Patient, nurse mental health takes spotlight at Compassion in Action conference
With one out of five U.S. adults experiencing mental illness each year*, there’s never been a more critical time for nurses to put on their oxygen masks first.
San Jacinto College’s Compassion in Action nursing conference on June 6 taught future nurses how to provide compassionate, evidence-based care to individuals with mental health needs while also emphasizing self-care, resilience, and emotional well-being.
The half-day conference drew 500 nursing students College-wide and presenters from San Jac’s Memorial Hermann and HCA hospital partners.
“Know your why, and hold onto it,” she said. “When you have those tough days, go back to that why. If your why isn’t strong enough, pause and ponder.”
Another presenter, Sepideh Nash, focused on empathy for patients struggling with psychiatric issues. No matter their mental health condition, people can react similarly in situations outside their control. Nurses and patients alike can cope in unhealthy ways.
“What is it you do when you’re stressed out? Is what you’re doing perpetuating the cycle or symptoms you’re dealing with?” said Nash, a Memorial Hermann licensed marriage and family therapist behavioral health educator. “We’re swinging through the Taco Bell drive-thru, binge-watching Netflix, and mindlessly scrolling on our phones because we want to disassociate. Our patients are no different.”
Nash emphasized validating the patient’s experiences and asking questions that will move the patient to a level of comfort.
Students like Frederique Yombo found the conference invaluable as they prepare to enter the workforce. Yombo, an associate degree nursing student, plans to work in the intensive care unit while pursuing her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at San Jac next.
“I learned to recognize signs that a patient might be in distress and to recognize signs that I am burnt out and need to reach out for help,” Yombo said.
This first-ever College-wide nursing conference allowed students to meet peers across nursing programs while equipping them to care for a growing population of patients with mental health diagnoses.
Learn more about San Jac's nursing programs
*Source: National Alliance on Mental Illness
About San Jacinto College
Surrounded by monuments of history, evolving industries, maritime enterprises of today,
and the space age of tomorrow, San Jacinto College has served the people of East Harris
County, Texas, since 1961. The College is ranked second in the nation among more than
1,100 community colleges, as designated by the Aspen Institute and was named an Achieving
the Dream Leader College of Distinction in 2020 and 2026. As a Hispanic-Serving Institution
that spans five campuses, plus an online college, San Jacinto College serves approximately
45,000 credit and non-credit students annually. It offers more than 200 degrees and
certificates across eight major areas of study that put students on a path to transfer
to four-year institutions or enter the workforce. The College is fiscally sound, holding
bond ratings of AA+ by Standard & Poor’s and Aa2 by Moody’s. San Jacinto College is
accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
