Discovering the Science of Nursing
Profile Index

(Photo by Chris Hartlove)

It was my strong interest in research that led me to the field of health care. As an undergraduate student, I combined two of my passions, ecology and travel, to study ants in the Serengeti plains and mites in the Costa Rican rainforests. I found myself yearning, though, for a more direct connection between science and the people it affects.

After graduation, I became a clinical research scientist, working alongside nurses, physicians, and technicians to conduct pediatric AIDS clinical trials in Chicago.  I appreciated all of my colleagues, but the work that the nurses performed every day was most appealing to me.  I was impressed by the depth of care the nurses provided, evaluating the patients entire mind and body.  Of all my colleagues, nurses spent the most time comforting, educating, and listening to patients and their families.
 
I began working as an HIV Health Educator, facilitating small group sessions in immigrant Kenyan communities. The job was immensely fulfilling and I began considering ways to integrate my interests in health care and education.

 I realized that a career in nursing would be a wonderful opportunity for me to bridge the gap between the world of science and the cultural and emotional world that each of us negotiates daily. I want my understanding of medicine to include a solid awareness of how social factors play into the health of the individual.

 My education at the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing is preparing me to provide patient education on HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases that is sensitive to individuals and their cultural context. As a France-Merrick scholar, I am proud to be confronting the serious threat of infectious diseases around the world.

France Merrick Foundation Scholarship
Established in 2000 to support students working in the Lillian Wald Community Center and its satellite sites.  This gift was part of a $10 million dollar commitment to the Johns Hopkins University.  This foundation is administrated by the Pinkard family, for whom the School of Nursing building was named.

-Sheyanga Beecher, Accelerated-13 2008