Why I Chose Nursing (And How My "Why" Keeps Evolving)

Holly_Kern100163

Nursing is many things, but "easy" is never one of them. We’ve all had those moments where we lean against a supply closet door, completely drained, wondering, "Did I make the right choice?"

I’ve been there—both as a student and at the bedside. Today, speaking to you as a manager of nurse educator consultants, I wanted to share my own winding path. Not because it’s dramatic, but because it’s real. My hope is that it reminds you that your unique journey is exactly what makes you the nurse the world needs right now.

I think there’s sometimes a stereotype that we all decided at five years old, while patching up a teddy bear, that we wanted to wear scrubs. That wasn't my story.

The truth is, I just wasn't a good fit for traditional college studies. Large lecture halls, abstract theories, and generalized degree plans didn't click for me. I wanted to learn with my hands, and I wanted to do something tangible.

At the time, there was a critical need for nurses—just like there is today. It seemed like a stable, useful path where I could make a secure life and do work that mattered. So, I jumped in, hoping to find my place, but I wasn't entirely sure it was my "calling."

My perspective changed entirely during clinical training—a moment that might be happening for some of you right now, or that some of you current nurses look back on fondly. I arrived in Pediatrics, and suddenly, the protocols became intensely real and human.

I was caring for one tiny, vulnerable infant whose life was incredibly precarious. In that quiet, high-stakes connection, I wasn't just performing skills. I saw the immediate, profound impact a skilled, compassionate hand could have on a fragile new life.

In that moment, I fell in love with clinical care. I had entered nursing because of a logistical need, but I stayed because I had found my heart at the bedside.

I loved pediatrics, but my journey didn't end there—and yours doesn't have to, either. This is the beauty of the degree you are earning or already hold: it is a passport to an entire universe of possibilities.

• My clinical experiences eventually pushed me toward Primary care and then Population Health. Instead of focusing only on the one patient in the bed, I wanted to address the systemic issues and communities that shaped health before they entered the hospital.
• That journey—from the bedside, to the broad community view—eventually led me to where I am today, where I manage teams of Nurse Educator Consultants.

Now, my impact is multiplied. My winding path from a student who didn't feel like they "fit" to a manager of educators has given me the unique ability to bridge clinical reality with educational strategy. My goal now is to ensure the next generation (you) has the tools to succeed.

If you are feeling overwhelmed today, I want you to know that it is okay if your path into this profession isn’t a perfectly straight line. It’s okay if you enter this for different reasons than your colleague, and it's okay if you aren’t 100% sure what specialty you want to end up in.

You are critically needed. This grueling training and these difficult shifts are shaping you into the resilient, compassionate clinician the world needs right now. Today, you might be the nervous student or the exhausted RN; tomorrow, you will be the expert nurse, the community leader, or the educator shaping the profession itself.

Thank you for continuing to show up. We are so glad you’re here.