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    Photo Daniel Appiah

    October 07, 2022

    Caring for the Most Vulnerable

    Vulnerability has been called “the birthplace of creativity, innovation and change.” Perhaps that is what draws Daniel Appiah ’22 to care for those in greatest need of expertise, understanding and support. A graduate of Le Moyne’s RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program, Appiah works as a nurse at MiraVista Behavioral Health, a psychiatric and substance abuse recovery facility in Holyoke, Mass. He has long been fascinated by human behavior. Now he spends his days assessing the mental states of the people in his care, establishing a strong rapport with them, and collaborating with his colleagues to develop holistic plans to treat them. He sees it as his role “to accompany his patients on a lifelong journey toward better health.” 

     

    Appiah first began work as a nurse in the West African nation of Ghana, where he was born and raised. He was eager to resume his career when he moved to the United States in 2018. As fate would have it, Appiah’s roommates at the time were his cousin Kofi Addai ’04, ’20, who earned both a bachelor’s and master’s degree at Le Moyne, and Kofi’s wife, Melanie Addai. Kofi Addai suggested that Appiah continue his nursing education at the College. Appiah followed that advice, and became the first foreign-trained nurse to be admitted to the RN to BS program. He found the environment on campus to be “challenging and nurturing.” He was given opportunities to learn and grow, not just in the nursing classes he took, but in liberal arts and social science  courses outside of his major. They broadened his understanding of the world, and the impact he wanted to make on it as a nurse specializing in mental health. 

     

    Sadly, Appiah says, mental illness is often misunderstood, stigmatized or ignored. Yet prevalence cannot be denied. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently reported that mental illnesses are among the most common health conditions in the United States. In fact, the CDC estimates that more than 50 percent of Americans will be diagnosed with a mental illness or disorder at some point in their lifetime, while one in five will experience a mental illness in a given year. For his part, Appiah is interested in caring for patients holistically by incorporating diet, exercise and other factors such as the social determinants of health into their care. He stressed that as a medical professional, he will pay particular attention to these factors, as they play a significant role in the well-being of individuals and families. He is also passionate about assisting those living with addiction, having worked in the field during his time at College and witnessing firsthand how severely many people struggle with this particular chronic illness. 

     

    In addition to working, Appiah is currently pursuing a Doctor of Nursing Practice at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worchester, with the aim of becoming a psychiatric nurse practitioner. He has been doing a lot of research on his specialty, particularly in psychotherapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, lifestyle modifications. He knows that in a field as dynamic as nursing, the opportunities available to him are endless. Right now, though, Appiah is confident that he is exactly where he needs to be. His long-term goal is to work with his patients on a long-term basis. He wants to provide them with continuity of care and to give them the tools and support necessary to take control of their health and well-being. 

     

     “The bottom line is that I love to help people.”

     

     

     

    Le Moyne will host Explore Nursing Day on Friday, Oct. 28. You may learn more about the event and register here.

     

    Among the attributes that make Le Moyne’s nursing program distinct is that it offers prospective students direct admission to the program, with a seat guaranteed to them if they meet certain academic requirements. In addition, students are able to take nursing courses during their first year in the program. They also have access to a number of academic resources, including the College’s Writing Center and Quantitative Reasoning Center and a professional nursing tutor.