Shamika D. Wallace RN, BSN, CWC
Clinic Manager
Licensure
Licensed Registered Nurse, State of California
Board Certification
Certified Wellness Coach
First day of work at San José State University
February 14, 2022
How did you get here?
It's been a long journey! I've been 20 years in the nursing field as I type this but basically I got here because it was my calling and my passion. I had an epiphany one day that this was what I was meant to do and I have followed that intuitive guidance. It has come with many twists, turns, and pivots but that is the wonderful thing about the healthcare field and nursing in particular...you have SO many options to choose from, you never have to stay in just one place. My portfolio is diverse including Psychiatric nursing, Emergency Room nursing, Ambulatory Surgery nursing, Certified Wellness Coaching, College Health nursing, then becoming a Nursing Supervisor and the latest a Clinic Manager.
Who were your role models or mentors?
My number one role model is my sister, she is who and what I have looked up to since birth and rightfully so. She is an impeccable woman, mother, daughter, sister, friend, career woman and community member. Focused, disciplined, dedicated, and whatever she puts her mind to she has achieved and that is how I got that same drive. I have also had several awesome mentors throughout my nursing career that I am extremely grateful for and who have shaped the way I show up everyday in this career!
What are your tips for getting started in this field?
I would say that the first step to getting started in this field is to understand your why? Why do you want to be a nurse? Why do you want to work in the medical field? Why do you want to be of service to complete strangers who may be feeling at their worst? Then go from there because I can tell you one thing from my 20 years of experience, the nurses who know and understand their why, wake up everyday committed to this work through the good, the bad and the ugly...because not everyday is going to be pretty, that's just a fact.
What are your most important habit(s) or resource(s) for staying well?
My most important habit for staying well has been to learn to listen to my body and to honor what IT is telling me, not what my mind is telling me. Slowing down when necessary, deep breathing when necessary, better nourishment and hydration when necessary, rest when necessary, movement when necessary, meditation when necessary, nature when necessary, etc. Make time to just listen and your body will tell you everything it needs to remain well.
