Nursing Profiles

Jody R.

Circle Pines, MN
RN; Surgical Unit

I wanted a versatile career where I could help people so I decided to become a nurse. It ended up being much more than I expected it would be. I never realized I would establish such close, personal relationships with patients and their families. Nursing is a challenging job because I constantly have to be thinking one step ahead. I have to anticipate what could go wrong with my patients and be prepared for anything. I also have to be thorough with each patient's status in order to help the doctors make a proper diagnosis. One great thing that's happening in nursing, especially in the Navy, is that more men are entering the profession. I have observed that male nurses problem-solve quite differently than their female counterparts which makes our job easier when we work as a team. The most fulfilling aspect of nursing, is seeing patients become healthy again. It's so exciting to see how powerful the combination of human compassion and new technology can be. Knowing that I made a difference in just one person's life makes it all worth it.