Why I became a Psych-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

My Pediatrics Rotation Experience

During my pediatrics clinical rotation, I remember being assigned to a child diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis. Most days the child was extremely happy and full of life, but other days the child had issues breathing and needed me to perform chest physical therapy to clear their lungs. Some children on the unit were left alone due to their parents being busy with work, so nurses and nursing student were their only companions.

As much as I love children, it was so hard for me to see them suffer. That clinical rotation definitely helped me to understand that I was not able to emotionally handle that responsibility, especially longterm. So pediatrics was out.

My Obstetrics Rotation Experience

Now for my Obstetrics (OB) clinical rotation, which was definitely one of my favorites. Holding babies, bathing babies, changing babies… what’s not to love. I got to witness vaginal births and C-sections, which is hands down the most amazing experience in the world.

Working closely with women and mothers made me feel comfortable and empowered. But I will be honest, the idea of having to be on-call and not on a structured schedule is what turned me off about midwifery. It’s like, I wanted to help bring life into the world but on my own time. And it doesn’t work like that, so midwifery was out.

My Psych Rotation Experience

Psych was my final rotation. Within psych, we were able to work in different settings at the hospital including C-PEP (basically the psych ER), the methadone clinic, rehab/detox and the general psych floor. I did not know too much about psych nursing prior to the rotation. I also did not know too much about the impact that mental illness had on society. I mean, let’s be real, I’m black. We don’t talk about that shit.

I remember being assigned to a patient that struggled with multiple substance use disorders and every time I came to the unit, we would sit down and talk about life; their life before drugs, how they got to the point they were at, their goals after rehab and for the future.

It was such a humbling experience because often, we are so quick to judge others without knowing their history or what they are going through. That experience allowed me to look past the substance abuse disorders and see the patient as a human being, a parent, a person who was just trying to better themselves. 

I knew, at that point, that I wanted to help advocate for other people who were struggling to better themselves due to the stigma and judgment associated with their mental health conditions. I wanted to spread awareness within the black community that help is available and we do not have to continue suffering.