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I’m a Nurse

October 2025
Arion Dockery as told to Chava Pearl Lansky | Illustrations by Rafael Alvarez

Arion Dockery

When Arion Dockery was little, she dreamed of helping sick people for a career. At first, she thought she wanted to be a pediatrician. But once she got to college, she realized that doctors don’t often get to spend a lot of time with their patients. “I felt like my personality fit more with being a nurse,” says Arion. Today Arion is a staff nurse at a big urban hospital. She works with patients with serious health issues, like major infections or organ transplants. Her favorite part of the job is getting to know her patients and making sure they get the care they need. She shared her story with Choices.

Growing up, I always knew I wanted to go into medicine. My cousin was a home health aide, and she would tell me stories about her favorite clients. I liked the idea of working closely with patients.

I majored in biology in college. I knew it would lead to opportunities in medicine. During my sophomore year, I started researching graduate nursing programs.

I got my master’s degree in nursing. We spent half our time in classes and half in clinical rotations, where we’d try different specialties like pediatrics and psychiatry.

As a staff nurse, I assess adult patients’ symptoms, give them medicine, clean them, and prepare them for surgeries. I work 12.5-hour overnight shifts.

My job is often physically and emotionally exhausting, but I love it. Every day is totally different! The best part is when patients get well enough to go home.

Arion’s Advice for Becoming a Nurse

You need at least two years of college to become a nurse. You can get a two-year associate’s degree, a four-year bachelor of science, a master’s degree (like Arion), or even a Ph.D. Many nurses end up going back to school later on to help advance their careers.

Arion says you might love being a nurse if . . .

  • You’re caring, kind, and thoughtful, and you like working with all kinds of people.
  • You’re organized and can multitask. Arion takes care of up to four patients at the same time.
  • You enjoy physically demanding work and aren’t afraid of blood or needles.
  • You’re interested in science and human anatomy.
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