Vital Views

Unknown Speaker 0:32
Hey, everyone. I'm Joe Cadiz, your host for today's episode of vital views, a podcast created by UNLV School of Nursing to discuss healthcare from a rebel nursing perspective. We bring you stories and expert insights on both nursing specific and broader healthcare topics, aiming to highlight the health trends and issues that impact all of us. As for me, I'm a new grad from the direct entry MSM program currently pursuing my Executive Master of Healthcare Administration and PhD in nursing at UNLV. I also serve as the president of the Nevada Student Nurses Association. I'm passionate about exploring the depth of nursing practice and leadership, always looking to grow and learn more about how we can elevate the nursing profession and support each other as fellow nurses. Joining us today is Dr Sigrid Barrett, a powerhouse in the world of nursing education with a PhD, RN, PNP, pediatric nurse practitioner, CNE, certified nurse educator and F aan fellow of the academy American Academy of Nursing to her name, she's not just a leader. She is a rebel and Trailblazer. Dr Barrett is the first Filipino woman to hold the position of Dean of Nursing at UNLV from her groundbreaking interdisciplinary research at the University of Alabama at bringing him to her leadership here at UNLV, Dr Barrett has been instrumental in shaping the future of healthcare, one nurse at a time, as we celebrate Filipino American History Month, her journey as a proud Filipino American and her role as a mentor and role model for underrepresented voices in nursing are more timely and inspiring than ever. We're excited to dive into her incredible story, her passion for mentorship and what she envisions for the future of nursing. Dean Barrett, welcome to the podcast.

Unknown Speaker 2:34
Thank you so much, Joe. It's such a pleasure being here with you today, and what an honor, really. This is pretty cool to do a podcast with you, and we're just gonna have fun. Yes, we're

Unknown Speaker 2:46
gonna have a lot of fun today. And I did want to start by talking about something close to both of our hearts, and that is representation as fellow Filipinos, we know how powerful it is to see leaders who look like us, and it's a great time to talk about this, because it is Filipino American History Month. How has your Filipino heritage influenced your leadership style, and how do you think being a visible leader has helped others break through their own boundaries and even break through their own glass ceilings.

Unknown Speaker 3:23
What a great question. Thank you. Thank you for this opportunity to spend time with you and to our listeners. So Happy Filipino American History Month, to you as well, and to our fellow cababayans listening. It is quite an honor being the first Filipino American Dean in this position at the School of Nursing. When I was invited to apply for this deanship, I wasn't really looking for the opportunity. Let's be honest, I was happy doing what I was doing at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing, is very gratifying being department chair in leading my large department. But at the same time, when this opportunity came up, I felt that it was my responsibility to just try, because I wanted to see if I could invite myself to the table and be one of the leaders that can shape nursing education, nursing research in a higher capacity as dean. And so it was important for me to at least give it my all to interview, and by golly UNLV liked me. They liked me enough to invite me to do a formal interview as one of the finalists, and it's been quite a ride since then, representation is key. As you may know, there's a ton of. Filipino nurses in the US, yes, but the issue here is that there's not a whole lot of recognition for them or appreciation for all that they've done to promote health and wellness and prevent disease with their patients communities, and so as a dean, it is my responsibility to showcase the work of our underrepresented or underrepresented minorities in in the nursing profession. So being as dean, hopefully I'll shine the light a little bit more on some of the accomplishments and contributions of not just Filipino American Nurses, but certainly all the other minoritized groups who contribute so much, but they just don't get air time. So yes, let's break those glass ceilings. Let's forge our own path. And

Unknown Speaker 5:53
I know that's something we talked about even before I was on the Dean search committee and seeing someone from your background that looks like you, that has a similar cultural background as yourself, is powerful, and it definitely does something to lift your own lid. Maybe you can see yourself in that position in the future. So we really appreciate you putting yourself out there. And like you mentioned, Filipinos make such a huge part of nursing, but oftentimes, I think because of the culture, they're more reticent to step into those leadership positions. So for yourself, to put your name in the mix, to put yourself at the table, is inspiring, not just for myself, but I'm sure, for so many other young Filipino nurses that are just finding their way. And

