SCHOLAR DIRECTORY

YanYan Wang earned his Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from Michigan State University in 2011 and he is currently enrolled in the BSN to Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program (psych-mental health specialty) in the College of Nursing at WSU. YanYan moved to the U.S. from Shanghai, China in 2006 to begin a pre-nursing program at Western Michigan University. Despite the hardships of overcoming multiple language barriers and cultural dissonance, he was on the Dean’s list at two different universities. As adolescent in his country of origin, he experienced a cousin with severe autism who required an immediate psychiatric hospitalization. This experience of having to restrain and visit his physically restrained cousin has shaped his career choice. His bi-cultural health care experiences of acute psychiatric crises in China and in Detroit have stimulated his passion to improve the care of mentally ill individuals and advocate for the best care possible. Since his graduation in 2011 from Michigan State University, YanYan has worked in geriatric, emergency room, emergency and inpatient psychiatric settings. Currently, he practices in the inpatient psych/med unit at St John Hospital and Medical Center in Detroit and inpatient psychiatric units at Henry Ford Macomb Hospital in Mt Clemens. His experience of working with the vulnerable population in urban settings has inspired him of having a special interest in reducing aggressive patient behaviors and the use of coercive measures in acute psychiatric care environment, and YanYan intends to focus his DNP final project on this topic.