Trail Blazers
Jessica Cummings,
Nurse Practitioner
What was your path to mental healthcare?
Originally entering into healthcare over 22 years ago, its been very evident that the underlying mental health of each patient we treat will ultimately have some impact on how they recover. Starting off as a CNA, I became an RN in the ICU and went back to school for my FNP. Having served most of my career in Chicago and Northwest Indiana in the ICU and ER, I moved to Arizona just prior to the COVID pandemic start in 2020. The impact of COVID and on the mental health of our society as a whole has never been more apparent. I have personally witnessed patients lose the inability to cope and have lost their will to live. I have seen children and teenagers begin to suffer from self esteem issues, abandonment issues and severe social anxiety that have all impacted their ability to attend school. Social media's influence has never been more powerful, and the direct impact on our adolescent and children has also led to increased trauma due to exposure to sensitive content. Couple this, with increased child abuse, substance abuse and alcohol use in our country, now we have increased domestic violence and child abuse cases as a result of society's inability to cope. Professionally, it has also been a known fact that healthcare workers now suffer from increased mental health issues and are leaving the profession as a result. Access and resources to treatment are very limited. There are not enough to help with the demand. It is the combination of all these things that made me want to help and was the driving factor to return back to school for my PMHNP certification.
How will this scholarship help you?
This scholarship will allow me to attend the conference without increased financial burden on my family and I. Going back to school is a financial endeavor in itself in today's day and economy. Without the scholarship, it is very likely that we have the extra funds to allow me to attend. Being able to attend this conference will afford me the opportunity to learn from the best and brightest in the industry and gain the most current evidence based knowledge that will be needed for me when I graduate this fall and start my own practice.
What are your academic and/or career goals?
Overall, my goal is to help increase the access to psychiatric care to individuals and use a holistic approach. I have a keen interest in enteric neurology and the impacts of diet and overall total wellness on the psyche of individuals and would love to incorporate this into my practice. Additionally, I am interested in EMDR and trauma therapy, as well as the treatment of eating disorders.
What does “exceptional patient care” mean to you?
Exceptional patient care to me, means treating each individual you care for with the upmost respect, providing empathy and maintaining a non-judgmental approach. It means partnering with each patient while taking care of each individual like you would want to be treated yourself, or how you would want your loved ones to be treated- this means the best care possible and tailored to each individual on a unique basis. It means being available, approachable, and having a good follow-up process. It means educating and helping to promote healing and overall wellness of the mind and body. It means being up to date on all the current options available to care for your clients at all times, and open to new ideas and approaches. It is a unique congruent partnership between each patient that will evolve based on the needs and challenges that arise with the flexibility and resources needed to ensure the best outcomes possible.