Kerienne M. Huggins is a current Public Health Nurse Supervisor at NNCC. A registered nurse from Philadelphia, PA, she attended Notre Dame of Maryland University, where she obtained her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2015.
Kerienne sat down with us to speak about her time as a nurse home visitor with Nurse-Family Partnership, the impact nurse home visitors have on the families they work with, and how NNCC has supported her transition from nurse to supervisor. Read here:
What made you decide to initially become a home visitor?
I learned about home visiting toward the end of my nursing education, while taking community health. However, my professors and advisors at the time suggested that 2 years of MedSurg/bedside work was the way to go as a new graduate nurse. I followed that advice but did not enjoy staff nursing at all! I liked that I was able to sharpen my hands-on nursing skills, but the long hours and unstable staff-to-patient ratios prompted me to look into other nursing jobs. I remembered my fascination with home visiting and found my way to NNCC – I haven’t looked back since
Is there a story that you remember from your time as a home visitor that you hold dear to your heart?
It's not a story, but I love it when families make cards for me or give me photos of them. I keep all of those things and display them in my workspace. The funniest thing is thinking how much bigger the kids are now compared to when their family gave me a picture of them at a few months old, and even better is when I run into them out and about!
What do you think home visitors impact the most - for instance, is it family dynamics? Child health? Confidence in themselves?
I think home visitors impact the self-esteem of the parents the most. Being a consistent source of reflection and affirmation for clients eventually helps them notice how their efforts are positively affecting their and their family’s lives.
Your transition from nurse home visitor to supervisor - what was that experience like?
The transition has been rather seamless, which I am happy about. My colleagues have been beyond supportive and encouraging during my transition. There is always someone I can go to with questions and our overall work culture enthusiastically supports people in growing their skill sets. I can say I enjoy increased work-life balance as well as increased job satisfaction. The best part of it all is that I was able to move into a position at an organization I am already familiar with, in response to changes in my personal life.
What would you say to any future nurses, or those that are looking for a career shift, about working as a home visitor?
Nursing does not have to look one way. You can carve out a nursing career in public health that allows you to pull in your interests in a creative way. Home visiting is extremely rewarding work that influences multigenerational changes in families, thereby positively impacting society as a whole.
Learn More About the Philadelphia Nurse-Family Partnership
The Philadelphia Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) has been serving low-income first-time mothers in Philadelphia since 2001. It is a national, evidence-based community health program. The program’s outcomes include long-term family improvements in health, education, and economic self-sufficiency.
