I always knew there was a mental health crisis on the horizon, even from a young age. My uncle, stricken with scarlet fever, set the family farm on fire and attempted to burn the house down around him. This was my first experience with mental health issues. I didn't understand at the time, but looking back and seeing my uncle in and out of mental health facilities, those experiences shaped how I think about mental illness. My experiences with mental health have shaped my compassionate beliefs about seeking help, improved my relationships through vulnerability, and directed my career aspirations toward meaningful healthcare work to aid others. Understanding mental health's impact has been transformative, driving a commitment to promote awareness and support. Overall, these experiences have provided me with a unique perspective that I wish to share with others in my professional journey. Mental health plays a critical role in shaping an individual's beliefs, relationships, and career aspirations. My personal experience with mental health challenges, particularly with episodes of depression, has profoundly influenced my worldview and attitudes towards psychological intervention. I have family members who have been lost to drugs, and seeing the tide and ebb of emotions and manipulations showed me a different way of thinking about mental illness and addiction. I watched as individuals abused the system to get more drugs while those who were seeking legitimate help were pushed away. Knowing these different things and having these different experiences has shaped how I feel about mental health. It has caused me to hone in on my questions when interviewing a patient to see if the issue at hand a mental illness or an addiction is. In my career, knowing the differences and having experiences with addiction and mental illness, I plan on furthering my education to provide better care for both types of patients. Mental health facilities are not near as many as they should be, and a lot of people and their families suffer because of that. Touching these subjects while hospitalized may help the patients realize the causes, effects, and treatment options. I would love to be able to identify underlying addiction and what those individuals may be seeking versus treating for a mental illness. I would love to be able to accurately describe personalities to physicians to achieve better healthcare for those who are mentally ill. I have always been someone who will take on challenging situations to help because coming from a poor home with issues revolving around mental illness and addiction means help is limited. The number of people willing to help and try to understand is limited.

Sitting on the living room floor of my aunt's house watching Trauma: Life in the ER as an elementary school kid was when I knew I wanted to be involved in healthcare. All the gore and guts appealed to me; however, I was amazed at how people had devastating injuries or events, and these medical professionals were able to pick up the pieces and put these people back together. I completed a nurses' aid training program in school and fell in love with healthcare all over again. I started working immediately after getting the certificate and continued to work as a CNA for many years. I eventually decided to return to school, and my course of study was in hospital administration because I thought maybe I could make a big difference that would curb the way healthcare was in the rural area I lived in. That was not my particular cup of tea, and I decided to change educational tracks. I completed classes in complementary healthcare. I completed courses in psychology. I couldn't decide what specialty I was destined for. I then enrolled in a massage therapy program. I graduated, obtained my massage therapy licensure, and opened my practice. I worked with acupuncturists, chiropractors, and medical doctors to assist in rehabilitation for a full range of clients and disorders. I still wasn't satisfied. It wasn't until my sister fell ill with stage 4 cancer that I knew where I needed to be. I was helping the single nurse in the chemotherapy infusion clinic provide snacks, drinks, and assistance to the bathroom. The nurse looked utterly at ease working with many different patients. The nurse worked quickly, starting IVs and initiating chemotherapy infusions. They nurse stated she felt fulfilled at the end of each day regardless of how many patients were seen or what happened throughout the days because she knew without a doubt that she was helping patients. I closed my massage therapy practice and enrolled in a practical nursing program. I completed this program and immediately enrolled in an accelerated RN bridge program. I worked as a charge nurse in a local nursing home during this course. I completed this program and started working as a registered nurse on a med/surg floor. I knew that was where I was meant to be. I was quickly acclimated to a fast-paced environment. I floated to other departments, such as the intensive care unit and emergency department. I even helped in the obstetrics department a few times. I became the charge nurse for the med/surg floor inadvertently. I wasn't trying; I only wanted to do my job well. I loved providing care to my patients and seeing possible outcomes on a med/surg floor. It wasn't until roughly eight years into my nursing career that I felt I needed more education. More and more people were admitted for different illnesses. These illnesses continue to grow more complicated with each new virus introduced or comorbidity that has arisen due to another disease process. Furthering my education is the only logical next step to continue caring for my patients and offering them the best care possible. I spend considerable time educating my patients and their families on disease processes, effects of, and treatments for different illnesses. I strive to educate my coworkers on different things. I also work as a clinical instructor for new nursing students just entering the field. Covid caused immense strain on healthcare, and I feel I can make a positive impact as a woman in the field by showing the new generation of nurses how to cope and manage this field.

