Personal Statement: A Career As A Mental Health Nurse

When I pass, I hope to leave the world in much different place than it is was when I got here. My vision is a world empowered. We as human beings have limitless potential, but sometimes there can be blocks stopping us from sharing our gifts with the world. My goal is to uncover that potential, shinning a light on it so it can produce positive outcomes in the individual that will create a ripple effect on every person they encounter ultimately leading to a better world for future generations. My mission is to unshackle people from the chains of their mind. Whether they are in form of self defeating beliefs, self diatribe, or something as critical as a debilitating psychiatric disorder—my desire is to alleviate suffering. Why you may ask? Because

I used to to suffer terribly from social anxiety. After being afflicted for years, and overcoming my social anxiety through meditation, introspection, journaling and mindfulness, I thought to myself no one should have to suffer like this. Henceforth, my hero’s journey of mastering my anxiety drove me to want to help others dealing with anxiety, as well as other psychiatric disorders.
Furthermore, caring for myself as a whole taught me the value of a holistic approach to understanding an individual.

Similarly, healing myself through alternative methods, I learned to respect an integrative way to treatment. Thus my experiences guided me to pursue my DNP as a psychiatric mental-health nurse practitioner. Needless to say, to counsel people with mental health disorders, I could become a psychologist, a social worker or even a counselor; yet what separates these fields from an advanced practice role in nursing is nursing’s fundamental moral commitment of caring along with the commitment to the welfare of the 'whole' person. It is the ultimate pledge that transcends the standard clinician role in order to form a genuine relationship with one’s patient through empathy which allows for greater awareness of the individual as a whole and allows the nurse to go beyond their uniform and become a real person. It is connections like these that make the vocation

fulfilling.
Moreover, from an early age my father instilled in me the value of striving for excellence in all my endeavors.

Consequently his words ventured on to influence everything I do; hence why I am pursuing a DNP and not stopping at a masters. An advanced-practice nursing degree at the DNP level will give me the ability to deliver the utmost care to my patients through the use of evidence-based treatment to influence health and health outcomes for individuals, groups, and populations. Ultimately, it will grant me the ability to be a man of impact here in the US and abroad. With a DNP, I would also use my expertise to reform healthcare and produce necessary changes especially in undeserved communities in the US and abroad, as I look to serve those in by collaborating with clinicians in programs like Doctors Without Borders. Access to proper healthcare is a necessity for all.

Ultimately what I hope to gain from the program is creative destruction. I hope to learn new ideas, and challenge my old ones, learning invaluable wisdom from my peers, professors and staff along the way. Above all, I hope to see the destruction of myself and leave the school realizing a new level of self-efficacy and

self-awareness.
Finally, the real reward comes from seeing someone in a dark place and being able to awaken the light within them. It is intervening in moments of crisis and saving a life when a resolution seems bleak. It is seeing people who were once living on the brink of despair and being able to give wholeheartedly, not wanting anything except their progress. It is seeing their growth and transformation as a person, helping them discover their strengths and revealing to them a new level self-efficacy they may have been unaware of. It is emptying oneself completely to be fully present with one’s patient. As I strive towards my vision of a more empowered world, I hope to create a better one for others and future generations to come.