I love my job and my job isn't nursing

I properly whole-heartedly love my job right now. For those that don't know I am a PA to disabled service users. There isn't much awareness of the role as it is fairly new but the role covers a lot, care, support, medical assistance, chaperone etc. The other night I arrived at my shift and my service user was feeling really down about some stuff, they insisted they were going to bed early and that I could leave early, which I said was fine. However I actually ended up chatting with them for hours and eventually leaving an hour after my shift had finished. But I wasn't in the least bit resentful of having to stay late because I'd allowed my service user to get it all out and go to bed feeling much happier and there's no better feeling than knowing you've helped someone sleep at night.

It really brought it home for me how much I love my job and the one to one difference I can genuinely make to a person over time but also sometimes in one single shift. It actually made me a little scared as the thought crept into my mind that maybe I will never love nursing as much as I love being being a PA. I know it's a silly thing to think because I know I want this for many reasons and I know I am going to love it but actually what if I never get to form such close relationships, what if I can't sit and spend that one to one time with people that I am used to? And what if I want to go the extra mile but I am constricted by time or rules? That is both the plus and minus of being a PA for me. No constrictions from agencies or a boss or a governing body so if my service user wants to do something that requires a bit of a risk and I reckon it'll be worth it, we can go for it! If there are changes to their medication, physio or routine, I can just embrace it and go with it and not worry if I've had a tick in a box to say I can, if I want to stay past my hours to make a difference then I jolly well can. But then of course when something goes wrong this lack of normal job hierarchy means you are on your own.

I really want to be the best nurse I can be and I want it to feel like an extension of what I have learned as a PA but I really do worry sometimes that it will be so different that it will make miss being a PA and all the beautiful privileges that come with the job.