptability, your desire to learn, your interest in the healthcare field, your prior experience – anything that will serve you during your career.

Do: Tell admissions why you want to be a part of their program.

Find a unique aspect of the program to highlight, showing why you want to study there specifically. For example, maybe there’s a school that connects students to underserved rural areas and this is a mission that you are on board with. Spend some time researching the nursing program to be confident in what they offer.

Do: Ask someone to proofread.

You’ll miss typos in your work if you read it a thousand times, so ask for a fresh pair of eyes. It also helps to change the essay to a different font for editing. Here are some more tips to consider offering to your proofreader.

Don’t: Pay for a writing service.

Write your own paper. If you’re worried about your skills, have a peer take a look at your draft, rather than using someone else’s work.

Don’t: Make false claims.

Tell the truth about your motivations, goals, strengths, and driving factors. Don’t make up a backstory or pretend to have skills you don’t.

Don’t: Disregard instructions or criteria.

Pay careful attention to the essay prompt and the criteria. Sometimes you’re expected to answer in less than 300 words, or there are more specific prompts to follow.

Related: Can Nurses Have Tattoos?

Why I Want To Be a Nurse Essay – FAQ

What should i include in a short essay on why i want to be a nurse.

A short essay should still include the main points made here – a short story or introduction, why you became interested in nursing and how that experience has propelled you into nursing, and the skills and experience you will bring to the program.

Should I give more than one reason on why I want to be a nurse?

You should aim to stick with one or two main reasons why you chose nursing – too many reasons will lead to a less effective essay due to a difficulty in following along with your main points.

What do I do if I don’t have a personal story that inspired me to want to become a nurse?

Even if your inspiration is not specific to nursing, you should be ready to tie that into why it’s related to a nursing career. Focus on experiences that required interpersonal skills, great communication skills, or show care for others.

The Why I Want to Be a Nurse essay is your chance to stand out from the crowd. You can show your dedication, compassion, and willingness to learn all through being honest. Just make sure you have your essay proofread before you send it!

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Tips for Writing Your Nursing Program College Essays

This article was written based on the information and opinions presented by Giebien Na in a CollegeVine livestream. You can watch the full livestream for more info.

What’s Covered:

The importance of your college essays, general advice for writing your nursing essays.

If you know you want to be a nurse, you probably have quite a few reasons for that. Instead of merely relying on your academic and test performances to tell your story, you get the opportunity in your essays to share exactly why you’re so passionate about nursing. Writing about this can be a clarifying and even exciting process. This article explains why college application essays matter and how you should write about why you want to become a nurse.

Grades and test scores matter when you’re applying to college, but your essays can help improve your chances of admission. They’re how you can express your experiences and make your desire to become a nurse clear and personal.

If your prospective school doesn’t have supplemental essays, it’s a good idea to include your interest in nursing in your Common App essay . This could mean that you end up with two different drafts of the essay: one for if there are supplemental essays where you can discuss your interests in nursing and one for if there are not. You’ll change them out depending on whether you also have to respond to specific prompts about why you want to pursue nursing. This may not sound like much fun, but it will help you be admitted to your school of choice.

It might seem exciting to apply to a place where you don’t have to write extra essays—it’s less work! If you don’t do that additional work, though, you’ll have fewer chances to explain yourself. You might not be able to share exactly why you think that you’re the right fit for a certain college or program. 

If you are writing supplemental essays for the colleges that you’re interested in, you can include more details about your passion for nursing. You’ll often be asked, “why this major?” or “why this school?” When you have those opportunities to share your specific reasons, you can let yourself get personal and go deep into your passion. Use that space to share important details about who you are.

Start Broad

When writing essays entirely about why you want to pursue nursing , try to start from a broad interest, then slowly work your way to telling specific personal stories and goals. 

When first thinking about your general interest in nursing, ask yourself what attracts you to the work of being a nurse. This can lead to powerful potential responses. Maybe you like taking care of people in the community. Perhaps you’ve always known that you wanted to make a difference in the healthcare profession, but you don’t want to be a doctor. You’d rather make patients’ healthcare experiences as comfortable and pleasant as possible. 

After you’ve described these broad, overarching motivations for wanting to go into nursing, consider any personal experiences that have made you want to be a nurse. Think about moments you’ve had during hospital visits or checkups or an anecdote from a time that you decided to volunteer in a healthcare role. Once you’ve written these stories, you can end the essay by discussing your planned major and career goals.

Discuss Your Future Goals

If you know what your end goal is, be sure to include it. You can write about becoming a registered nurse or maybe a nurse practitioner. It doesn’t have to be set in stone , but sharing a final ambition can help anchor your personal narrative. Writing about the future that you want can help the admissions officer reading your essay see how you view yourself. If they can do this, they’ll better understand your values and motivations and see you as a real candidate for their school. 

You don’t have to follow this pattern exactly. For example, it can be powerful to begin your essay in the middle of the action—you can dive right into an anecdote and get the reader interested in your story from the jump. 

