I initially chose my career in nursing for financial reasons. One of my friends had become a registered nurse and was making a very comfortable living. When we would get together, I would often ask her questions about the time commitment involved with becoming an RN and what she liked and disliked about the job. Being a close friend, she tried her best to paint an accurate picture for me of what her daily work was all about and certainly didn’t sugarcoat her position. While I was interested in what she had to say, I was much more interested in finding a way to quickly raise my earning potential. I enrolled in a nursing program and worked part time while I went to school. After graduation, I was able to get a job at a senior care facility. I was already prepared for the worst I might encounter and was looking forward to getting my first paycheck.
My first paycheck came and went, and while I was happy to be earning a high hourly wage, my focal point had shifted. You see, for the first time in my working life, I actually looked forward to going to work. It’s not that I ever hated any particular previous job so much that I dreaded coming in, but more that I...