Unknown Speaker 6:44
I'll tell you, I've been in this job 37 or 38 days. 38 days, wow. And I've had several students already come up to me and express their thanks and appreciation for being a representative, and how they said, if, if you can do it, so can I, because they've heard my stories. I am a product of an immigrant family. I came when I was 15 to the United States, landed in New Jersey, and realized, whoa, there's a lot to learn about being in a new country, lots to catch up on and cultural differences and things like that. And I had to grow up really, really fast. So it's been quite an exciting 38 days here at UNLV. The Filipino communities here have welcomed me warmly. We're talking at least 200,000 Filipinos, apparently, in the small area of Las Vegas, and I've met just a tiny portion of them, but those who I've met already have, again, expressed their excitement for having a dean who looks like them, who speaks like them, understands, you know, the struggles of what it's like being an immigrant and coming into a new country. So it's truly an honor, and I'm humbled by this opportunity, and I don't take it lightly. I know this is a big deal for me, for our community, and I will do the very best job that I can. And

Unknown Speaker 8:24
on the topic of Filipino hospitality, Filipino family gatherings are always centered around food. There's there's always a feast available to anyone that comes to a Filipino gathering. And with that in mind, let's bring a little bit of Filipino culture into the conversation. If you had to compare a classic Filipino dish to the nursing profession, what would it be? Lumpia adobo, maybe sinigang. What dish best represents what it means to be a nurse?

Unknown Speaker 8:58
Wow. What a packed question. That is, I love the question. And I would have to say, while most people would gravitate towards lumpia, which is our version of spring rolls, right, or adobo, the classic dish that we have, which is a mixture of vinegar sauce and soy sauce. I actually would liken myself more of a sinigang. So I'm a sinigang girl, okay? And for those who don't know what sinigang is, let me explain. Sinigang is a tamarind based soup. It can be very hardy, because you can dump whatever meat or fish or seafood or shellfish that you want, whatever your preference is, and you can include whatever vegetables you want it in, okay, so you can make it your own. And I liken it. Myself and my representation as a nurse, because while the first taste of that soup is tangy, right, sometimes it takes you back, because you're probably not expecting to have that sour taste in your mouth, that first blush, and then you realize, if you give it a second, you can taste the mixture of flavors in there, and then you realize how delicious it is. But on top of that, it's very healthy, right? So nurses, for the most part, we espouse health and wellness, and that's what sinigang is, unless, of course, you laden it with other not so healthy options that we have in our Filipino repertoire of dishes. Or have, you know, two big bowls of white rice, right? And according to Filipinos, rice is life. We eat rice with every single meal, which is true, but sinigang really is one of my favorite dishes. I make it for my children. I make it for my dad. It's probably one of the easiest dishes that I can actually produce. Well, I'm not a cook by any means, but I can put a mean sinigang together. So I love the metaphor of this dish to represent what nurses are, because as nurses, we definitely push to sometimes it's not for everybody, you know, but underlying this dish is that it is healthy. It's packed with vitamins and minerals, good proteins, and so I just, I love this question. So, great job, Joe.

Unknown Speaker 11:44
And I'm getting a little hungry right now. Maybe we can make these podcasts look bangs in the future, where they eat while they talk, yeah, but maybe a little bit too much smacking for that, so it

Unknown Speaker 11:56
probably won't translate well, yeah.

