Candice Frude

Wyoming Department of Health - public health nursing

Fremont County, WY USA

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Candice's work combines: Medicine, Government, and Helping People

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Maternal Child Health State Nurse Consultant

I oversee Public Health's home visitation program and other MCH duties including the nurses that provide this service.

Graduate Degree: Public Health, General

My path in life took a while to figure out

1.
Grew up in a unstable home with a drug addict and major depressive mother. Father was rarely involved
2.
Graduated high school barely and thought I would move to Vegas to become a stripper
3.
Moved to Denver and became involved in the drug and alcohol scene. Moved to Vegas and became pregnant at the age of 20 and got clean. Decided maybe becoming a stripper was not going to happen.
4.
Moved back to my home state of Wyoming with nothing except what would fit in my car. Got a low-income apartment and enrolled in college
5.
Had my daughter and was a single parent for 1 year. Met my now husband and graduated from nursing school. (2006)
6.
Began my career as a RN and finished my bachelor's degree (2013)
7.
Had 2 more daughters, obtained a master's degree (2020)
8.
Eventually worked my way up into the leadership position I am in now.

THE NOISE
Messages from Society in general:
Nursing school is hard and you don't really have the drive to finish.
How I responded:
I had to really take a self assessment of what I wanted in life. I am stubborn and so when people tell me I can't...I often think to myself "challenge accepted!"

Experiences and challenges that shaped me

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When I was in high school and for about 3 years after, I had a mother who dealt with addiction. I also dabbled in drug use and really found myself at rock-bottom at the age of 20.
College nor schooling in general were ever valued in my family. My mother to this day works as a bartender and still thinks she is not smart enough to have a career.
I grew up being bounced around between my mother and grandparents. When I was with my mother, I had to take care of my younger siblings and try and find us food to eat. When I was with my grandparents, I had more stability as they were blue collar.

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