Becoming a PMHNP will significantly enhance my abilities to serve as an advocate for my patient's mental health delivery, policymaking, and well-being. I am driven to become a Nurse Practitioner in this area who is highly skilled in delivering comprehensive, integrated care, providing treatment and education that supports patients and their families in times of crisis and instability, and helping each patient develop the self-management skills needed to achieve sustained recovery. Dedication and compassion are my greatest gifts, and I am compelled to serve the most vulnerable. I have learned much about mental health treatment and recovery as a professional nurse and patient, successfully battling depression and the effects of childhood trauma.
My current professional position as an internal lead with XXXX Behavioral Health Home Program has raised my motivation to become a PMHNP. In a patient-centered, evidence-based program, I am most thankful for the opportunity to acquire this type of professional, hands-on experience in integrated care. It has helped my clients improve their mental and physical health by developing self-management skills. I most enjoy being part of an interdisciplinary team, where communication and coordination among the members come together to provide the best outcomes for our patients. I currently support the treatment of a 14-year-old with morbid obesity, hypertension, and cardiac hypertrophy, diagnosed with Type II Diabetes early last year. He also has experienced significant trauma as an immigrant and victim of domestic violence, resulting in behaviors that contributed to his current health issues. Through collaboration with his behavioral health team, consisting of a medical doctor, registered dietician, exercise physiologist, psychiatrist, social worker, and his mother, I have helped this patient achieve a 20lb weight loss and a 10-point reduction in his HgA1C. His mental health has improved, along with his motivation and confidence. I have experienced exceptional satisfaction in providing weekly, in-depth education to the patient and his mother concerning diagnoses, treatment plans, and lifestyle interventions, empowering the family to create healthy lifestyle habits.
The PMHNP, as I see it, serves as a bridge, a coordinator between the mental and physical aspects of health, helping the patient improve their understanding of the complex interplay between the two. I see clients with BMIs that have steadily increased over time, even reaching a morbidly obese range, while their mental health worsened concurrently; yet it is my understanding that this health risk often goes unaddressed by their psychiatrist. I see second-generation antipsychotics prescribed with insufficient psychoeducation provided to the client, despite the impact these medications have on the development of my metabolic syndrome.
Through my ongoing collaboration with psychiatrists, BMI is starting to be included in client consults and treatment plans. The relationship between obesity and depression, anxiety, and dysfunctional social relationships, especially during the fragile teen years, must be considered in our approach to care, as the rates of childhood/ adolescent obesity continue to rise. I am especially pleased to play a leadership role in our efforts to improve metabolic monitoring in support of our clients and psychiatrists, which is excellent preparation for my studies towards becoming a PMHNP.
With select hybrid courses, XXXX's primarily online program is ideal for my personal and professional needs. As a working mother, the flexibility of online classes and the support of clinical placement coordination at XXXX will enable me to pursue my degree and stay committed to my family. On-campus, hands-on interactions will provide opportunities for inter-professional communication and collaboration with other nursing professionals. I have been focusing on the health of our more vulnerable patients since my undergraduate days in nursing, seeking out extra clinical hours, for example, in Community Health rotations.
I also believe that I am well prepared to embark on my chosen specialization because I was diagnosed with and treated for a major depressive disorder only four months after my graduation, forcing me to abandon my post at a level-one trauma facility, rendering me partially disabled for seven months - going through a divorce, moving to a new state, helping my mother move as well. Alongside my 4-year-old son, I have learned to manage life stressors in healthy, preventative ways, practicing daily self-care.
I plan to develop a particular focus as a practicing PMHNP on children and adolescents, continuing to study the science of ACEs and resiliency and combining my direct patient care experience with active membership in advocacy associations.
Thank you for considering my application.
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