Is being a nurse depressing

Question:

I'm writing a novel in which one character is a pediatric ICU nurse. The novel doesn't take place in a hospital, but rather a wilderness search and rescue situation. Anyhow, where I could use a little help is in figuring out how a nurse would respond to the old oh, but isn't nursing depressing? Question. Particularly since this is a pediatric nurse -- how would/do you respond to people who ask how you can deal with sick and/or dying kids all day?

Answer:

Isn't nursing depressing? Particularly since this is a pediatric nurse -- how would/do you respond to people who ask how you can deal with sick and/or dying kids all day?

I'm a student an undergraduate at the UCLA school of Nursing. My clinical rotation happens to be in pediatrics at this time. I don't think the focus should be on whether or not the atmosphere of the floor is depressing. What should be of focus or rather inspiration to everyone on that floor is how many of those children are fighting. I see it everyday whenever a child straight catches himself, changes his own CVC dressing, or flushes his own G tube. No one wants to see kids in pain but I just seem to see the energy and determination through these kids and that's a beautiful thing. When it comes down to it a lot of kids actually make it through. They make it through well I might add because there are nurses there with companion to help them through the difficulties rather than pity them.