Brenda Denice Wilson-Harris

I was working as an assistant nurse manager. While I was working on my bachelor's degree, I was working towards becoming a nurse manager. I grew while I was going to school, and my parents were proud of me. Another girl in my class, Jackie, said, 'Go get your master's because it is going to become a requirement.' She went on to say, 'We are going to go through this together.' FIU Nursing had just been accredited for the master's program, and there were 12 of us in the first graduating class. I had a professor who taught me therapeutic touch, and she encouraged me to continue my education. I was inspired by the people I met at FIU Nursing. I had another professor who said, 'You will succeed.' I did my thesis on pain management, and it covered cultural diversity. It focused on enhancing the quality of life for patients afflicted by pain. I oversaw and managed the oncology floor at a hospital. I found that different cultures had different beliefs on whether or not the patient was experiencing pain. At FIU Nursing, I mentored people who were interning. I used to speak at different schools and spent time going into the community. I spoke at a pain management seminar at a hospital. I enjoyed the various cultures that I came across. It was important, and it meant a lot to me. I always taught nurses that actions spoke louder than words.