Meet our students: Tiffane Staley
Hometown: Bellingham, WA
Year/Program: 2nd year/DNP-PMHNP
What is your research/areas of interest? LBGTQ+, Mood disorders, and substance use disorders
Do you have a faculty mentor? If so, whom? Amy Walker
Tiffane Staley
Why did you choose nursing? I choose nursing because I wanted to help and care for people beyond a diagnosis. As a nurse I care for individuals holistically which impacts lives in more ways than one. I am not only concerned with how effective treatment is but how my patient is doing in all aspects of life. After practicing as a registered nurse for 5 years I wanted to take this nursing philosophy to the next level by becoming a nurse practitioner. I have seen disparities and needs happening within the walls of or hospitals and on the streets of Seattle. I believe nurses and nurse practitioners are one of the solutions our population requires to meet the needs of the country. By becoming a nurse practitioner I hope to have a greater impact on the community which I live and practice in.
What has been an unforgettable experience during your time at the School of Nursing? If you’re a first year, you can disregard. An unforgettable experience during my time at the School of Nursing (SoN) would be participating in Nurse Legislative Day. I remember getting on the bus with my classmates some who I knew and others not so much. We all were given purple scarves and a sense of unity filled the space. Once we arrived at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts to hear from various speakers on how to advocate and speak with our representatives Governor Jay Inslee came on the stage. During his speech he gave a special shout-out to mental health nurses and myself and classmates in the PMHNP track yelled in appreciation. We then broke up into our districts and strategized how we were going to approach our representative and what issues were important to us as nurses. Then we met with our representatives which I never thought was something I could or would do. We were able to hear their thoughts on current or upcoming bills and ask for their support. They expressed their value of the opinions of nurses and how important we were to the community. Throughout the day I met new individuals from different school and from within my own cohort. I gained a lot from that day including new friendships and the confidence to engage in politics.
How has your experience at the School of Nursing helped you with your career trajectory? If you’re a first year student, what experiences are you hoping for to help with your career trajectory? The access to speak with faculty and staff alone has helped me with my career trajectory. I have had the opportunity to participate with faculty on research opportunities which is an area I had no experience in before. This opportunity provided insight into what completing research and prospects having a PhD would provide. Faculty and staff have encouraged me to pursue a PhD in order to reach my goals of impacting the LGBTQ+ community.
What are your plans after graduation? Plans after graduation is to start the PhD program so I can further impact and support the communities I belong to. In addition I would like to practice in an outpatient setting 1-2 days a week while completing my PhD.