Dr. McCamey spoke about the psychological safety of seeing someone you can identify with during a vulnerable moment. “There’s that unspoken connection,” she said. “And there’s that understanding of the community and the social drivers of health that impact the way they show up in our clinics and our hospitals... [as well as] the different layers that have brought them to needing the care,” Dr. McCamey said.
Giving back—and preserving boundaries
In addition to being the Founder, CEO, and President of DNPs of Color, Dr. McCamey is Assistant Dean of Strategic Partnerships at Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, she serves on several boards and councils, and works per diem as a surgical critical care nurse practitioner at a hospital. So how does she find the time for all these roles and responsibilities? When does she relax, and how does she safeguard against burnout?
Early on, Dr. McCamey made a key realization: “This is the journey, and I’m only one person. And I have been given a gift that allows me to make waves and advance health equity,” she said.
But in order to show up for others, Dr. McCamey knows she needs to first show up for herself. Her strategy: Weekdays are devoted to her job at Johns Hopkins, while evenings are for nonprofit work. But weekends are work-free, devoted instead to nurturing herself, she said.
Years ago, when Dr. McCamey embarked on her doctoral studies, she felt alone as a first-generation doctoral student and the only Black woman in her program. Now she’s built a community. Her family—which she describes as pouring so much into her—is proud of what she’s accomplished in her career. “And they're extremely proud of all the things that I'm doing also to give back because that's critically important,” Dr. McCamey said. “Make sure you're taking others with you because the work has to continue long after you.”