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Clear Horizons Early College High School

Dr. Shibi Kunjumon

Certified Nurse Practitioner (CNP)

Jatin Appannagari

Independent Study Mentorship (ISM)

Mrs. Zehentner
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Mentor Picture: Dr. Shibi did not allow me to take a picture.

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Summary:

Dr. Shibi is a person that I’ve known for 2+ years. She has been working in the nursing

field for a total of 33 years, 8 years as a Nurse practitioner and 25 years in the nursing field.

Something that inspires Dr. Shibi to do her job goes by a proverb “Serving to Mankind is serving

to God.” Dr. Shibi has earned her education in India, she majored in Biology and took nursing.

Her motivation to arrive to work everyday is patient satisfaction, especially when she helps heal

patients orthopedic injuries. The most challenging obstacles Dr. Shibi faces throughout a daily

basis is paperwork and charting, while also checking on the availabilities of Nurse Practitioners.

Its all based on time and if you have too much of a workload you won’t be as organized.

Analysis:

I’ve learned many things from Dr. Shibi in the beginning of my mentorship. Nursing is a

competitive field, it’s not something that will come easily. You have to put in the time,

dedication, and hard work. I have learned many of the orthopedic terms such as osteoporosis,

gout, etc. At first, I didn’t know what specialty I would choose as a Physician Assistant, but now

I am considering orthopedics because I am fascinated about the musculoskeletal system. In my

mentorship, I observe Dr. Shibi, how she interacts with the patients and how she always

establishes a great relationship with them. There are many skills required for the medical field, I

believe the most important is communication.

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Interview Essay:

Dr. Shibi Kunjumon was born in Kerala, India. Throughout her educational experience,

she was always at the top. In her high school year, she was dedicated to going into the medical

field. She majored in biology, and after she completed her degree, she went into nursing. She

was inspired to go into the nursing field because of a proverb in the Bible: "Serving to man is

serving to God.” At this time, there was a huge shortage of nurses in the past, which motivated

Dr. Shibi to become a nurse practitioner, significantly impacting patients’ lives. The main obsta-

cle that Dr. Shibi faced in her education was nursing school. It is very competitive; you are re-

quired to have excellent scores and good clinical rotations.

One of the driving factors in Dr. Shibi’s career as a nurse practitioner is patient satisfac-

tion. She plays an important role in the healing process of a patient, especially when dealing with

osteoporosis and bone spurts. She has a purpose when she arrives at the clinic each day. To suc-

ceed as a nurse practitioner, Dr. Shibi mentions the importance of medical competency. She

mentions how pathophysiology is a skill that is used every day throughout her work. Nurses use

pathophysiology every time they meet with a patient. Dr. Shibi has been working in the nursing

field for a total of 33 years, including 8 years as a Certified Nurse Practitioner and 25 years in the

nursing field. Her experience in this field shows how dedicated she is in the nursing field and

how much care she shows for her patients.

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However, there are also some challenges as a nurse practitioner. Dr. Shibi expresses how

some of the tasks she does on a daily basis can be stressful and difficult to complete. She men-

tions how it's all based on time; you need to complete your tasks on time, such as charting and

catching up on notes.

For Dr. Shibi, the most important personal traits for her success in nursing are compas-

sion, kindness, and empathy. She believes that establishing a connection with a patient is key to

building trust and friendship.

In conclusion, Dr. Shibi shows the amount of work she put into becoming a Certified

Nurse Practitioner. Her journey from a biology major in India to an experienced NP in the

United States shows how committed she is to serving humanity and making a positive difference

in the world of healthcare. Dr. Shibi’s story reminds me that “hard work is its own reward."
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Works Cited:

Appannagari, Jatin. Personal Interview, 28 September 2023

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Transcription of Interview:

What Interested you in this field?

I go by a proverb that says “serving to mankind is serving to god”. Also because there was a

shortage of nurses in the past.

How did you prepare for this field prior to college?

I had to take many exams and preparation classes/tutoring. I majored in biology, did 12th grade in

India and chose nursing as my field.

What inspires you in your field?

Patient satisfaction, when somebody has a fracture or injury I heal them and I am satisfied

because they no longer have pain.

What type of skills do you need to do well at your job?

In NP, you need to know about your pathophysiology, you are going to diagnose a patient and

treat medically. Competency is the main thing.

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How long have you had this job?

As a NP 8 years, Nursing field 25 years.

What is the hardest thing about your job?

Catching up on the notes, sometimes NP won’t be able to answer the call for their patients, Its all

based on time and if your workload is too much then you won’t be able to finish your work.

Charting is the main

What was the most difficult part of your postsecondary education? Why?

Getting into nursing college is competitive. And you have to have good scores and clinical

rotations within the nursing program, and working 3 days in a week too much homework.

Nowadays, clinical rotation is very easy.

What is the most important personal trait needed for this field?

Compassion, kindness, listen to your patients, be empathetic. When the patient comes in you

have to listen to them and give eye contact.

Nursing is a rewarding passion and they have good rewards, surgeons have to be busy and 3 days

in the OR 3-4 cases they can do surgery and complicate more. PA and NP are midlevel providers

and you are helping your surgeon or doctor. You are improving many things while doing this.