ABSTRACT
Why did I decide to become a midwife and then an ex-midwife or, rather, a health visitor? I decided at a young age (about 7 years) that nursing was the job I wanted to do and I owe much of my continuing desire to nurse to my parents, who supported this interest and enthusiasm! There is no family history of the caring professions, yet they valued my choices and respected the work nurses and midwives do. As a child, I was given opportunities to attend the Red Cross and develop first aid skills, alongside other useful things, such as lifesaving skills with swimming. At 16 I undertook work experience with my school, where I was encouraged to look at alternatives to nursing and spent two weeks working in a pathology laboratory in the local district hospital. It was enough time for me to be sure that laboratory work was not for me! I recognised that I enjoyed the interpersonal aspects of life, despite being shy, and that a more communicative, humanising experience was important to me. At sixth-form college, it was generally accepted that I had decided to nurse and that was that; there was no careers advice! I was eager to nurse and my family supported the decision.