While you should avoid dramatization, starting with a few clear, memorable scenes or a line or two of dialogue can make for an instantly interesting essay. All of this helps you show your passion, rather than simply explaining what intrigues you about a nursing career. 

Once you’ve led with your narrative, though, remember to ground it in clear reasons for your intended career and what you want your future to look like. A good essay will be balanced between the past, present, and future. It’s how a college will see who you are and everything that you have to offer.

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Why Do You Want To Be a Nurse? 15 Reasons to Choose a Career in Nursing

Why Do You Want To Be a Nurse? 15 Reasons to Choose a Career in Nursing

If you’ve started submitting applications to nursing schools or told people that you want to be a nurse, you’re probably hearing the question, “Why do you want to be a nurse?” a lot.  

To be honest, it’s a fair question, and each person has their own reasons for wanting to become a nurse. If you’re reading this blog post and wondering if a nursing career is for you, here are the 15 top reasons to choose a career in nursing .

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Why Do You Want to Be a Nurse? 15 Reasons

Becoming a nurse is a great career choice with many advantages, including plenty of opportunities for growth and development. Here are the top 15 reasons why you should consider a career in nursing:

1. High Demand for Nurses

Nursing is an increasingly relevant and sought-after career path in today's world. With the aging population, there’s an increasing demand for nursing professionals due to the increased need for both medical and assisted living services. 

On top of this, a shortage of physicians has also increased the demand for primary care providers putting nurse practitioners in much higher demand as well.

2. Ability to Start Working Fast

Nursing is an amazing career choice for many reasons, one of them being that you don't necessarily need an extensive education in order to get started. 

Becoming a CNA or LPN only requires a 1-2 year associate degree and the starting pay is decent too. 

Even if your goal is to become an RN, there are now accelerated BSN programs available at most universities that offer nurses the opportunity to obtain their Bachelor of Science degree in nursing (BSN) quickly so they can begin their careers. 

And most of these programs can be completed online (except for some lab and/or clinical components).

3. Great Pay and Benefits

Another awesome advantage of being a nurse is that most nurses earn a really good salary and have excellent benefits. Although nursing salaries vary widely from state to state, the median annual registered nurse salary in 2023 was $86,070, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). 

Nurses also receive a number of benefits that can’t be found in other occupations, such as access to excellent health insurance options, retirement savings plans, flexible hours or shifts, paid vacation time, and even educational assistance programs that can help make continuing your education more affordable. 

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4. Incentives to Work in Many Different Areas

Besides a great salary and benefits, nurses are also offered special incentives such as higher pay, relocation assistance, hefty sign-on bonuses, and nursing tuition reimbursement to work in high-need areas. 

And there are many places offering these incentives for nurses, from busy urban medical centers to under-served rural and remote communities.

5. Job Security

When it comes to job security, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a job that is more secure and in higher demand. 

Currently, there is a nursing shortage , and this shortage is expected to increase over the next decade due to the aging population of Baby Boomers and a growing need for healthcare services related to chronic conditions like diabetes, obesity, and heart disease.

6. Professional Respect 

An important part of having a great career is knowing that you’re respected for your skills and the work you do. And when it comes to respect and trust, there is no one more trusted than nurses. 

For the last 20 years, Gallup has found that the public ranks nurses the highest in terms of their honesty and ethics of any occupation or profession, even higher than physicians. Nursing is an incredible career choice due to the tremendous respect you receive from patients, family, peers, and other medical professionals. 

7. Growing Opportunity for Flexible Scheduling

Another important factor when it comes to having a great job and career is a flexible schedule. In fact, a whopping 9 out of 10 employees surveyed said offering flexible scheduling is one of the most important things employers can do to retain employees. And 47.8% said a flexible schedule is even more important than salary.

With an ever-growing demand for healthcare professionals, employers are placing greater emphasis on accommodating remote workers or those who are interested in part-time work. 

In addition to regular hospital or clinic settings, nurses can now take advantage of more per-diem nursing opportunities that fit into their busy lives as well. 

This opens up the field to those who don’t have the necessary time to commit to a full-time nursing position while still allowing them to contribute meaningful work. 

8. Opportunity for Student Loan Forgiveness

Going to school costs a lot of money, even if you go the community college route. Tuition, books, transportation, nursing uniforms and equipment, accommodation, meals, healthcare expenses—the list goes on of the expenses a student has. However, the good news is, many nurses may be eligible for student loan forgiveness programs for nurses . 

9. Job Options Across Various Fields

Unlike many other professional fields, nursing offers a huge amount of variety in terms of the type of work you can do and the types of settings you can work in. 

If you’d like to work with kids, you can be a school nurse , a pediatric nurse , or work in a PICU with sick children. 

Prefer to work with people of all ages for even more variety? Then you can work in a community clinic, emergency department, or as a home care nurse .