Unknown Speaker 12:00
But shifting gears back to your academic journey. Dr Barrett, you've got an impressive collection of credentials. Let's take it all the way back to where it started. How did your journey from undergrad to PhD shape, not only your role as dean now, but also the way you mentor future nurse leaders,

Unknown Speaker 12:22
I think we'll be talking a lot about mentorship here, because this is a theme that I'm very passionate about. I certainly would not be here today without great mentorship that I've received over the years and I've had multiple mentors, so it's not a one size fits all. I encourage my faculty and our students to go out there and find multiple mentors, because you should have a mentor that supports your teaching. For example, if you're in academic nursing, you should have a mentor that supports your research. If you're PhD prepared or wanted to research. So you can have multiple mentors. And I really encourage our faculty to think about that. The you know, journey from being a BSN prepared nurse all the way to getting a doctoral degree in research has not been easy. I was one of those who graduated with my BSN and thought, Okay, I'm done. This is it. I'm happy to work my three shifts a week, be off four days, enjoy, you know, my paycheck, yeah. But then after a while, I realized I wanted to do more. I didn't want to be stagnant or languish in my career. So I did kind of a silly thing. I went back to my alma mater, accrued more student loans because I went to a private university, and yet it was the best decision. And I would also encourage folks to not be afraid to accrue loans for educational purposes, because those loans will be paid off and doubled, because you will be able to have a legacy that you can count on that, you know, getting a master's degree or a doctoral degree will pay in dividends, okay? And so don't be afraid to, you know, think about those options going forward. But yes, I will specifically want to mention a mentor of mine who unexpectedly passed away in 2018 Her name is Dr Karen manesis. She happened to be Filipino. Also she's full of Filipino American. She was a professor of mine during my PhD education, and she was recruited to be the Associate Dean for Research at UAB. I continued to keep in touch with her despite her leaving my previous institution, and once I graduated. She said, Okay, time for you to come up and flex your wings and challenge yourself. She said, You are an excellent educator. Everybody knows that I spent 11 years already in that private in that institution, and I enjoy teaching. But then she said, you have a PhD, time to use it. And so I went to a research intensive university where the stakes were higher, and thankfully, with her guidance and her mentorship, her support, sometimes she pushed and pulled, cajoled, bribed, threatened, all of it to make sure that I stay on top of what we have planned together. You know, we developed an individualized development plan, and she outlined what she wanted me to do in year one, year two, year three. And in our first meeting, Dr Meneses looked at me and said, I see you as a future dean. And I laughed. I said, there is no way. I said, I don't know what you're seeing in your crystal ball, because that's certainly not in mine, but she saw something in me that I didn't even see in myself. And I think that's what a hallmark is of a good mentor, that they see your potential. They see your capacity to go above and beyond your current status, and so she did that for me. Unfortunately, she passed in 2018 but I know she's probably here listening to this conversation, and I really give her a lot of kudos, because without her and several other mentors that I've had over the years, I wouldn't be here.

Unknown Speaker 16:39
And sometimes mentors see something in you that you don't see yourself like you already mentioned. And for the young nurses that are listening right now, I think one of the strengths of nursing is built in it. You know, in preceptorships and clinicals, you're getting some of that mentorship from nurses that are more experienced and older than yourself, but it is also important to get mentorship, apart from that, from professors and teachers, and I hope that more young nurses consider not only pursuing higher education, a masters and a terminal degree, but also consider becoming nurse educators like yourself, because that is something that is definitely in demand and kind of a smaller segment of what nurses do, or at least what they think to do. So I'm glad that you're someone that advocates for that strongly and encourages young, new grad nurses to consider those options as well.

Unknown Speaker 17:36
Thank you for highlighting the need for nurse educators, because we really do need more of them, and they can be nurse educators for an academic setting or in a clinical setting. I to tell you the truth, I went into the PhD program specifically because I wanted to teach and have longevity in a college or a school of nursing. I did not go into the PhD program to do research really. I got bit by the research bug, and I love it, and that's what I do now. But certainly, originally, it didn't stem from that. I thought, Okay, this is what I want to do. I want to teach. I love teaching. It's fun. And yes, I think there's such a need for it, and nursing education is a very viable option for many of our nurses who are thinking about what their next steps are.

Unknown Speaker 18:31
Since stepping into your role as dean at UNLV for the School of Nursing, you're now responsible for overseeing over 550 students and growing across various programs. What's been the biggest challenge you've encountered so far, and how has it influenced your vision for the future of nursing education, especially here at UNLV?

