Florence Nightingale had a passion to help others and did this by preaching to the less fortunate near her family’s estate. She was drawn to the practice of nursing and believed that her purpose in life was to be a nurse (Biography.com Editors, n.d). With this information it can be determined that her motivation for pursing a profession in nursing was altruism. Everyone has different life experiences that determine the reasoning behind their choice of profion. It is through past, present and future roles that a person as a whole chooses a career in nursing (Price, Hall, Angus, & Peter, 2013). It has been found that some of the main reasons students choose to go into the nursing profession are personal experiences (past), altruism (present) and furthering self-development (future). As a compressed student, pursuing a second degree in nursing, my motivation is derived mainly from past experiences and wanting to make a difference
…show more content…
Altruism is an intrinsic factor comprised of care and compassion in helping others that makes a difference to the patient as a whole, which can lead to satisfying work (Raines, 2011). In a study by Price et al. (2013), students viewed nursing as a caring and compassionate line of work that makes a difference in others lives. It was this drive to help others and have a sense of meaning in the profession that drew many of the participants towards a career in nursing. As the oldest child in a family of three children I have always wanted to help people. I find nothing more enjoyable than making people smile on a daily basis. I feel a sense of accomplishment when I am able to affect someone’s life positively. To me this accomplishment is meaningful work that develops into a passion and not just a job. Although altruism was not my main motivator for choosing a career in nursing it is a value that has reaffirmed my
Altruism is an intrinsic factor comprised of care and compassion in helping others that makes a difference to the patient as a whole, which can lead to satisfying work (Raines, 2011). In a study by Price et al. (2013), students viewed nursing as a caring and compassionate line of work that makes a difference in others lives. It was this drive to help others and have a sense of meaning in the profession that drew many of the participants towards a career in nursing. As the oldest child in a family of three children I have always wanted to help people. I find nothing more enjoyable than making people smile on a daily basis. I feel a sense of accomplishment when I am able to affect someone’s life positively. To me this accomplishment is meaningful work that develops into a passion and not just a job. Although altruism was not my main motivator for choosing a career in nursing it is a value that has reaffirmed my