Nurse Residency Program Profile – Jalen Wesley

Staff in all areas of health care train at VA locations across the country, and VAPIHCS has training programs for many different medical specialties. The newest is the Nurse Practitioner Residency, with the first cohort going through their training now. One student in the program -Jalen Xavier Wesley- shared his story. 

“My stepdad and my grandfather are Veterans, and that’s what made me want to work for VA,” said Wesley. “It’s given me so much insight into how they were when I was growing up. I feel like it’s helped me gain insight into my family and myself, while having the opportunity to help those who served our country.” 

Wesley is originally from Alabama -where his ancestor's roots go back over 200 years- though he was recently living in Oakland, California for college. Wesley was excited about the Nurse Residency program VAPIHCS was starting, and that motivated him to come to Hawaii. Wesley says the program has been worth the move. He adds he has felt supported by his preceptors and the staff throughout his time at VAPIHCS.

“Belkys Fiame and Hollie Seward have been amazing since I started this program back in September,” Wesley said. “Actually -you know- all the staff have been kind and thoughtful in their teaching. They don’t minimize what you already know; they assess your knowledge and then build on it to take you farther. I feel lifted up by them.” 

When Wesley was young, he was interested in journalism because he liked the idea of interviewing people and understanding them better. His mother -a nurse- insisted that nursing was a better career path for him. Wesley said that he came to find out that nursing is also about interviewing people, but you get a deeper understanding of them when you’re a health care provider. 

“I went to Guam for a rotation in home-based primary care,” Wesley said. “It was an amazing opportunity. Instead of asking Veterans what medications they take, you can have them show you their medicine cabinet. You can find out about their environment and what they eat. You see all the clues that help you discover the overall picture of that Veteran, and that helps you provide a more comprehensive type of care.”

VA has a program called Whole Health that focuses on seeing the Veteran as a whole, and on finding out what matters most to them. This is an example of how the VA approach to care dovetails with Wesley’s own approach to treating patients, which is to learn about each Veteran as a means to providing a more individualized experience. His interest is in mental health, so understanding where a patient is coming from can make all the difference in treating them. He also feels that the residency program has allowed him a unique opportunity.

“Caring for Veterans is investing in the future of those who care for Veterans,” Wesley said. “This program has been valuable to me, and I will take that forward into the future and provide better care for Veterans of the future because of what I learned here. I’m very glad I did it.”