Kathy Eyegue-Sandy

Inspiration to Become a Nurse 

My mom was a midwife. Sometimes she would carry me along. The one thing I saw on the faces of the patients was, it didn't matter what they were going through. If they were in pain, if they were struggling, there was always that smile on their face when they saw the nurse. I wanted to chase those same smiles I saw my mother chasing. That's how and why I became a nurse. 

Why I Pursued the Certification 

I am a doctoral-prepared nurse practitioner. I have practiced both inpatient and outpatient, and the one thing I have seen all through these years is the issues with access to mental health. I'm very concerned about the mental health and well-being of my patients. I felt like if I go back and add this certification, it's definitely going to hone my skills to better equip me to manage my patients’ care.  

Why I Chose Wilkes 

The Wilkes University program does put emphasis on leadership. There's something about integrity when it comes to an online program, and Wilkes University had that. The program was very affordable with all its credibility. 

Flexibility and Clinical Placement Support 

The flexibility helped me actually work part-time while going to school. [It] helped me balance my life. When it comes to clinical placement, many schools don't offer clinical placement, and it is a hassle. So that was really a plus. [Wilkes] really did assist me with placement, making sure I was matched with the clinical site that also met my own values and my own goals.  

Leadership and Clinical Growth 

Wilkes has helped me enhance my leadership abilities. It has also given me advanced clinical skills to better take care of mental health patients. It has empowered me.