Sylvanus Mensa

Sylvanus Brenya Mensah, BSN, RN is the recipient of the Mathy Mezey Scholarship. Sylvanus graduated from the University of Virginia, with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree in 2015. After obtaining his degree, he worked as a Medical-Surgical-telemetry nurse for two years and now works at Medstar Franklin Square Medical Center and Mercy Medical Center as a resource nurse in Baltimore, Maryland. He is currently pursuing a doctorate as an AGNP with a focus on HIV at Johns Hopkins University.

Sylvanus's free time is spent on policy, education, or research. He has been involved with the AACN Policy summit to advocate for nurses as well as for patients. He is also an officer of the Graduate Student Specialty Organization and uses this position to voice the needs of the students. He is an American Heart Association educator as such he teaches nurses, providers, and other healthcare members on the importance of lifesaving measures. Sylvanus is a big advocate for research and evidence-based practice. He works as a research assistant and is helping to pioneer the utilization of auricular therapy as a form of treatment for pain.

Currently, Sylvanus is working on improving the identification and diagnosis of depression among young adults living with HIV utilizing telemedicine. This project aims to bring awareness as well as strategies on how best to address depression in this project. He enjoys going to conferences such as the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and Sigma Theta Tau's International conferences to present his research.

Sylvanus' interest in being a nurse emerged when he migrated to the United States from Ghana and realized the big impact that nurses make on individuals and communities. Clinically, Sylvanus hopes to practice in an underserved area as his passion is to serve those in need. Also, he plans to continue his evidence-based research and support the nursing profession through organizations, policies, and education.