UCI School of Nursing alum and nurse practitioner Sharon Allen (’13).
When Sharon Allen was three, her grandmother predicted her career.
“I was always giving her foot rubs, back rubs. She called me her little nurse,” Allen’s mom told her later. “Sure enough, that’s the profession I chose.”
Today, the UCI Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing alum (‘13) and family nurse practitioner uses her naturally compassionate and caring nature to guide, mentor, and help other nurses growth in their faith through small groups and biweekly prayer meetings.
Her work is more important than ever before amid a historic and devastating pandemic.
A devotional for nurses
It started when she wrote a 31-day devotional for nurses, The Called Nurse, that encourages daily and weekly reflection and journaling.
“I wrote it because I wanted to encourage nurses, but also to have them examine why they chose nursing. I honestly believe it’s my calling. Everything I do revolves around nursing.”
Over time, students and professional nurses alike can lose touch with what drove them into nursing in the first place. She frequently saw it in her students at a Cleveland community college, where she works as a clinical instructor.
“Students would come to me with personal issues, some dealing with things that had nothing to do with nursing at all,” she remembers.
Starting a mentorship program
That led Allen to start a Bible-based mentorship program that eventually transformed into the Ohio chapter of the Nurse Christian Fellowship.
The first meeting was Allen and two other nurses at her dining room table. The weekly meetings eventually expanded to a library. Allen also became certified as a natural health provider Christian counselor.
Then COVID-19 hit. Allen thought she’d table the meetings, but nurses pleaded otherwise.
“So many nurses reached out and said this is the time we need it the most.”
Despite having little experience with Zoom and no real preparation, Allen resumed the meetings. Membership is around 60 and growing by the week, she says. All beliefs are welcome.
“No matter where you are in your spiritual walk, everyone needs encouragement.”
The value of mentorship
As a result of challenges in her life before she became a nurse, Allen believes mentorship has been critical to her success as a nurse practitioner.
“It can play a huge role in whether you have the right tools to succeed.”
Her experience as a new nurse practitioner spurred her to create a six-week mentorship program to slowly work up new NPs to a higher volume of patients without overwhelming them.
Finding validation and support
The Nurse Christian Fellowship is another way to mentor nurses through their personal and professional challenges.
Kisha Sutherland and Vanessa Greer-Jones, friends and members of the biweekly group appreciate Allen’s inclusiveness.
“She recognizes where you are along the path and you still feel validated,” says Greer-Jones, a school nurse with the Cleveland School District. “We all grow at different rates.”
Greer-Jones really appreciates the way Allen reflects back on the experiences people share in the group and how it leads to greater understanding. “It’s really powerful how she leads a discussion.”
Sutherland, a high-risk OB nurse, says she has grown spiritually as a result of the group.
“Her teaching is very relevant. She brings things relevant to now, where people of various faiths can understand what she’s saying. I really love that.”
Changing the workplace
Allen has impacted more than just the women who attend her meetings.
“Many of the women share stories about their growth, personally, professionally, and spiritually. I’ve seen not only healing in them, but I also hear about the positive changes in relationships where they work. These women brings a different energy and morale to the workplace,” Allen says.
“I also see changes taking place in their families. It’s wonderful when you see one person healed and joyful and how contagious it is to people around them.”
Allen has also written three other books: No Longer Bound, Chosen by God and Divine Healing. All of her publications are available on Amazon.
Making time for self-care
As busy as Allen is, she makes self-care a priority. “I figure, you have to practice what you preach.”
Many nurses are coping with stress and burnout, and Allen says she was once one of them.
“I was dealing with a lot of compassion fatigue, working 14- to 16-hour shifts, charting all night, on call all weekend,” she remembers. “Change had to start with me.”
Allen meditates and reads daily to keep herself grounded. She exercises 4-5 times weekly. And once a month, before the pandemic, she got a massage.
“I try to just keep a balance. I’m all about balance and self-care.”
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