I began my nursing education as a deviation from the course I was pursuing. I had planned on becoming a paralegal and eventually a lawyer. While in the prerequisite classes for paralegal studies, I was working in a hospital kitchen. This work exposed me to people on the worst days of their lives who were grateful for minor acts of kindness. I felt so fulfilled by helping people in this way, I changed my degree focus and became a nurse. Not once have I regretted this decision. My dad and brother killed themselves one year apart from each other while I was in school. At first, I had a hard time helping patients who had attempted suicide. It did not take very long for me to change my way of thinking and start to focus my compassion on psychiatric patients. I was presented with an opportunity out of school to work in a psychiatric facility. I took that position, excelled in it, and pursued psychiatric medicine as my primary focus. While at this facility, I became to understand first-hand how difficult it was for patients with mental illness, and the struggle for providers to care for these patients. Lack of facility resources and staff are some of the issues that mental health providers encounter. Lack of community understanding, resources, and support are a few more of those issues. I had decided at this point, fresh out of my associates’ program, that I wanted to become a psychiatric nurse practitioner. Years went by and I obtained my bachelor’s degree and eventually a master’s degree in nursing education. Due to my passion, I want to make sure that student nurses learn how to properly care for the most ignored and vulnerable population within our country. Mental health is not a reason for people to be ashamed, ignored, or treated differently, especially by nurses. It is an illness, just like cardiovascular disease or diabetes. The mental illness that causes people the most shame is addiction. I am a staunch believer that addiction is a disease. I spent a large part of my career working with addicts and I care the most for addicts seeking help. Almost every person in my immediate family, while I was growing up, was addicted to drugs or alcohol. Everyone had their own reasons for self-medicating. When I was a kid, I resented every one of these people while they were under the influence. I loved my dad and my brother more than anyone else in my family. They were both addicted to drugs, as was my mother, who I just lost this past August. I spent a long time wishing that I could have helped them all find sobriety, wondering why I was not enough for them to want to live, and hating myself for not loving them more. While I was workingat one rehabilitation center, I was doing research on various methods of addiction medicine. Europe has a much lower rate of addiction in their countries and a highly differentiated approach to addiction medicine. My plan for my Capstone with Regis would be to explore the various methods of addiction rehabilitation worldwide and attempt to create a plan that could potentially improve the American recovery roadmap. I would love to be able to change the country’s view on addicts and how their disease should be treated, but I would be happy to be able to change one facility and improve the lives of a few people.

I began my nursing education as a deviation from the course I was pursuing. I had planned on becoming a paralegal and eventually a lawyer. While in the prerequisite classes for paralegal studies, I was working in a hospital kitchen. This work exposed me to people on the worst days of their lives who were grateful for minor acts of kindness. I felt so fulfilled by helping people in this way, I changed my degree focus and became a nurse. Not once have I regretted this decision. My dad and brother killed themselves one year apart from each other while I was in school. At first, I had a hard time helping patients who had attempted suicide. It did not take very long for me to change my way of thinking and start to focus my compassion on psychiatric patients. I was presented with an opportunity out of school to work in a psychiatric facility. I took that position, excelled in it, and pursued psychiatric medicine as my primary focus. While at this facility, I became to understand first-hand how difficult it was for patients with mental illness, and the struggle for providers to care for these patients. Lack of facility resources and staff are some of the issues that mental health providers encounter. Lack of community understanding, resources, and support are a few more of those issues. I had decided at this point, fresh out of my associates’ program, that I wanted to become a psychiatric nurse practitioner. Years went by and I obtained my bachelor’s degree and eventually a master’s degree in nursing education. Due to my passion, I want to make sure that student nurses learn how to properly care for the most ignored and vulnerable population within our country. Mental health is not a reason for people to be ashamed, ignored, or treated differently, especially by nurses. It is an illness, just like cardiovascular disease or diabetes. The mental illness that causes people the most shame is addiction. I am a staunch believer that addiction is a disease. I spent a large part of my career working with addicts and I care the most for addicts seeking help. Almost every person in my immediate family, while I was growing up, was addicted to drugs or alcohol. Everyone had their own reasons for self-medicating. When I was a kid, I resented every one of these people while they were under the influence. I loved my dad and my brother more than anyone else in my family. They were both addicted to drugs, as was my mother, who I just lost this past August. I spent a long time wishing that I could have helped them all find sobriety, wondering why I was not enough for them to want to live, and hating myself for not loving them more. While I was at one rehabilitation center, I was doing research on various methods of addiction medicine. Europe has a much lower rate of addiction in their countries and a highly differentiated approach to addiction medicine. My plan for my Capstone with Regis would be to explore the various methods of addiction rehabilitation worldwide and attempt to create a plan that could potentially improve the American recovery roadmap. I would love to be able to change the country’s view on addicts and how their disease should be treated, but I would be happy to be able to change one facility and improve the lives of a few people.

