Nursing (n.), the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and abilities, prevention of illness and injury, facilitation of healing, alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of human response, and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations.

Now to you, this might seem like a definition filled with big words and no meaning. But for me, this is my meaning.

I have always wanted to spend the rest of my life caring for others and ensuring their health, safety and happiness. When I am surrounded by happy people, I become happy. Being able to see the ways in which you benefit and improve someone's health is definitely something that I value as a person, and I know that many other people who aspire to be nurses do as well.

According to many studies that have been conducted, nursing has always been one of the hardest, if not the hardest, major in higher education. You go through so many different rotations, rigorous prerequisites and clinical placements, but in the end, it is totally worth it. In the end, you have the opportunity of doing what you have always aspired to do.

Most nurses, I like to think, have a specific person that inspires them to be a nurse. Maybe that said person was a nurse, loved helping others, or was just a genuinely good person. Maybe that said person died of a serious condition, or suffered from a disease and you were their caretaker. Needless to say, everyone has their reasons why they want to be a nurse, but there is usually always an inspiration for why they strive to be a nurse.

In my case, it is definitely my grandpa. After suffering with cancer for years, he passed away after his long battle. Because of the fight that he fought, as well as thousands of other people who suffer the consequences of cancer each and every day, I want to be a pediatric oncology nurse. I strive to work in this field because I hope to work in a world where the words, "You have cancer," never have to be said again.

This goes for almost all careers, also. If you are passionate about entering a specific field, most likely you have someone that either inspired your choice to enter that field or inspires you to continue working hard so that you can reach the goal that you are striving for.

In nursing, many people just assume that you're going for it because it's a secure job or because of the good salary. Because of all the hard work that a career like nursing takes, it takes MUCH more than a salary to keep you going. It takes passion, integrity and love for others. Things like that are priceless.