Today was a very fun day filled with a bunch of interesting lectures as well as a wonderful talk from a woman who came over from Jamaica. Then, we went on an African Heritage tour around Birmingham and lastly ended the day going to a Jamaican restaurant which was very delicious!

What I Learned From The Lectures9

For the first lecture of the day, we learned about nurses that are in the United Kingdom in the school system. The jobs of these nurses are very different from the role of the school nurses in the United States. For example, what was really different between the nurses in the United Kingdom was how anyone was able to call themself a school nurse. The nurses in the UK are also different because not only did they help with the health of the students in the school, but they also help with the students well-being. They really listen to the students and are there for them. They are also looking at the community and not just their patients. They are looking at all aspects of everyone in the school and the surrounding area. 

Next, we had a very informational lecture on mental health. First, we were told about the history of Birmingham. For example, something very interesting that I found out today was how Birmingham is the number one minority majority city. The history was very interesting and I also was interested in the end result and the message of the history, which was that people think that mental health is genetic, but it can not be because people that are immigrant minorities do not have mental health issues in their home country but do in other places. 

Moving onto the authors, we learned a lot about three different authors and their perspective and/or beliefs on mental health. First off, we learned about Johanna Moncrieff, who is a doctor. Her main point was how psychiatric drugs are not thought about as much as they should be and should only be used as a last resort when it comes to helping someone with a mental illness. She focused on the center model which refers to how the chemical imbalance can lead to therapeutic effects instead of reversing the chemical imbalance. The positive part of this belief is that it puts the power back in the patients’ hands. Next, we learned about Lucy Johnstown, a psychologist. She talks about how diagnosis’s change over time and she wants to understand how they come about in the first place. I think this is a very interesting thought and I never considered it. Lastly, we learned about Freya Collier-Sewell who was a nurse. She talks about the irony in how we as a community are against being treated for mental health but at the same time uphold it. She also mentions how independence does not equal mental health. Overall, these three authors allowed me to consider a lot of different opinions and facts on mental health.

Such A Meaningful Talk

Lastly, we talked to a wonderful lady who actually came over to the United Kingdom from Jamaica and was a nurse. She was very sweet and an inspiration. It was wonderful to talk to her and hear her story. She told us how she was pregnant and she came over to Birmingham. The people in the UK were asking for people to come over because there were several open jobs. The Jamaicans came over and took the jobs that they needed, but it was not all sunshine and rainbows. I’m fact, the people in Birmingham did not appreciate the Jamaicans. The lady who we talked to came over and became a nurse. She told us about the time that she came over and what she went through.

I thought that she was really inspirational. She started off being a general nurse when she came over. She eventually became a psychiatric nurse and finally became a midwife. She explained how her life was very hard when she came over. She had a little boy and was in a new place. However, she made it very clear that her goal was on the line and she knew that she was going to be successful. Ever since she was 10, she was very caring and knew that she wanted to be a nurse and make a difference in people’s lives. She also mentioned how being a nurse is very rewarding, but being a midwife is even more rewarding because you get to see the mostly happy and life changing moments. Lastly, the lady mentioned how the United Kingdom has changed but in some ways also seemed similar. There was discrimination with her as a nurse sometimes with the patients. However, there were a lot of Black nurses and healthcare workers when she came to the United Kingdom, so there was no discrimination between her and her coworkers. In conclusion, I can really relate to her because I knew that I wanted to be a nurse when I was around her age. I also want to be a labor and delivery nurse for similar reasons. I love hearing stories about people’s lives and I am so thankful that she came and was able to talk to us.

Later In The Evening…

Finally, we went on a tour around Birmingham and went to dinner. I thought that it was really neat to walk around this city that I have been walking around for the past four days and see a different side of history. It was fascinating to hear the relationship that the Jamaicans and other people had with the United Kingdom. I hope that this history can live on and more people learn about it. Finally, we went to Jamaican food for dinner and it was DELICIOUS. I loved the spices and flavors. Overall, I had a great day today and can not wait to keep learning tomorrow!!! Until then!