I began my nursing education as a deviation from the course I was pursuing. I had planned on becoming a paralegal and eventually a lawyer. While in the prerequisite classes for paralegal studies, I was working in a hospital kitchen. This work exposed me to people on the worst days of their lives who were grateful for minor acts of kindness. I felt so fulfilled by helping people in this way, I changed my degree focus and became a nurse. Not once have I regretted this decision. My dad and brother killed themselves one year apart from each other while I was in school. At first, I had a hard time helping patients who had attempted suicide. It did not take very long for me to change my way of thinking and start to focus my compassion on psychiatric patients. I was presented with an opportunity out of school to work in a psychiatric facility. I took that position, excelled in it, and pursued psychiatric medicine as my primary focus. While at this facility, I became to understand first-hand how difficult it was for patients with mental illness, and the struggle for providers to care for these patients. Lack of facility resources and staff are some of the issues that mental health providers encounter. Lack of community understanding, resources, and support are a few more of those issues. I had decided at this point, fresh out of my associates’ program, that I wanted to become a psychiatric nurse practitioner. Years went by and I obtained my bachelor’s degree and eventually a master’s degree in nursing education. Due to my passion, I want to make sure that student nurses learn how to properly care for the most ignored and vulnerable population within our country. Mental health is not a reason for people to be ashamed, ignored, or treated differently, especially by nurses. It is an illness, just like cardiovascular disease or diabetes. The mental illness that causes people the most shame is addiction. I am a staunch believer that addiction is a disease. I spent a large part of my career working with addicts and I care the most for addicts seeking help. Almost every person in my immediate family, while I was growing up, was addicted to drugs or alcohol. Everyone had their own reasons for self-medicating. When I was a kid, I resented every one of these people while they were under the influence. I loved my dad and my brother more than anyone else in my family. They were both addicted to drugs, as was my mother, who I just lost this past August. I spent a long time wishing that I could have helped them all find sobriety, wondering why I was not enough for them to want to live, and hating myself for not loving them more. While I was working at one rehabilitation center, I was doing research on various methods of addiction medicine. Europe has a much lower rate of addiction in their countries and a highly differentiated approach to addiction medicine. My plan for my Capstone would be to explore the various methods of addiction rehabilitation worldwide and attempt to create a plan that could potentially improve the American recovery roadmap. I would love to be able to change the country’s view on addicts and how their disease should be treated, but I would be happy to be able to change one facility and improve the lives of a few people.

It is very difficult to choose one film as a favorite. I love movies. I am a huge horror movie fan. I love psychological thrillers and action movies. I enjoy comedy movies as well. I have two movies that are guilty pleasures, as they do not fit into my regular genres: Clueless and Legally Blonde. To be honest, I would say that Legally Blonde is my favorite film, even though it is so far displaced from the type of movies I usually watch. If I am having a bad day or don't feel well, that movie can always make me feel better. In my opinion, the movie is more than just a bubble-headed blonde girl going to law school. The idea that she can't do something never occurs to Elle. She proves time and time again that looks can be deceiving. She has a genuine heart of gold. Elle doesn't worry about what others think of her. Any awkward situation she encounters, she is able to think her way through and own. Sure, it is a goofy comedy. It highlights the aspects of humanity that more people should endeavor to be. She is honest, caring, compassionate to others, and genuinely tries to be a good person. Elle overcomes stereotypes and adversity to become more than a two-dimensional character. Elle is the type of person I wish I could be.

I began my nursing education as a deviation from the course I was pursuing. I had planned on becoming a paralegal and eventually a lawyer. While in the prerequisite classes for paralegal studies, I was working in a hospital kitchen. This work exposed me to people on the worst days of their lives who were grateful for minor acts of kindness. I felt so fulfilled by helping people in this way, I changed my degree focus and became a nurse. Not once have I regretted this decision. My dad and brother killed themselves one year apart from each other while I was in school. At first, I had a hard time helping patients who had attempted suicide. It did not take very long for me to change my way of thinking and start to focus my compassion on psychiatric patients. I was presented with an opportunity out of school to work in a psychiatric facility. I took that position, excelled in it, and pursued psychiatric medicine as my primary focus. While at this facility, I became to understand first-hand how difficult it was for patients with mental illness, and the struggle for providers to care for these patients. Lack of facility resources and staff are some of the issues that mental health providers encounter. Lack of community understanding, resources, and support are a few more of those issues. I had decided at this point, fresh out of my associates’ program, that I wanted to become a psychiatric nurse practitioner. Years went by and I obtained my bachelor’s degree and eventually a master’s degree in nursing education. Due to my passion, I want to make sure that student nurses learn how to properly care for the most ignored and vulnerable population within our country. Mental health is not a reason for people to be ashamed, ignored, or treated differently, especially by nurses. It is an illness, just like cardiovascular disease or diabetes. The mental illness that causes people the most shame is addiction. I am a staunch believer that addiction is a disease. I spent a large part of my career working with addicts and I care the most for addicts seeking help. Almost every person in my immediate family, while I was growing up, was addicted to drugs or alcohol. Everyone had their own reasons for self-medicating. When I was a kid, I resented every one of these people while they were under the influence. I loved my dad and my brother more than anyone else in my family. They were both addicted to drugs, as was my mother, who I just lost this past August. I spent a long time wishing that I could have helped them all find sobriety, wondering why I was not enough for them to want to live, and hating myself for not loving them more. While I was working at one rehabilitation center, I was doing research on various methods of addiction medicine. Europe has a much lower rate of addiction in their countries and a highly differentiated approach to addiction medicine. My plan for my Capstone would be to explore the various methods of addiction rehabilitation worldwide and attempt to create a plan that could potentially improve the American recovery roadmap. I would love to be able to change the country’s view on addicts and how their disease should be treated, but I would be happy to be able to change one facility and improve the lives of a few people.

In my final semester of nursing school, I had a clinical instructor named Krystal. I thought Krystal could do no wrong. She was smart, strong, and skilled. She was a nurse practitioner with a master's degree who was pursuing a doctorate. At the time, I had been with an abusive man for 11 years. I had so much anxiety and fear about becoming a nurse, I would start crying during my clinical. Krystal took me aside and helped me to realize that I was in an abusive relationship. He told me that I would never make it as a nurse and that I should stop even trying. Something inside me refused to quit, but his words still affected me. Krystal helped me to do what I felt was right in my heart. When we were close to completing our education, Krystal told me to not stop with school. She told me that I had a spark to help others, and the passion to learn how to do what needed to be done. The fact that I was never afraid to ask questions is what she said made me a good nurse. Krystal agreed that I would make a great nurse educator and nurse practitioner. She told me that I should never stop my pursuits for anyone. Not long after I graduated from my associate's program, I kicked my now ex-husband out of the house, and I have never looked back. I have my master's degree in nursing education, and now I have been accepted into a doctor of nursing practice program in mental health. I may have potentially gone down this path on my own. However, I feel that with Krystal being my idol in the world of nursing, and being the compassionate woman she is to take some time to talk to a student who was falling apart every day, her words of wisdom pushed me a little harder to do the things that I knew needed to be done.

I was a Sr. RN Manager when 2020 started. In June, I had to take a medical leave of absence for spinal injections that turned into emergency surgery. I have not returned to work as of this point in time. I am not sure I will. I have had to relearn how to do many things. I have had to learn how to adjust my daily activities and live again with some semblance of quality. Being a nurse is my passion. Helping others is my path. I now have to live my life in a world where I need other people to do things for me. I have had to learn how to ask for help. For over seven years, I have wanted to become a psychiatric nurse practitioner and help addicts. Now that I understand how hard it is to ask for help, especially from strangers, I have the desire to help addicts even more. Not everyone with addiction is willing to ask for help. It is hard for anyone to admit that they are weak, that they are struggling, and that they need help. Addicts have more underlying issues than just substance abuse. I had more underlying issues than just spinal stenosis. I was at risk of being paralyzed or dying because of spinal deformities that were pressing on my spinal cord. I am better than I was last summer, but I will never be the same. There is a perfect analogy between my experience and that of an addict. An addict can get clean, go through therapy, and survive, but they will never be the same person that they were before their addiction. They will have to learn how to live again with some semblance of quality. They will have to learn that it is okay to ask for help.

My mother is English. I was born in England as the child of an English citizen and an American citizen. I gave up my English citizenship when I joined the Army. A few months in, I was drugged and raped by four of my peers. I lived with the trauma of PTSD for over 20 years before finally taking care of my needs with therapy. My dad and brother killed themselves in 2009 and 2010 while I was in nursing school. At first, I had a hard time helping patients who had attempted suicide. I had to focus my compassion on psychiatric patients. I was presented with an opportunity out of school to work in a psychiatric facility. I took that position, excelled in it, and pursued psychiatric medicine as my primary focus. I came to understand how difficult it is for all patients with mental illness, and the struggle for providers. Lack of facility resources and staff are some issues that providers encounter. Lack of community understanding, resources, and support are a few more of those issues. I decided at this point to become a psychiatric nurse practitioner. I obtained my master’s degree in nursing education. I want to make sure that student nurses learn how to properly care for the most ignored and vulnerable population within our country. Mental health is not a reason for people to be ashamed, ignored, or treated differently, especially by nurses. It is an illness, just like cardiovascular disease or diabetes. The mental illness that causes people the most shame is addiction. I am a staunch believer that addiction is a disease. I spent a large part of my career working with addicts and I care the most for addicts seeking help. Almost every person in my immediate family is addicted to drugs or alcohol. Everyone had their own reasons for self-medicating. When I was a kid, I resented every one of these people while they were under the influence. I loved my dad and my brother more than anyone else in my family. They were both addicted to drugs, as was my mother, who I just lost this past August. I spent a long time wishing that I could have helped them all find sobriety, wondering why I was not enough for them to want to live, and hating myself for not loving them more. While I was working at one rehabilitation center, I was doing research on various methods of addiction medicine. Europe has a much lower rate of addiction in their countries and a highly differentiated approach to addiction medicine. My plan for my Capstone would be to explore the various methods of addiction rehabilitation worldwide and attempt to create a plan that could potentially improve the American recovery roadmap. I would love to be able to change the country’s view on addicts and how their disease should be treated, but I would be happy to be able to change one facility and improve the lives of a few people.

I began my nursing education as a deviation from the course I was pursuing. I had planned on becoming a paralegal and eventually a lawyer. While in the prerequisite classes for paralegal studies, I was working in a hospital kitchen. This work exposed me to people on the worst days of their lives who were grateful for minor acts of kindness. I felt so fulfilled by helping people in this way, I changed my degree focus and became a nurse. Not once have I regretted this decision. My dad and brother killed themselves one year apart from each other while I was in school. At first, I had a hard time helping patients who had attempted suicide. It did not take very long for me to change my way of thinking and start to focus my compassion on psychiatric patients. I was presented with an opportunity out of school to work in a psychiatric facility. I took that position, excelled in it, and pursued psychiatric medicine as my primary focus. While at this facility, I became to understand first-hand how difficult it was for patients with mental illness, and the struggle for providers to care for these patients. Lack of facility resources and staff are some of the issues that mental health providers encounter. Lack of community understanding, resources, and support are a few more of those issues. I had decided at this point, fresh out of my associates’ program, that I wanted to become a psychiatric nurse practitioner. Years went by and I obtained my bachelor’s degree and eventually a master’s degree in nursing education. Due to my passion, I want to make sure that student nurses learn how to properly care for the most ignored and vulnerable population within our country. Mental health is not a reason for people to be ashamed, ignored, or treated differently, especially by nurses. It is an illness, just like cardiovascular disease or diabetes. The mental illness that causes people the most shame is addiction. I am a staunch believer that addiction is a disease. I spent a large part of my career working with addicts and I care the most for addicts seeking help. Almost every person in my immediate family, while I was growing up, was addicted to drugs or alcohol. Everyone had their own reasons for self-medicating. When I was a kid, I resented every one of these people while they were under the influence. I loved my dad and my brother more than anyone else in my family. They were both addicted to drugs, as was my mother, who I just lost this past August. I spent a long time wishing that I could have helped them all find sobriety, wondering why I was not enough for them to want to live, and hating myself for not loving them more. While I was working at one rehabilitation center, I was doing research on various methods of addiction medicine. Europe has a much lower rate of addiction in their countries and a highly differentiated approach to addiction medicine. My plan for my Capstone with Regis would be to explore the various methods of addiction rehabilitation worldwide and attempt to create a plan that could potentially improve the American recovery roadmap. I would love to be able to change the country’s view on addicts and how their disease should be treated, but I would be happy to be able to change one facility and improve the lives of a few people.