Earning My PMHNP Degree as a Working Parent
Pursuing an advanced nursing degree is more than just upskilling; it’s a calling that runs much deeper — the call to make a positive impact on the overall quality of life. When I joined WGU’s Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) program, I knew that serving in the mental health care industry would mean immersing myself in a lifelong experience of reading between the lines. Sensitive, important, yet still sometimes stigmatized, mental health care piqued my interest during my nursing journey.
Understanding complex situations and digging deeper into solutions, often involving the intangible, became my dream, my purpose, my why. I knew that it was not going to be a piece of cake, especially as a mother of two and working full-time. My purpose would have to be backed by my perseverance, and I would have to juggle responsibilities to accomplish my dream.
Joining WGU’s MSN - PMHNP Program
I learned about Western Governors University’s master’s program in psychiatric mental health. The program’s flexible mode of delivery intrigued me to dive deeper into its curriculum, authenticity and availability. I looked for answers to ensure that this was the right fit for my journey. And then with a racing heart, support from my family and a vision to advance my education and career, I joined WGU’s Michael O. Leavitt School of Health.
Joining this program meant that I still would have to juggle my responsibilities, but I would not have to uproot my life to obtain an education. WGU became the bridge that connected my calling with reality. The flexibility allowed me to balance life’s many demands, and the competency-based model reminded me that success is not about speed, it’s about mastery — your own mastery of the course at your individual pace. Every milestone reminded me why I started: to serve, to heal and to make a difference in mental health.
Balancing Life and Pushing Through
My journey to becoming a PMHNP has been anything but easy. I tried to remain calm at every step and balance responsibility toward my family, my full-time job as a registered nurse and as an advanced nursing student. There were moments when I questioned if I could keep going, but my “why” always brought me back to center, and words of encouragement from my father and my late mother kept me going.
This degree is not just for me; it’s for my two wonderful children as well. They would often watch me stay up late, wake up early and just push through. I believe that when they grow up, they’ll remember that even when life gets hard, perseverance leads to possibility.
Each milestone achieved — courses completed, clinicals accomplished, exams cleared — brought me closer to the fulfillment of my dream. Every small feat built a pillar of a much stronger grit in me to serve those whose voices are too often unheard, to provide care where stigma still exists and to help people heal not just physically, but mentally and emotionally.
Reflecting on My WGU Journey
As I look back, I feel blessed that I had the opportunity to choose a nursing program that helped me advance my education without giving up the life that I had already built. The individualized attention that I received from the course instructors and mentors helped me voice concerns and challenges and seek customized solutions for my case in a safe space; it felt like they were genuinely invested in seeing me succeed.
Today, I stand here not only as a graduate but as proof that perseverance, faith and purpose can turn obstacles into opportunities. This degree is more than an achievement; it’s a legacy for my children, a tribute to my mother, my grandparents and a commitment to my patients.
For anyone out there ruminating whether you could ever balance it all — routine life, career and educational advancement — I’d just ask you to start your journey and keep pushing forward. Advanced nursing education is not easy, but if that’s your dream, then it’s worth taking that leap of faith.