Unknown Speaker 18:53
Thank you. So what? 38 days into the job? 38 days and counting? Yes. And so what has been really fruitful for the last 38 days is that I've made a commitment to meet every single one of the faculty and staff. So I have these one on one meetings with all 79 faculty and staff at the UNLV School of Nursing. So to round it out, because 79 is such an odd number, I just said it's 80 and 80. So meeting all 80 faculty and staff in the first 80 days of my job as dean. Wow. Okay, quite lofty, isn't it? Yes, yes, but we're doing it. Joe, okay, I have met over 30 already at this point, because I'm an overachiever and I want to be ahead of that 80 days, you're ahead, you're on track, and ahead I am. Yes, I'm very much on track. And thankfully, my executive assistant keeps my calendars. And it's, it's very full, and it's, it's plentiful. I. But it is so important to know each and every single member of my team, and I want them to know me, but I want to know them. Okay, it goes both ways. Yeah, while the Dean's Welcome Day or the town hall that I did recently were both very helpful. It was more of a one way street. I want to be able to sit down with each faculty and each staff member and learn about them. Okay, I ask four general questions when I meet with them. To be consistent, I ask, what's their academic journey? How do they land at UNLV School of Nursing? I want to know about their day to day, work, life. What do they do? I don't want to make assumptions of what they do. I have a pretty good understanding depending on their rank and whether their tenure track or not, but I want them to tell me, and then I ask about what brings them joy, not just in their workplace, but joy in general. So many of them have really opened up about I love being with my grandkids. I love gardening. I love being able to plant and be in the dirt. And one is a tree hugger. I love that. I want to know all these things about our faculty. And then I end with asking them about what are some challenges that they're feeling in their workplace, and whether they have the resources to do the their work? And so as dean, I want to be able to hear those things directly from them. So I think the main challenges for for me right now, especially in these early days, is getting to know everybody, finding out where they're at feeling the temperature. The School of Nursing has recently gone through a series of leadership changes, and what I'm hearing from faculty and staff is that they're feeling a little bit uncertain. Okay, there was instability for a period of two to three years, and I want to reassure them that I am here to stay. Hopefully they'll like me enough to ask me to stay, and I'm going to do my very best to make sure that our programs, our students, our outcomes, continue to excel and keep getting better, but getting everybody back to center, getting everybody back united and cohesive is my biggest goal right now, especially in these early days, to re establish trust with each other and bring joy back into the workplace. I hate coming into the BHS building and seeing lots of doors closed. You know, I like to roam around and see open doors and people talking with each other, and so I'm trying to cultivate that culture where we can also have fun at work, and it doesn't have to be so serious all the time we do serious work. Mind you, it's very serious and it's sometimes grueling, but it doesn't negate the fact that we can't have fun.

Unknown Speaker 23:06
And that leads perfectly to my next question, which is, I know you've held many leadership positions over the years, from UAB to now, leading at UNLV. Leadership is about much more than just managing, and you've already alluded to that, it's about building strong relationships with your staff, with your students. What's the most important lesson you've learned about maintaining those connections with students, faculty and fellow nurses, while juggling all the demands that come with leadership and on a personal level, how do you manage burnout? And what advice would you give to others who are trying to balance multiple roles, like yourself?

