From a soon to be nursing student standpoint...there are so many different areas to go into in nursing, there will be several for you to choose from that will most likely feel personally rewarding to you.

From a patient standpoint...nurses absolutely make an impact on the patients' life and are remembered! After having abdominal surgery, I was inpatient for 4 days. The first couple days I got IV pain meds, and then oral pain meds on a schedule. On the third day, no one came and gave me meds in the morning. After several hours (I figured they were busy and running behind) I finally buzzed. The nurse that morning came and when I asked why I hadn't gotten my pain meds yet, she very snippily told me I had to ask for them. I had been taken off a schedule but had not been told, or had been told but didn't remember. This was 7 years ago and I remember it. Later that day. I had a different nurse. She was rather young, very friendly, her name was Nicole. Nicole came in and introduced herself, and said she had noticed there had been a mix-up with my meds that morning...did I want her to come ask me if I needed meds at the appropriate time...this woman clearly also made an impact on me, I could describe her in detail, including the color of her scrubs, and I will likely not forget her. Often it is the little things that nurses do that patients find important and that make an impact.