LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KATV) — Nursing is often called a calling, but it can also be a lot to carry, especially when the work never really stops.
Earlier this month, National Nurses Week highlighted the essential impact of health care workers. But the job can take a toll on mental health, too, and Justin Hicks, Infirmary Nurse at CHI St. Vincent, says it’s important to talk about that connection, especially during Mental Health Awareness Month.
Hicks’ path into nursing wasn’t a straight line. He said he “had to kind of reinvent myself at the age of 38,” after spending “10 plus years” working in the financial field. While also working at several restaurants, he said an “81 year old lady Rosemary James” who was his boss pulled him aside and offered some blunt encouragement.
Hicks said she told him, “’Hey, you need to do something with your life, you can’t work for me forever,’” and added, “’My daughter, Jim’s been a nurse for 35 years, and I think he’d be a wonderful nurse.’” Hicks said that conversation “really impacted my life and my journey” and helped spark his interest in nursing.
Going back to school later in life came with its own adjustments. Hicks said it was “very different,” especially as more coursework moved online. “Was different and definitely a learning curve for me,” he said.
For anyone wondering if it’s too late to start over, Hicks said, “Definitely not.” He said more people will need to “reinvent ourselves and adapt,” and he recalled being inspired by a classmate who began nursing school at 64. His advice: “Just think being open-minded and having the attitude that you want to continue to learn.”
Hicks now specializes in behavioral health, a choice shaped by personal loss. He said he lost his brother, Scott, “he was 21 to suicide,” and that the death “really shook our family to the core.” Hicks said his work now gives him “an opportunity daily to work with people, and to honor him in a way.”
He also wants people to understand the demands nurses face. “Just the rigors of it,” Hicks said, noting that in a hospital setting it’s “24/7, 365. we don’t close.” He emphasized that nurses have their own needs, too. “Nurses are people. they have physical, mental, emotional health needs, and they go through a lot,” he said.
Hicks said he tries to remind his team daily: “Thank you for the work that you do. Always try to take care of yourself.” For those considering the profession, he described nursing as “very rewarding, very challenging,” and added, “You have to be prepared to take care of yourself first.”
As for how he stays emotionally balanced, Hicks said he leans on exercise as an outlet, stays involved with church, and values time with family, including spending a lot of time with his brothers, to “stay connected and active.”