What one runs away from might actually be their path to fulfilling purpose. As absurd as this sounds to most, it is an important component of a great career path and journey. I have always wanted to be in a profession where I can help people, specifically women and children. This is why nursing became an avenue to accomplish that purpose.
Nursing (as we know) opens the door to various opportunities and specialties. During my undergraduate education, I enjoyed all aspects of my clinical rotations, except I dreaded my psychiatric rotation. Maybe it was the sterile, high-security environment of the unit, or seeing patients who appeared visibly distressed and disoriented, that made me feel uneasy. After that rotation, I made it a point not to work in mental health. My nursing career started in pediatrics, where I was fortunate enough to work in a reputable hospital, and I realized that nursing was beyond the bedside as my inquisitive mind started yearning for more knowledge. To address this, I went on to obtain my master’s degree and Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) certification. I was now walking in my nursing purpose—or so I thought.
As an FNP, I worked in several fields, avoiding positions in mental health and/or psychiatry. As I got comfortable in my work, my patient population took on a new trajectory: mental health chief complaints. I was not comfortable with this and was quick to refer patients out. When I started noticing the “revolving door” of patients coming back to see their provider due to the mental health provider shortage, I knew that I had to act. I needed to get over my fears and ignorance and seek further ways to meet the needs of my patients. So, I enrolled to obtain a post-MSN in a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program. I kept saying to myself, “Trust the process.” But that was tough. How can one “trust the process” when they do not know the what, how, where, or when of the said process? I was determined to meet my patients’ needs, though, so I stayed the course of my program. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and it really opened me up to the true meaning of “trust the process.”
As mental health issues became more widespread, I recognized the importance of developing a solid understanding of mental illness, those who live with it, and their families. I also became more aware of my own mental health and how it shapes my role as a provider. I came to understand that caring for mental health is a shared journey—one that belongs to the patient. As a nurse, my responsibility is to walk that path with them and offer support with intention and compassion.
Mental health is a specialty that I absolutely did not want to be a part of—so much so that I ran away from it, mostly due to fear of the unknown and ignorance. However, I found my voice and purpose in mental health. By understanding my patients, their families, and their needs (which are mostly things that most take for granted, such as acceptance, community, housing, transportation, support system, etc.), I have come to realize that people do not care how much you know as a nurse or provider, but how much you truly care.
This journey into mental health, which was once so scar,y has made me appreciate my addition and impact on the nursing profession and improved my leadership skills, my work ethic, and mostly myself. I now know that one’s strength is tested when they finally start walking in their professional calling. It either makes you or breaks you, or as I will usually say, “I either walk or sink.” I choose to walk.
Ujaranne Renee Onuorah, DNP, PMHNP-BC, FNP-C, is an Assistant Clinical Lecturer at Miami University and a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. She is the Vice President of Sigma’s Lambda Epsilon Chapter and Beta Iota Chapter.