PERSONAL STATEMENT

I have worked for many years as a trained nurse in a teaching hospital setting, which represent
the highest level of healthcare delivery in Nigeria. This has provided me a lot of insight into the
numerous health related challenges being faces by fellow citizens. A major health challenge
affecting patients is mental health.

The challenges faced by people with mental health issues in Nigeria cannot be attributed to lack
of awareness of the issue by the society but rather any discussion around mental health is treated
as a taboo, a stigma. People suspected of having any issue relating to it are usually looked down
upon and ostracized. The society does not provide much care in this regards and individual are
more often left to cope in private while being expected to provide a strong face in the public.

The role of a nurse includes writing care plans, interacting with the patients as well as carrying
out ward rounds with a group of professionals. I would like to expand my knowledge further at a
higher level. One of the areas I am most interested in is mental health nursing, a career that needs
patience and empathy, and which could be especially rewarding in terms of the help I could give.

It will as well give me the chance to combine helping people's mental well being with their
physical health. It would give me the opportunity to study something that involves both
academic and practical study, which I feel would suit me best.

I feel it is important to use the Mental Health role to promote mental health illness to the public. I
am convinced that mental illness, which requires patience and empathy, is an area in which most
people are uncomfortable either talking about or taking part in preventing and supporting those
who suffer from mental issues. I have excellent communication skills which I have gained
through working as a nurse which I believe can be deployed for this task.

Studying mental health nursing at the university will present me with a great opportunity to
sharpen my skills and abilities. I am confident that I can meet the challenges involved and
choosing mental health nursing will help me fulfill my ambition of supporting and preventing
those who suffer from mental issues.