With an introduction like that, how could I decline this opportunity to try my hand at joining my passion for psych/mental health nursing with blogging? Especially considering the impact the 22nd Annual APNA Conference had on me, something I certainly intend to share with you in coming posts.
So, who the heck am I, that graduate student in Iowa referred to in the previous post? My name is Bonnie D'Souza, and I'm enrolled in the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program at the University of Iowa. While I've been a nurse for just over 3 years now, my heart has been in psych nursing for much longer than that. I went into my BSN program at Lewis University with a strong suspicion of my future specialty and am intensely satisfied with how my interest has grown. My particular interests lie in geropsychiatric nursing, end-of-life and bereavement, and research.
Thinking in true Wheel-of-Fortune-style introductions... :) I've been with a wonderful man for 6+ years and married him 2 1/2 years ago. He grew up in India, and we're planning to travel there this winter. We don't have children yet but are hopeful to someday. When I'm not glued to my text books and computer for classes, I love to spend my time baking, drinking coffee, reading, wandering bookstores & libraries, and playing photographer.
(The graduate student APNA-Janssen Scholars - Thanks to Pat for taking this!)
I am one of the 30 individuals honored this year with being selected as an APNA-Janssen Scholar. Hopefully, you will be hearing from a couple of them on this blog throughout the year! A large part of that award was having the opportunity to attend the APNA 22nd Annual Conference in Minneapolis a few weeks ago. This was truly a wonderful experience, one that allowed me to meet and spend time with some of the leaders in psychiatric/mental health nursing. I'm not just referring to the keynote speakers and those who gave presentations or had posters, but all those nurses I met in the elevator or sat next to at the concurrent sessions. And how can I not mention the other APNA-Janssen Scholars? This group of nurses and future nurses, my peers, who are so bright, interesting, and talented. I have no doubt that our generation will continue to bring these qualities to psych/mental health!
I am looking forward to blogging over the coming year. I hope to share with you some of my experiences, thoughts, and questions as a young nurse in the PMHNP program. But it doesn't stop there - I also want to hear from you. What are your experiences and insights? What do you wonder about? It's in the coming together that we can accomplish powerful things!
You can begin by commenting on this first post - how neat is it that two of the people who comment on the first post will be selected to receive a book! That's great! I'd do it!!
Cheers!
~Bonnie
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2 comments:
Congrat's Bonnie!
I was at the conference as well and it was so good! Last week I tool the PMH-NP exam and passed. I am now waiting on licensure and then I can go to work. I have worked inpatient psych for 11 years. I was hired to work on the same unit I have been with for the last 8 years. I am very excited to go to work as I have been in school for the last 2 years full-time. I went to UW Madison. I can say that going to grad school was the best thing I have ever done for myself. My interests are acute care psych, adult.
I look forward to reading your blog!
Mary Forslund PMH-NP, BC
Mary - Congratulations on passing the PMHNP exam! That's really exciting!! How are you adjusting to not being in school full-time? :) Thanks for the posting the first comment!
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