Nurse Practitioner married couple recall career, relationship startSeptember 19, 2022

She grew up in Kermit, Texas and graduated from Kermit High School.  He grew up in the Republic of Zambia and graduated from boarding school in that country.  Today, Jessica and Fukamanji Sikazwe are married Nurse Practitioners (NPs) working in the Permian Basin healthcare industry.  They both say that they owe their professional careers and their marriage to Midland College.  

“I came to the U.S. from Zambia in 2005 because I wanted to go to college in the U.S,” Fukamanji explained.  “I googled ‘Best Community Colleges,’ and Midland College was in the top 10.  I then looked at the communities where each of the top 10 colleges was located, and the community and climate of Midland appealed to me.  So, at the age of 18, I left my homeland and moved to Midland.”

Jessica, on the other hand, took a more traditional West Texas route to Midland College.  After graduating from Kermit High School in 2002, she followed her older sister to Midland College. 

“I was a typical college student,” Jessica said.  “I lived in O’Shaughnessy Residency Hall and was active in Students in Philanthropy.  Fukamanji also lived on campus in the dorms, but we didn’t know each other.  We both went through the Vocational Nursing program, but it wasn’t until we started taking classes together in the Associate Degree Nursing program that we met each other.”

Both Jessica and Fukamanji have served in the healthcare industry in numerous capacities.  They each obtained a Certified Nurse Aide designation from Midland College and then worked at Manor Park while pursuing advanced nursing credentials.  Fukamanji also worked part-time in the college’s maintenance department and at the front desk in the college’s residence halls.  

“Jessica and I each worked our way through nursing school as Nurse Aides and then LVNs before graduating from Midland College in 2009 with an Associate of Applied Science degree in Nursing.” Fukamanji explained.  “We then passed the NCLEX licensure exam, and then both started working as Registered Nurses [RNs].”

Jessica began her nursing career 17 years ago. She has worked for Manor Park, Home Hospice, and Texas Oncology in Odessa.

Fukamanji has held numerous nursing positions.  He has worked at Midland Memorial Hospital, Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital and for six years in the Emergency Department at Medical Center Hospital in Odessa.  

In 2010, the couple got married and while working as RNs, they continued their educations.  In 2014, Jessica graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP).  Fukamanji, on the other hand, received his bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry from Sul Ross State University, where he was able to remain in Midland and take Sul Ross courses on the MC main campus.  

“I had considered going to medical school,” Fukamanji said.  “However, I really enjoy working as a nurse and decided that I could help just as many people, if not more, by being a nurse.”

In 2018, Fukamanji decided to begin working on a graduate Nurse Practitioner degree from UTEP, and one semester later, Jessica embarked on the same path.  Both continued working in Midland/Odessa healthcare while taking online courses and performing clinical training in the area.  Fukamanji received a Master of Science degree in Nursing with an NP specialization in 2020, and Jessica graduated as an NP in 2021.  

As NPs, Jessica and Fukamanji see patients and manage their overall care; order, perform and interpret diagnostic tests such as lab work and x-rays; diagnose and treat acute conditions while emphasizing health promotion and disease prevention; and prescribe medications and other treatments.  Today, many Americans use NPs for much of their healthcare needs, and NPs are a vital component of the modern healthcare system.  Expectations are that NPs will become even more crucial to healthcare delivery.  The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 52 percent job growth for NPs between 2020 and 2030.

Jessica has remained employed at Texas Oncology, now working as an NP.

“My best friend passed away with cancer at the age of 26,” Jessica explained.  “I guess that’s why I chose oncology as my specialty.  Her strength, courage and perseverance during her cancer journey inspired me. Even on bad days, she still found strength within herself to FIGHT.” My patients with cancer have taught me to appreciate life and be grateful for every day.” 

Fukamanji began his NP career working in General Medicine for Texas Tech Health Sciences at the Jenna Welch Center in Midland.  For the past three months, he has worked for Synergy Integrative Medical Clinic in Midland as a nurse practitioner under the direction of Dr. Anjana Rastogi.

“We certainly didn’t start out thinking we would one day be nurse practitioners,” Fukamanji said.  “However, as we progressed in our nursing careers, we realized that as nurse practitioners, we can provide high-quality health care.  I want to help my patients with their overall health.  I feel that it’s important to take my time when I see patients and learn as much as possible about them so that I can truly understand underlying conditions.  Jessica and I will always be grateful for that initial nursing training we received at Midland College where we learned our basic nursing skills and how to care for patients.  I still think of the staff and professors at Midland College as family.”

Even though Jessica and Fukamanji work hard at their respective careers, they still make it a habit to be home most evenings so that they can have dinner together.  When they get time off from their jobs, they enjoy traveling and are planning a trip to the Cayman Islands soon to celebrate their 12th wedding anniversary.