TD Aboriginal Nursing Fund Award – Baccalaureate

I am open-minded and forward-thinking, compassionate, passionate, and empathetic.  I am strong in research, leadership, and advocacy; all of these traits are fundamentally important to be a great nurse.

My family is small, close-knit, supportive, and quirky.  We have always lived below the poverty line as a result of minimal education.  I will be the very first in my family to ever get a degree.  This is a cycle I would be very proud to break and offer a better future to my family in the years to come.

People in Northern Saskatchewan face unique barriers not seen in Southern communities.  In those towns fortunate enough to have facilities and trained professionals, services are very limited.  It is of the utmost importance that the personnel in these communities are able to think outside the box and utilize the resources available to them in the best way possible.  Advocating for change meaningful to the population in their area is crucial.  It is also important that the health care team works together inter-professionally, utilizes, builds and supports community resources, and incorporates technology to provide the best care possible given the limited resources and expansive geography it is required to service.

Ultimately, I hope to be an active part of improving health care delivery in the North.  I plan on doing this by getting my RN degree and functioning as an RN, then continue my education to my Nurse Practitioner (MN/NP) degree, and be active in research and initiatives that improve health outcomes in the North.

Nurse Practitioners are becoming recognized as key members of the health care team that can help reduce wait times, and provide personalized care.  No matter what avenue my degree takes me, I plan to be a knowledgeable, confident, skillful, and positive role model in the nursing profession.