Unknown Speaker 23:48
So I don't have the perfect answer for this. I certainly am not an expert in balancing. When I hear the term work life balance, I cringe a little bit because that is so elusive, right? It puts such pressure on the individual to make sure everything is balanced and perfect. That's not how operate my life. I try to give myself grace and that I know some days I'm a really good mom to my two boys and my four other step children, right? I've got six children total, blended family. And so some days I really am rocking it in that department, and then there are other days when I don't, because my work takes me away. And so what I try to do is more of a blending so I've shared with our faculty and our staff that sometimes I have to bring my kids to work with me so I can see them and spend time with them, and they will become a fixture in the building, because they're gonna see their mom work. They're gonna see and understand that. This is what takes mom away from home. This is why mom can't possibly be in every baseball game or. Every practice, right? Because I have other responsibilities that allow them to do the things that they want to do. So it's a really kind of a blending that I'm doing, understanding and understanding and having that communication piece with the kids that, you know there will be days when I can't be there, but thank God for technology, and we face time quite a lot, so I can still be there, even though it's through a phone. It's the second best thing. And yes, with your first question about making sure that I continue building and sustaining relationships, what that requires for me as a new dean, is that not only do I want to get to know each member of my team, but I have to trust them. I have to remember that I don't have to have all the answers, and I have to rely on my team to collectively get us to our goals, because we all have to share in those goals. It's not just a dean Barrett thing. It's the whole executive council thing. It's the whole school of nursing. All of us have to buy into what we're trying to do with our mission and vision and so trusting the team. I've heard someone say to me, you know, our faculty and our staff are rock stars. All you have to do is get out of the way. Right? You don't need to control anything. You don't have to over manage. Just let them shine, let them do what they're good at and support them and recognize them. How do I try to avoid burnout? I recharge my batteries through travel, playing with the kids. I love to explore new cities and new places when I can. So when I'm able to take my kids, that's like the best of both worlds. You know, sometimes I infuse work with some you know, when I travel, then it's part for work, and then Part Four for pleasure. And I think that keeps me balanced and that keeps me whole. Having young kids that have an eight year old and a 16 year old, they keep me grounded. You know, I remember there was a time when I spent too much time on my my computer. I think it was during the pandemic when I would have eight to 10 zoom meetings in a day. I was just back to back to back. And so at that point, I had my four year old at that time would look to me and gently close my laptop. Sometimes they know best, yes, and that was my clue that, oh, wow, I have been sitting here for six hours straight, right? I haven't looked up, I haven't spent time with anybody, and so I need that reminder from them, and I welcome that, and I say, thank you. Mommy. Needs to get off the computer. Let's go play Legos or something.

Unknown Speaker 28:07
So so what I'm hearing is instead of balance, because balance puts a lot of onus on the individual to pull those levers and to kind of, I need to do less of this and more of that. It's, it's instead of balance, it's more of a blending and understanding and an implicit trust with those that are close to you to keep you grounded and to close that laptop when that laptop needs to be closed so that Mommy can keep her her sanity. Yes, essentially,

Unknown Speaker 28:38
you summarized it perfectly, yes,

Unknown Speaker 28:40
and I think a lot of us need to hear that, because as nurses, we're doing so much on the job and off the job. As nursing students, it's the same thing. So finding that grounding in the people that you trust and even including them in as much as possible. For example, your your investiture is happening tomorrow. I'm hoping to bring my fiance to that please do and kind of blend those worlds, right? And they can find more understanding through that and help you keep keep you more grounded because of that understanding,

Unknown Speaker 29:09
yes, she will have a better appreciation for what it is that you do when she sees it. Oh, okay, this is why he can't be with me for dinner tonight, because he, you know, he had other commitments, and that is okay,

Unknown Speaker 29:24
and because she sees it, she can understand it. And like you said, just be, be happy with what I'm doing and I'm happy with what she's doing. Absolutely that balance is that blending is there? Yeah, about okay. I like it. I like it. So let's turn your to your time at UAB while you've worked on several interdisciplinary projects from palliative care to reproductive health. Was there one particular project that made you stop and think this is exactly why I pursued research? Was there a project that really. Reignited your passion for solving complex healthcare challenges. So