And if you have the travel bug and want more adventure, you can be a travel nurse and work almost anywhere you can imagine from large cities to extremely remote locations once you gain some initial nursing experience.

10. Opportunities for Career Advancement

If you’re wondering about opportunities for career advancement, nursing is an excellent career choice for that as well. 

As a nurse, there are many ways to work your way up the career ladder through advanced education in Master’s in Nursing and DNP programs. 

These programs prepare you to specialize as a nurse—which means a nice boost in salary (usually into the 6-figure category)—and often more autonomy. 

And the good news is, there’s high demand for nurse practitioners in a number of different specialties. There are also career paths for nurses who want to pursue healthcare or nursing management, nursing informatics , research or teaching as well.

11. Ability to Make a Difference

If you want a career where you can help people and change their lives, nursing definitely fits the bill. In fact, nursing is an incredibly rewarding career choice because you have the privilege of supporting people when they need your help the most. 

As an example, a nurse may help bring a life into the world for new parents or assist someone in managing a chronic condition who would otherwise be lost without a nurse’s teaching and expertise. 

In the eyes of those they help, nurses truly are everyday heroes.

12. Transferable Skill Set 

The nursing profession is highly marketable and transferable. So those entering the field can expect their experience and training to be valuable from job to job. 

For example, the fundamental medical knowledge and expertise that goes hand-in-hand with being a nurse applies no matter where you go or work. 

Although certain local regulations, technology, and even cultural norms may have slight variations, having a background as a nurse will still apply no matter where you go.

13. Opportunity for Entrepreneurship

The dream of owning your own business is also a real possibility when you become a nurse. Whether it’s starting your own private practice as a nurse practitioner or consultant, publishing medical research, freelance writing, launching a medical-based app or blog, or developing a new medical product, nurses can capitalize on their expertise and hard work by starting their own company.

Ownership over your career and the ability to create lasting change makes nursing an extremely attractive option for those seeking more than a traditional employment position.

14. Opportunity for Autonomy and Independence

One of the best aspects of nursing as a career is that it encourages autonomy and independence, allowing you to make many decisions on your own. 

This is because nurses are given various levels of responsibility depending on their experience and skill level. As a result, this makes nursing an ideal job for those looking for autonomy and independence while still having access to support from their peers, supervisors, and managers. 

15. Highly Satisfying Career

Last but not least, nursing is an extremely satisfying career. Despite how difficult the recent pandemic was for nurses, a 2021 career satisfaction survey of 10,788 nurses (including LPNs, RNs, and NPs) found that more than 90% of the nurses surveyed said they were “glad they chose” to be a nurse.

As you can see, there are many great reasons to choose a career in nursing. So what are you waiting for? Jump online and start applying today!

Leona Werezak

Leona Werezak BSN, MN, RN is the Director of Business Development at NCLEX Education. She began her nursing career in a small rural hospital in northern Canada where she worked as a new staff nurse doing everything from helping deliver babies to medevacing critically ill patients. Learning much from her patients and colleagues at the bedside for 15 years, she also taught in baccalaureate nursing programs for almost 20 years as a nursing adjunct faculty member (yes! Some of those years she did both!). As a freelance writer online, she writes content for nursing schools and colleges, healthcare and medical businesses, as well as various nursing sites.

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Nursing Profession: Why to Become a Nurse? Essay

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Nursing is a profession that has several significant advantages that motivate people to pursue it. Primarily, it is a field of education that allows people to build successful careers and gain the knowledge and skills to help others. Nurses have an excellent opportunity to get a high-quality education and to work in a decent environment. Furthermore, being a nurse allows people to fulfil their desire to help others and be of service to society in general. Therefore, I want to become a nurse because this profession will enable me to acquire significant knowledge and skills and realize my desire to help others.

Obtaining quality knowledge is one of the main reasons why I want to become a nurse. In this regard, access to a significant amount of evidence-based information for nursing students is vital (Daly & Jackson, 2020). Access to educational information and practice opportunities allows nurses to develop lifelong professional skills, which is a distinct advantage. In addition, the nurse’s professional development combines with the opportunity to help people in difficult situations. It is also essential to understand that nursing work involves several difficulties, including complex learning and stressful working experiences. Nevertheless, I consider these challenges insignificant since the desire to develop and help people allows me to ignore them. Overall, the contributions to society and individuals’ lives provide additional motivation to gain theoretical and practical knowledge.

People’s aspirations to become a nurse are based on the many benefits of this profession. Nursing is an appropriate choice for people who are eager to help others and ready to study and work hard for the greater well-being of society. The nursing profession also offers good educational and working conditions, which provides nurses with the opportunity for continuous professional development. Thus, the possibility of constant professional development and the potential to benefit society are the main reasons I want to become a nurse.

Daly, J., & Jackson, D. (2020). Contexts of Nursing : An introduction . Elsevier.

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What Motivates You to be a Nurse? A Personal Reflection

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Why I Want To Be A Registered Nurse

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