My educational story begins with earning a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology. I was a Mental Health Counselor at the Children's Hospital and at the State of Colorado Mental Health Institute at Fort Logan. It was very rewarding to assist children, adolescent, and adult patients with their mental health needs. A couple of promotions were achieved with no more room to grow. I knew that working with people was satisfying and enjoyable but I felt that I could do more. There was always a nurse in a management capacity with more responsibility and more opportunities for career advancement. I have always had a keen interest in learning more about how the body works in relation to the mind. An Associate Degree in Applied Science in Nursing was obtained. A Centura Health hospital was the first actual medical position acquired. The Mental Health Institute offered a promotion to Charge Nurse. The first year after nursing school found me working at both hospitals. My thought process was two years of experience could be obtained in a single year. Understanding mental health will always be very advantageous to my nursing career and the powerful connection mental health shares with physical health can only enhance my nursing judgment and improve patient interactions. I will never regret my psychological training but more and more gratification and significance was derived from the pure medical aspects. Another year of dreadful nurse to patient ratios placed me in a position to look at other hospitals. Surely, not all hospitals were like this. My thought process was clear: my coworkers were overworked and most of them completely frustrated made perfect sense why there was a major nursing shortage. I joined the University of Colorado Hospital and have never looked back.