Unknown Speaker 30:04
I'll give a little bit of background for our listeners who don't know the kind of research that I do. So my focus is on a particular condition called cystic fibrosis. So cystic fibrosis is a multi system disease, genetic disease without a cure, at least not yet. So I'm really hopeful that in our lifetime, we will have a cure, and I really do believe it, it's happening. So cystic fibrosis, not just informs the work I do, but it it, it's inspired what I do. And the reason is my late husband was born with cystic fibrosis, and so I was married to him for 23 years together 25 and so our experiences together have, really, you know, influenced the research that I that I do. So cystic fibrosis is a rare disease, so there's not too many of those affected in the US, about 30,000 people, maybe now 40,000 people in the US have cystic fibrosis. It's a small community compared to those with cancer, heart disease, diabetes, right? CF is a rare disease, and because there's not many Nourse scientists who do the work I do in CF and my specific areas in cystic fibrosis are reproductive health, quality of life, transition of care. I've done work in palliative care and things like that. People in the CF community, they've become to recognize me and because they know that I was also married to someone with CF, it gives me a whole other level of credibility, because I actually have gone through many of these things that I research, that I publish about. So your question was there one particular project that I was involved in, not really, because each one of them are so special to me, so personal, very personal. So there are pivotal moments, though, where our CF community members, those with CF, or their parents or their family members would seek me out after they hear me talk at a conference or a scientific meeting, or they've read an article that I wrote and published, they'll email me or find me after a talk and say, Thank you so much for doing this work, for Asking these questions that nobody's really asked before, right? Because while CF is primarily known as a lung disease, the work I do is not just lungs. I look at all the other stuff, like reproduction as a whole, the person as a whole. And so when they hear me talk about, you know, what happens when someone on this life changing CF medication now doesn't cough. Now may lose their disability benefits because they're too well now they have to go find a job, but they're not prepared. They didn't go to school thinking that they're going to pass in their 20s or 30s, right? So all these things that our CF community members come to me to inform me that these are priority areas for them. I listen to that, I jot it down, and then I try my very best to get funding to do that work. So it's it's very much gratifying. And so I partner with the CF community to do the work I do. I'm not just doing research for the sake of doing research and to get promotion or tenure or get papers done. I actually want to give this back to the CF community, who needs to hear this information. So I hope that answers the question.

Unknown Speaker 34:21
I think it does perfectly, because one thing I have noticed about especially nurse scientists, Nurse researchers, is that because nursing is so close to the patient, it's one of the healthcare professionals that just is front line in the sense that you're interacting with your patients on such an intimate level. Oftentimes, I see nurse researchers, their their research is focused on something that's very close to them. Personally, for example, as a PhD student, I've seen my mom struggle with chronic disease, you know, diabetes, things that are fairly common a. Amongst the American population, but even more specifically, struggle with primary care and barriers to care and just getting culturally competent care as a Filipino, American woman, where English is not her first language. So I really want to see if I can in my PhD research and education focus on that. And I think there's just that common thread from many different nursing scientists, where what they focus on is it's not just an academic thing, it's personal on such a deep level, and

Unknown Speaker 35:32
that's so important, because you're gonna you're in your first semester, right? Semester? Yes, things are gonna get harder. You know that right? Anticipate it, but hold on to this passion. It will sustain you through the hard days of your PhD experience. There will be days when you start to question, oh my gosh, why did I even do this? Right? You start to doubt yourself. Hold on to that North Star. Keep your focus on why it is that you decided that a doctorate in nursing research is where you want to go. So focus. Keep your focus on the fact that you want to improve the state of healthcare. For those with you know, chronic illnesses, specifically diabetes or whatnot, because if you're passionate about something, it doesn't really feel like work exactly,

Unknown Speaker 36:27
yeah, exactly, you're doing something that is impactful for not just yourself, but so many other people and even those that you love. And staying on the topic of research, you've had an incredible career when it comes to sharing your knowledge, racking up nearly 100 peer reviewed publications and delivering hundreds upon hundreds of presentations. What advice would you give to students or young professionals who struggle with public speaking, especially in academic or research settings, and to kind of just keep it in the Filipino realm, the Filipino American History Month, since karaoke is such a big part of Filipino culture, do you think singing a few karaoke tunes might help build confidence for for public Speaking?

