Loren Quintin didn't know what she wanted to do for a career. So she looked in the classifieds to see what kind of jobs were in demand.

There was one that stood out.

"Nursing was out there," she said.

That was more than 20 years ago.

Since, Quintin has worked at Kootenai Medical Center, for home health agencies, the Department of Heath and Welfare, Area Agency on Aging and North Idaho College Work Force Training Center as an instructor. Today, she is the manager of clinical practice for Gentiva Home Health.

Nursing, she said, is recognized as a high-stress job. Nurses deal with emotional situations, grieve for dying patients and fear making fatal errors.

But she would do it over, day after day.

"Through it all, it is one of the most fun and rewarding careers available," the 52-year-old wrote. "I want to be part of providing some of the recognition and respect that will go a long way toward helping nurses believe that what they do is valued and worth the added stress."

How difficult was it to become an RN?

I was very naive going into nursing school. It was very hard for me, not having any medical background or anybody in the family that had any background. It turned out well.

After I graduated, my mom told me that when I told her that I was going to nursing school, she didn't think I would finish. Not because I wasn't smart enough, but because I was the type of kid that if the cat threw up a hairball in one room, I was retching in the other room. I've grown a lot since then.

How did you do it?

What benefited me the best, after my first year of nursing school, I became an aide at KMC and that taught me a lot. It made me not shy around people. I recommend anybody thinking of going to nursing school who doesn't have a nursing background become an aide. That way you can see if you're going to like it, if you can tolerate it. It teaches you not to be shy. You can only help so many people go to the bathroom and you're not shy anymore around folks.

My theory is you can't help folks go to the bathroom without realizing they are having a worse day than you and have a lot more to be embarrassed about.

What's the most rewarding part of your career?

It's being able to help people, comfort people, just ease their pain or their worry. Any kind of situation nurses go into, whether it's home health or hospital, even personal care services, just being able to help people live better lives.

Have you seen some difficult situations?

Of course, there's always heart-breaking situations where you have to help people learn how to deal with that they're going to die. Or just where people are forced to go to a nursing home because they don't have anybody to help them out in their home. That's always heartbreaking to me. There's so many services that can be done to help people stay in their home, that one may have to move, that's sad for me.

Would you still recommend this career?

Yes. Even if you don't like what I call the yucky stuff, there are many avenues of nursing you can go to right now.

Once you get your RN, to me, the sky's the limit. You can go anywhere and focus on any kind of work that you like.

How do you separate the stress of work from your home?

You have to be aware and think over your day, you're always thinking, 'Did I do enough for that patient?' So you have to limit your time that you worry, otherwise you'll be worrying 24/7.

Could you share a story about a patient you came to know?

I was doing home health and also working in the hospital. I got to know one patient, I went in there to help him out with some breathing difficulties. I came to know him pretty close home-health wise. When he would come to the hospital, he would come to my medical floor and he knew my shift started at 3. You could hear him calling, 'Loren, come see me.' He did finally die. I taught his wife about the dying process and what was going to happen and so it was just a full circle. I got to know him in his home, his family, I got to see him in acute care, I also got to help his family deal with some grief, knowing that he was actually going to die.

If there was one thing you would want people to know about nursing, what would it be?

They're there to help you. Sometimes people are afraid to tell you stuff because they think you're going to report it to the doctor. The best thing is to know they're your advocate. As a nurse, they're doing the best for you as they can.

What does it take to be a good nurse?

You need a lot of independent assessment skills to know what's right or wrong and you need to be able not to panic.

Good customer service. You have to constantly be educating yourself. Things change. Just don't stay status quo.

Would anything make you change your decision to become a nurse?

I became a nurse by chance and wouldn't change a thing about my career choice.

It's become my passion. It was the best decision I ever made.

What's ahead for you?

I never foresee stopping nursing.

SNAPSHOT

Loren Quintin

Education: Associate of Science degree in nursing from North Idaho College; baccalaureate in nursing from Lewis-Clark State College.

Number of hours on average you work in a week: 45-50

Number of hours on average you sleep in a night: 8-9

Hobbies: Working and taking care of home.

Favorite travel destination: I have traveled all over the U.S. and my favorite place is home.

Favorite book: Sue Grafton mysteries

Favorite type of music: Don't have any preference.

Favorite leisure activity: Watching TV and when I'm good, walking.

Person who most influenced your life: My mom. She is my greatest supporter and she grounds me.

Quality you most admire in a person: Perseverance.

Best advice you ever received: From my mom. Go to college.

One thing you consider your greatest accomplishment: Living every day as if it is my opportunity to make my greatest accomplishment.

Favorite quote: From my microbiology teacher, Mr. Raymond: "You don't have to know all the answers. You just need to know where to find them."

Historical figure you would most like to meet: Sister Kenny for her strength and determination.