Rutgers Nursing Grad Proves Mental Illness Is No Barrier to Success
Long before Jacqueline Lopez was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, psychiatric nursing had captured her interest. As a young nursing student doing clinical rotations, “I walked into that unit, and I was like, this is it!” said Lopez, a member of the Rutgers School of Nursing, Rutgers Health Class of 2025.
Lopez will receive her doctor of nursing practice degree next month from a program that prepared her to pursue national certification as a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner. The achievement caps a hard-won journey that took two extra years to complete because of her mental health challenges. The single mother of three has worked full-time as a case manager for children in foster care while completing the doctoral program over eight years.
Lopez is sharing her experience to reduce mental illness stigma and inspire others. “I am an example to those with mental illness. I am not unique,” she said. “If I can succeed to become a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner, so can others who are just like me. I wish to create an environment in my practice where all of us feel valued.”
The 48-year-old said her diagnosis is akin to living with a chronic ailment like diabetes or asthma. “Bipolar disorder is one of the parts of my daily life,” she said. “It means I have to be extra cognizant of my moods and how I’m presenting,” she said.
Lopez immigrated to the U.S. from Cuba with her mother in 1986 and joined her father in New Jersey. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Rutgers–New Brunswick in 2000 with a double major in psychology and sociology, but struggled to land a full-time job.
While working as a medical technician and raising her first child, she bonded with a nurse who inspired her to pursue nursing. She discovered her passion for psychiatric care while completing clinical work for her associate’s degree.
Lopez then earned a bachelor’s in nursing and worked at a federally qualified health center serving underserved populations. She’s also served as a sexual assault nurse examiner for the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office. Since 2011, she has worked in the Child Health Program of the School of Nursing’s François-Xavier Bagnoud Center and also works per diem in psychiatric emergency services at Trinitas Regional Medical Center in Elizabeth.
Lopez said she experienced low moods for much of her life. “I always felt a little different,” she explained. Her husband at the time was supportive and “understood my moods and kept me level,” she said. He handled child care responsibilities whenever she needed downtime, she said.
After the couple separated in 2012, her symptoms worsened. “I was now facing this all on my own,” she recalled. Lopez received her bipolar disorder diagnosis the following year. Her ex-husband, she said, wasn’t surprised: “He said, ‘Oh, that’s what it is.’”
With counseling and medication, Lopez stabilized her symptoms. But under stress, especially with lack of sleep, she can experience flare-ups. “Working full time at a demanding job and being a mother and doing this doctoral program often equated to sleep issues,” she said. Lopez focused on maintaining a consistent sleep routine with the additional time granted to complete her degree.
Lopez credited faculty of the psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner doctoral program for going to bat for her. “School of Nursing faculty and the university supported me by creating tools and providing assistance so I could succeed as a student, despite my mental illness,” she said.
“Jackie is passionate about helping this population, and will make an excellent addition to the nurse practitioner profession,” said Mamilda Robinson, clinical assistant professor and specialty director for psychiatric-mental health nursing. Robinson noted that Lopez’s practice will combine the advanced knowledge and skills gained through the Rutgers doctoral program with her years of experience working with people with mental illness.
Because of her outstanding academic achievement, Lopez was invited to join Sigma, the international honor society of nursing.
“I’m impressed by Jackie’s determination, her passion and her resiliency,” said Nicole Cerussi, a clinical assistant professor in the program. “She has the skill set to do this work, and her personal challenges put her in a unique position of empathy, understanding the struggles and ways to cope,” Cerussi added.
“Lopez’s first language is Spanish, a skill that helps her to connect with Spanish-speaking clients. She recalled helping a young woman who had recently arrived in the U.S. from Cuba. “She started to break down those barriers to the trauma she had,” Lopez said. “I made a difference to her.”
With a nationwide shortage of Spanish-speaking mental health professionals, “Jackie is a tremendous asset,” Robinson added.
Lopez’s three children will be cheering her on at the Rutgers School of Nursing Convocation next month at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center. “My dream in life has always been to be a role model to my kids,” she said. “Graduating will make that dream come true. I dedicate this achievement in graduating to my kids and to all of us surviving from mental illness.”