Unknown Speaker 37:18
I am all about karaoke? Oh, yes, you know it. It's in our genetics. Yes, what's in our genetics is the love of performing arts. So I remember growing up in rural town of dumalag in the Philippines, and my mother would enter me in contests, singing contests, pageants. Beauty Pageant is a big thing in the Philippines, too. And so she would sign me up without letting me know ahead of time. So I would have to be ready with a song. So she's getting me dressed. And I say, Mom, where are we going? And she said, Oh, we're gonna go to the next town. So you could sing a song, and I didn't realize that it would be a contest. And so I was itty bitty growing up, and this was my life. And so I think for me, just being comfortable in my discomfort, just going with it, faking it till you make it until it feels authentic. Has been, you know, really instrumental, and that's through my childhood. Certainly, I think we try to make it look easy, but there's a lot of prep work involved, behind the scenes, right as much as possible, singing in front of a live audience. Gosh, there's nothing more nerve wracking than that, nothing

Unknown Speaker 38:45
even more than public speaking,

Unknown Speaker 38:47
absolutely yes. So I think just being comfortable enough to put yourself out there is huge. Being able to engage with an audience. That's part of being a performer. And so I think, you know, just thank you, mother for putting me in those contests without my consent at such a young age. You know, it's been pivotal in my development so and in

Unknown Speaker 39:19
nursing, you're always, even if you're a bedside nurse or a nurse educator like yourself, you're always put in a position where you have to communicate the ideas that are in your mind about a disease process or medication to your clients, to other nursing students, if you're working in a group project. So I think what I'm hearing is, let's, let's do some School of Nursing karaoke, and it will improve our ability as nurse educators on any level, in any capacity. Yes, I'll be there. Shout out to SNA Student Nurses Association. Let's make it happen and have a karaoke time. That's

Unknown Speaker 39:55
right. The dean will sing a song,

Unknown Speaker 39:57
and I'll let you know my my go to. Two karaoke song is probably my heart will go on. By Celine,

Unknown Speaker 40:07
yes, of course. I'm an 80s, 90s girl from the Philippines. We love ballads, and

Unknown Speaker 40:12
that's what we do, belting. Well, we'll have to do a duet at some point.

Unknown Speaker 40:16
Let's do it. Yes, after this podcast, let's go so

Unknown Speaker 40:20
coming back to mentorship a little bit, you've mentored countless future nurse educators, clinicians, including those like me who are balancing the early stages of a nursing career with academic pursuits. What's the one piece of advice you give to students or young nurses when they're feeling lost, when they're battling imposter syndrome or just overwhelmed in their early careers.

Unknown Speaker 40:50
Wow, I don't think there will ever be a time where you feel so confident that you know you don't have moments of self doubt, but I try to remember what my smart eight year old has told me. He's my little philosopher. Okay, He's eight years old, but he'll tell me things that stops me in my track. And I said, Okay, let me write that down, because that's really smart Mommy needs to remember. So one of the things he said to me recently is, tune out the noise, right? So smart. So sometimes our brains get filled with this noise, even though we feel good about what we're doing or where we're going. Sometimes other people's input, unsolicited or not, get in the way, and then they infiltrate our thinking. And so he'll remind me tune out the noise. Eight years old. Eight years old. Yes, wow, yes. He a future president. I guarantee it.

Unknown Speaker 41:58
I can see it. I can she he gets it from his mom.

Unknown Speaker 42:02
I can see it. I don't know if I can take the credit he was born smart. I don't know. He's just very I don't know he's observant about the ways of the world, and he'll say things like that and recenter me. And it's really important to stop that negative self talk. Replace it with positive the noise, the noise, tune out that noise. And I

Unknown Speaker 42:29
know sometimes we've talked about this a little before, that noise can even come from places close to home. Yes, in doing a PhD, both my parents hadn't complete. They've done no college, and they asked me, like, why you just graduated with your nursing degree and you're going to be a registered nurse pretty soon. Fingers crossed, yes, taking my, my, my licensure exam next Thursday. You're

