CNF Award

I have always had a profound interest in the sciences and how the human body works. This is why I decided to study Life Sciences at Queen’s University after I graduated from high school.  Having a degree under my belt, I was ready to explore my next steps.  I began volunteering at a hospital in Toronto, where I was able to see the complex, dynamic roles that nurses played in patients’ lives.  They were compassionate team players who were able to think critically and on their feet, and these were skills I wanted to build upon and contribute to society.  Around this time, I also started working as a medical assistant at a walk-in clinic.  Here I was able to learn some key skills that are now proving to be crucial in nursing, such as basic assessments and giving injections such as immunizations and allergy shots.

What interested me most were the various challenges that each new patient provided, ranging from different health issues to barriers in communication. I enjoyed using my problem solving and communication skills in interacting with patients, and I really liked learning about the important role that good health plays in forming healthy communities.  The clinic was located in a low-income housing area of the city, so we were constantly looking for new ways to improve patient access to healthcare in the community.  I wanted to delve even deeper into this endeavor, so I decided to pursue a career in nursing in hopes of eventually working directly with patients in the community.  Now that I’m halfway through the nursing program at BCIT, I’m enjoying it even more than I thought I would, and cannot wait to see what new challenges come my way.