Sitting on the living room floor of my aunt's house watching Trauma: Life in the ER as an elementary school kid was when I knew I wanted to be involved in healthcare. All the gore and guts appealed to me; however, I was amazed at how people had devastating injuries or events, and these medical professionals were able to pick up the pieces and put these people back together. I completed a nurses' aid training program in school and fell in love with healthcare all over again. I started working immediately after getting the certificate and continued to work as a CNA for many years. I eventually decided to return to school, and my course of study was in hospital administration because I thought maybe I could make a big difference that would curb the way healthcare was in the rural area I lived in. That was not my particular cup of tea, and I decided to change educational tracks. I completed classes in complementary healthcare. I completed courses in psychology. I couldn't decide what specialty I was destined for. I then enrolled in a massage therapy program. I graduated, obtained my massage therapy licensure, and opened my practice. I worked with acupuncturists, chiropractors, and medical doctors to assist in rehabilitation for a full range of clients and disorders. I still wasn't satisfied. It wasn't until my sister fell ill with stage 4 cancer that I knew where I needed to be. I was helping the single nurse in the chemotherapy infusion clinic provide snacks, drinks, and assistance to the bathroom. The nurse looked utterly at ease working with many different patients. The nurse worked quickly, starting IVs and initiating chemotherapy infusions. They nurse stated she felt fulfilled at the end of each day regardless of how many patients were seen or what happened throughout the days because she knew without a doubt that she was helping patients. I closed my massage therapy practice and enrolled in a practical nursing program. I completed this program and immediately enrolled in an accelerated RN bridge program. During this course, I worked as a charge nurse in a local nursing home. I completed this program and started working as a registered nurse on a med/surg floor. I knew that was where I was meant to be. I was quickly acclimated to a fast-paced environment. I floated to other departments, such as the intensive care unit and emergency department. I even helped in the obstetrics department a few times. I became the charge nurse for the med/surg floor inadvertently. I wasn't trying; I only wanted to do my job well. I loved caring for my patients and seeing possible outcomes on a med/surg floor. It wasn't until roughly eight years into my nursing career that I felt I needed more education. More and more people were admitted for different illnesses. These illnesses continue to grow more complicated with each new virus introduced or comorbidity that has arisen due to another disease process. Furthering my education is the only logical next step to continue caring for my patients and offering them the best care possible. I spend considerable time educating my patients and their families on disease processes, effects of, and treatments for different illnesses. I strive to educate my coworkers on different things. I also work as a clinical instructor for new nursing students just entering the field. Covid caused immense strain on healthcare, and I feel I can positively impact the field by showing the new generation of nurses how to cope and manage this field.