Unknown Speaker 42:55
going to rock it. Yes. I'm

Unknown Speaker 42:57
going to speak it into existence. Yes, but they didn't even understand why I'm doing what I'm doing. And something you mentioned before that really resonated with me is this, even in Filipino culture, there's like an encouragement by discouragement, and even though they're well well meaning, sometimes you have to tune out some of that noise to focus on what you know is best for yourself moving forward, yes,

Unknown Speaker 43:21
and you know, it's a matter of perhaps they just don't understand. They just don't know this world. They understand, for the most part, bedside nursing, right? Because we're surrounded by it. I come from a family of nurses. I've got two siblings who are bedside nurses, and they're wonderful. I'm the only one with a degree beyond the BSN And so yes, I remember my my father asking, oh, you're gonna go back to get your Masters. I said, Yes, oh, does that mean you can be a charge nurse? And I said, I've been a charge nurse, dad. I mean, you don't need a master's degree. And they're well meaning, well meaning, and I love him, and he's the reason why I'm here. So, you know, he pushed me into nursing, even though I was kicking and screaming the whole way through because I wanted to be in journalism, actually, and so, yeah, he just didn't understand why I wanted to get more education, because I was doing so well already working my three shifts a week, and, you know, having fun the other four. So they mean well, but we need to share a little bit more about what it is that we want to do and why, and I think they'll understand better. They always come

Unknown Speaker 44:35
around. Yes, they always come around. So as we wrap this up, Dr Barrett, your mentorship has shaped so many careers in nursing. I'd love to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. You've led groundbreaking research, held leadership roles at prestigious universities, and now play a key role in shaping the future of nurses at UNLV. You when you look back on your career, what do you hope your legacy will be in nursing, education and healthcare research,

Unknown Speaker 45:09
my legacy, I hope, would be that I was able to help my students, faculty, staff, get to a better place in their lives and careers, because in some small part that I played in their journeys, I had one PhD student who graduated, and I was her dissertation chair, and when she pursued Her first assistant professor tenure track position. She originally was not even going to be interviewed, but I advocated for her. I listed out probably 20 reasons why we should look at her as a potential faculty candidate, and after she got the job, I shared those reasons with her. I forwarded the email to her. She was able to read it firsthand why I fought for her to even get an interview, because I knew she was a rock star that, you know, we have to give her a chance. And by golly, she is now, gosh, funded in by multiple agencies, and she's early in her career as a PhD scientist, but I needed other people to give her a chance, and so that's my role as dean and as a cheerleader for my faculty, staff and students, is I want to be able to elevate, you know, wherever they might be, whether that's through the programs that I support. You know, we have incredible undergraduate and graduate programs. I want to be able to make things even better, right, and our faculty to continue rising up in ranks and getting the recognition that they deserve, and our staff growing and developing and leading in different ways. If I can do that, after I step down or step away from this deanship, I will be thrilled and be really satisfied with the work that I've done, and I sleep well at night knowing that I try to do that every day.

Unknown Speaker 47:18
Dean Barrett, it's been an absolute honor having you on the podcast today. Your journey, your leadership and your unwavering commitment to advancing the nursing profession have been nothing short of inspiring. From breaking barriers as the first Filipina Dean of Nursing at UNLV to shaping the future of healthcare through mentorship and research. Your impact is profound and far reaching. As we celebrate Filipino American History Month, your story is a powerful reminder of how representation, perseverance and passion can pave the way for future nursing generations to everyone listening, I hope you've taken as much from this conversation as I have, Dr Barrett's insights into leadership, the power of mentorship and the challenges we face as nurses are lessons that we can all carry forward in our own careers. Thank you again, Dr Barrett, for your time, your wisdom and for by leading by example. We're excited to see how you continue to shape the future of nursing until next time, keep pushing boundaries, keep lifting each other up as nurses, and let's continue to Elevate the nursing profession together. Thanks for tuning in.

Unknown Speaker 48:31
You.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai