UCI School of Nursing alum, nurse and DNP student Paul Kim, RN.
Paul Kim graduated from the UCI Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing in 2016. Now he’s back, pursuing his Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree.
“I realized that nursing just fit everything,” he says. “We all have empathy and want to help, generally speaking. Nursing was an extension of that empathy and even a step above.”
For Paul, nursing is an opportunity to change the quality of one’s life by giving them the tools to take charge of their health.
That’s why he enrolled in the DNP program. “As soon as I found out UCI opened up a DNP program, it was a no-brainer.”
Education and resources to prevent illness
It ties back to his experiences so far as a nurse. He witnesses illnesses that often could have been prevented with education and resources. He wants to get his patients to the point where they don’t have to come to the hospital.
“It motivated me to go toward more of a community aspect of healthcare so I can reach more people,” he says. “If we can do a better job of reaching out to the community, it wouldn’t have to get to the point where it gets irreversible.”
Additionally, the current unrest in America is pushing him forward even more than before.
“Right now, what people need is to really listen. It’s more than just physical healing. We need to listen to their voices, their hurting, their suffering that extends beyond medical needs.”
Working with geriatric and vulnerable populations
Paul’s interests are primarily with vulnerable populations, especially geriatrics. After he becomes a family nurse practitioner, he wants to open a clinic in an underserved community.
Paul is participating in Healing at Home, a clinical research project at UCI Health. The collaborative study is headed by Dr. Lisa Gibbs, MD, who is the Chief of UCI School of Medicine’s Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology and the medical director at the UCI Senior Health Center.
Associate Professor Jung-Ah Lee, PhD, RN is a co-lead researcher and volunteer clinical professor Julie Rousseau, PhD, RN, is the project scientist, while Paul is a junior specialist, DNP-FNP student.
Reducing senior hospital admissions
The study seeks to reduce senior hospital admissions and risk of disease exposure and transmission by caring for them at home. Emergency department physicians, specialized geriatric nurses, home health agencies, and case management are all contributors to the collaborative effort.
“We’re all working together to make sure they get the same level of care at the hospital, but at home. As healthcare providers, it is our duty and responsibility to identify and care for those who are most affected by illnesses and disparities, and as we’ve seen throughout this pandemic, our older friends need our help right now.”
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