Sheryl Bennett

Background

About Sheryl Bennett

As an acute care bedside nurse and community-based school nurse, I have witnessed the downstream realities of racial, ethnic, disability, and socioeconomic disparities and inequities faced within the healthcare system by society's most vulnerable individuals. Alongside my clients, I have struggled to identify and secure the necessary resources to address their health needs and mitigate disparities and inequities. I have been disheartened when faced with the inability to effectively communicate with families who do not speak or understand English due to the absence of language interpretation services in the school health setting. Additionally, I have encountered the heartbreaking reality of discharging homeless patients without health insurance or access to comprehensive support services, knowing their quality of life is unlikely to improve. These experiences ignited a passion and commitment to pursue a Doctor of Nursing Practice in Population Health at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Through this advanced degree, I aim to advocate more effectively to impact the upstream policies and infrastructure for the universal human right to healthcare, ensuring equitable access and care for all individuals. I have actively championed the implementation of language interpretation services in the K-12 school setting. This endeavor has materialized through conducting surveys among school nurses, delivering impactful presentations to stakeholders, and contributing to both published and unpublished scholarly works, all intending to influence health policy and affect positive change.