By Tashi McQueen
AFRO Staff Writer
tmcqueen@afro.com
Nurses do it all—advocating for patients, providing care under intense pressure and facing potential risks to their physical, mental and emotional well-being. Despite their crucial role, they don’t always receive the recognition they deserve.
As Nurses Week approaches, Malik Shelton, a travel emergency room (ER) nurse with Aya Healthcare, and Taneka Walker, a nurse practitioner, shared their experiences of navigating the demanding field of nursing and how they cope.
“It’s not a profession that you join for the money,” said Shelton, who has worked as a travel ER nurse for five years. “There is money to be made in it, but you don’t do it for the money, because if you do, you’re going to crash out in the beginning.”
Shelton said one of the most challenging aspects is dealing with patients who are uncooperative.
“At the end of the day, you have to remember that we take care of people at their worst times,” he said. “You don’t want to bring the drama from the last patient to the room of the next patient.”
Walker, with over 20 years in nursing, echoed sentiments about the unpredictable nature of the job.
“You can start your shift with a full plan in place, and by hour one, everything’s flipped upside down,” she said. “Emergencies happen. Emotions run high. We’re constantly juggling the needs of multiple patients…while still keeping up with documentation, protocols, family questions and unexpected changes.”
Shelton said he uses prayer and music to get through rough moments on the job, while Walker emphasized the importance of boundaries and self-care.
“At the beginning of my career, I tried to be everything to everyone,” Walker said. “I said yes when I should’ve said no. I skipped meals, missed sleep and emotionally carried the weight of every patient, every outcome, every loss. It caught up with me.”
Despite the rough patches, nurses find motivation to persevere in those moments when they truly reach and uplift their patients.
“One of my proudest moments as a nurse practitioner came when I was able to help an 11-year-old girl battling rhabdomyosarcoma,” Walker said. “She had lost her hair due to treatment, and I was able to provide her with a cranial prosthesis—a medical-grade wig. When she put it on and looked at herself in the mirror, her whole face lit up. It was radiant, pure joy.”
Walker said her personal health challenges help motivate and keep her grounded in the work.
“I know what it feels like to not recognize yourself in the mirror,” she said. “I know what it’s like to feel like your confidence has been snatched away. It’s not just about caring for others—it’s about restoring people.”
Both Shelton and Walker spoke about the added challenge of being Black in healthcare.
“Navigating this profession as a Black nurse is a challenge in itself,” said Walker. “A lot of the bias I’ve encountered has not always been loud or direct—but it’s there. I’ve also had moments that were much heavier—like patients who flat-out refused to let me care for them simply because of the color of my skin.”
Shelton noted reactions he receives from patients as a Black male nurse, including being described as a “big Black scary man.”
Walter said she believes the solution is more awareness and accountability in the industry.
“There needs to be a serious conversation around cultural competence,” said Walker. “We need more representation in leadership. We need systems that support and protect nurses of color when they’re wrongly accused or mistreated, and we need to celebrate the resilience, intelligence and compassion that Black nurses bring to the profession.”
For aspiring nurses, Shelton offered encouragement.
“It takes a special soul to do each side of nursing,” said Shelton. “There are different ways that you can serve the people of the community. You just have to find a way to do what’s best for you and to remember the reason why you’re doing this.”