Making a dreadful Impression part I

"I'm going to be a nurse" a voice called out. I stopped and turned around, glancing at the sea of faces in the hallway. "Who wants to be a nurse?" I replied. "Me sir" said the voice again. It took me a moment to see wee Anna struggling amongst all the kids desperate to get to class on time. "I do sir. I want to be a nurse, I want to be like you." I was flattered, but I had better set Anna straight. "Come see me at lunch time if you're serious" I replied then continued on my way to the health center.

Teenagers are always saying silly things, for a laugh, for a reaction, or often beacuse they didn't think before they spoke. Anna was a top student, in more ways than one. Her grades were good, she was the best player in the volleyball team, and she was well liked. But what made Anna stand out was the energy, the enthusiasm she put into everthing she did. This energy had a ripple effect and made those around her. She was the most popular girl in school for all the right reasons.

Please don't become a nurse Anna.

What a horrible thing to say. I'm a nurse. I must be making a good impression if students want to be 'Just like me'. But she could be so much more. She already has so many other advantages compared to the other 99% of children around the rest of the world. Her family is wealthy, she's getting a top education, and she's a well balanced, popular teengager.

She will never get rich being a nurse. Her skills will be useless outside of a medical clinic. She will end up working long hours, irregular shiftwork including the dreaded nightshift. She'll be putting herself in a position to be shouted at, pushed around, punched by angry patients and relatives. She'll be putting herself in job that is becoming more and more litigious every single day. She'll be dealing with death, trauma, gore, seeing humanity at it's worst.

Why does she want to become a nurse? What should I tell her?

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