Exploring Nursing Specialties and Personal Interests
Knowing what I did not want to do in this career was my first step in selecting a nursing specialty within the school. I was interested in mental nursing, pediatrics, or maternity right away. I have a particular interest in the health of minority women and children. I had difficulty deciding between doing the FNP route and the pediatric nurse practitioner route. Expanding my professional network will help me become even better at my job.
Choosing the Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) Path
Moreover, I realized that my interest in working in a hospital environment had waned, making the program for acute care nurse practitioners appear unsuitable. Since I wanted to work with the minority community and develop enduring relationships with my patients, I enrolled in the family nurse practitioner (FNP) program. I also appreciate that this specialty’s area of practice is determined by the needs of the patient rather than the environment.
Balancing Professional Networking and Organizational Membership
Organizations for professionals work to enhance their members’ careers and interests. However, the membership cost may put many nurses off, particularly if they plan to join several organizations. Given that there are costs associated with joining these organizations, the nurse would be wise to make an informed decision (Dayo et al., 2022).
Addressing Racial Disparities in Maternal Health
Upon discovering the frequent occurrence of unfavorable maternal health outcomes among Black women in the United States, accompanied by a longstanding history of racial disparities in maternal health, I decided to pursue enrollment in the FNP program. In comparison to their white counterparts, Black women face a three to fourfold higher likelihood of mortality resulting from pregnancy-related issues. They are twice as prone to experiencing severe maternal morbidity. (Dayo et al., 2022).
Integrating Decolonization and Equity into Nursing Practice
It is crucial to consider whether nurses are involved in creating information to enhance maternal health outcomes for Black laboring women. (Dayo et al., 2022) Decolonizing nursing can be accomplished in two ways: by looking at the evolution of Black maternal health in the United States and by leveraging the works of nursing academics of color to direct nursing education, research, and clinical practice; it is one of my main goals when I start my program.
Reference
Dayo, E., Christy, K., & Habte, R. (2022). Health in color: Black women, racism, and maternal health. The Lancet Regional Health – Americas. Web.