Sitting on the living room floor of my aunt's house watching Trauma: Life in the ER as an elementary school kid was when I knew I wanted to be involved in healthcare. All the gore and guts appealed to me; however, I was amazed at how people had devastating injuries or events, and these medical professionals were able to pick up the pieces and put these people back together. I completed a nurses' aid training program in school and fell in love with healthcare all over again. I started working immediately after getting the certificate and continued to work as a CNA for many years. I eventually decided to return to school, and my course of study was in hospital administration because I thought maybe I could make a big difference that would curb the way healthcare was in the rural area I lived in. That was not my particular cup of tea, and I decided to change educational tracks. I completed classes in complementary healthcare. I completed courses in psychology. I couldn't decide what specialty I was destined for. I then enrolled in a massage therapy program. I graduated, obtained my massage therapy licensure, and opened my practice. I worked with acupuncturists, chiropractors, and medical doctors to assist in rehabilitation for a full range of clients and disorders. I still wasn't satisfied. It wasn't until my sister fell ill with stage 4 cancer that I knew where I needed to be. I was helping the single nurse in the chemotherapy infusion clinic provide snacks, drinks, and assistance to the bathroom. The nurse looked utterly at ease working with many different patients. The nurse worked quickly, starting IVs and initiating chemotherapy infusions. They nurse stated she felt fulfilled at the end of each day regardless of how many patients were seen or what happened throughout the days because she knew without a doubt that she was helping patients. I closed my massage therapy practice and enrolled in a practical nursing program. I completed this program and immediately enrolled in an accelerated RN bridge program. I worked as a charge nurse in a local nursing home during this course. I completed this program and started working as a registered nurse on a med/surg floor. I knew that was where I was meant to be. I was quickly acclimated to a fast-paced environment. I floated to other departments, such as the intensive care unit and emergency department. I even helped in the obstetrics department a few times. I became the charge nurse for the med/surg floor inadvertently. I wasn't trying; I only wanted to do my job well. I loved providing care to my patients and seeing possible outcomes on a med/surg floor. It wasn't until roughly eight years into my nursing career that I felt I needed more education. More and more people were admitted for different illnesses. These illnesses continue to grow more complicated with each new virus introduced or comorbidity that has arisen due to another disease process. Furthering my education is the only logical next step to continue caring for my patients and offering them the best care possible. I spend considerable time educating my patients and their families on disease processes, effects of, and treatments for different illnesses. I strive to educate my coworkers on different things. I also work as a clinical instructor for new nursing students just entering the field. Covid caused immense strain on healthcare, and I feel I can make a positive impact as a woman in the field by showing the new generation of nurses how to cope and manage this field.

Each child presented new challenges. Divorces occurred, sicknesses happened leading to surgery for one of my children which led to school being put on hold to care for my children. Lessened time with my children has caused issues in home life and school life resulting in additional classes and evaluations for my children. My youngest child has a learning disability and my returning to school has impeded his learning as his father doesn't necessarily push education. His father is disabled and has learning disabilities as well further complicating my going back to school. My oldest child made the big decision to move to another state with her father causing turmoil in our relationship and stressed finances. This actually helped me pour more of myself into my studies to keep my mind busy. My mother-in-law passed away unexpectedly this year as well after overcoming a massive stroke and cervical cancer in the two years prior. This all has presented challenges in new responsibilities. I was able to find time by rearranging class schedules and times for study and have continued my educational journey throughout all of this. A mere few months ago my father was diagnosed with prostate cancer and underwent a radical prostatectomy. This made anxiety and financial strain soar. With all of these new findings, time management became a challenge as well as juggling those responsibilities of appointments and homework. Managing tuition costs has caused anxiety and stress. This has forced more hours and multiple jobs to manage those costs which has caused disruption in my personal life. Balancing the time for school, family, and work has forced structured schedules and networking with others who have traveled down the undergraduate and graduate courses to better themselves. Learning how to learn new material - such as statistic - was also quite the challenge. this class forced a new way of thinking and the reintroduction of different mathematical methods that haven't been utilized since grade school. Difficulty in understanding course materials is challenging, through an exam failure and massive review I was able to overcome the knowledge deficit and passed the final exam. Constant distractions, such as different travel job opportunities, has caused deliberation and challenges. Another job is not the answer while attempting to complete an undergraduate or graduate degree. The stressors of the Covid pandemic forced burnout and healthcare strain to a level that mental health is of massive concern. Anxiety, stress, fatigue, and constant self-neglect has challenged my mental capacity to complete assignments and practicums on time. Adaptations to online learning is another challenge. Going from a seated class for practical and registered nursing to online coursework for nursing presented a new level of concern for skills being learned as there is not an instructor to immediately tell you you have done something wrong or how to actually complete the skill. You are forced to be a self-learner. This brings about academic pressure and motivation issues.