Humans of UNAC/UHCP: Carlotta Calhoun, RN
“I chose nursing because I thought it would be the best way to help people. It actually wasn’t my original route — I went to school as a criminal justice major to become a public defender, but I soon realized it wasn’t for me. I felt like my impact would be greatest in nursing, because of what it means to serve the people in the most need. I’ve been a chemical dependency and psychiatric nurse for the last two and a half years at Sharp Healthcare.
“The proudest moment I’ve had at work was when I received a two-page handwritten letter from one of my patients thanking me for helping him feel seen and heard. I work in chemical dependency and psychiatry, so I owe it to my patients to listen. I want to treat patients the way I would want my family to be treated if they were ever in those shoes.
“The letter was so unexpected… I got tearful reading it; I couldn’t believe that I made him feel that way. I remembered that patient very vividly. I could picture his face. I showed my co-workers what he had written, and we all felt fuzzy about it.
“My specialty has always been so personal to me, especially because I have my own struggles with mental health. I think people don’t understand how underfunded and unaffordable this type of care is. Our society has stigmatized people with mental health issues who seek help when they’re at their lowest point in life to such an extreme extent that creating new resources and providing access has almost become impossible. Mental health is health.
“To people who feel that stigma — you are seen, you are heard. As nurses, we care about you, and we want to help you as much as we possibly can, no matter what stage of your journey you are in.
“The most defining moment of my career was the first time I cried at work. A patient told me about a very difficult moment in their life, and I could not keep it together. I stepped out of the room and told my co-workers what had happened, and they flooded me with support. I knew in that moment that I wasn’t the only one who felt so deeply, who cared so much about these patients. And I knew — that’s what I was meant to do.
“As a nurse I always knew my purpose was to help others. So many people are so dehumanized when they’re going through their struggles. I want them to feel seen and heard.
“Self-care is the most important thing possible. Because if you can’t take care of yourself, you can’t take care of anyone else. There’s no way. You have to stay healthy.
“If I could say anything to my younger self starting out in healthcare, it’s: one step at a time, one day at a time. You can’t save the world in a day, and you can’t do it alone. It takes a village.
“As a member of UNAC/UHCP, I now strive for improvement. The workplace could always be safer and better. I want to focus on shifting things toward a positive and collaborative change so that all health care workers can have the best work environment possible — and so our patients can receive the excellent care that they deserve.
“Nurses Week is the time when we’re recognized and celebrated for our contributions to the community. It’s when I feel the most appreciated. And it’s when I get to reflect on why I chose to be a nurse — and really see the impact that we’ve all made.”
— Carlotta Calhoun is a chemical dependency and psychiatric nurse at Sharp Mesa Vista for Sharp Healthcare in San Diego. She is a member of UNAC/UHCP and our Membership Matters Academy.