Extendicare Nurse Practitioner Scholarship

During my nursing degree I was exposed to the role of the Nurse Practitioner (NP) in a community placement in Ontario. I observed the benefits of NPs first hand in an overburdened health care system with a lack of family and community physicians. The NP was an integral part of the health care team and delivered holistic, quality care. This experience spurred my aspiration to become a NP and make a difference in the health care system back home in Alberta. Before entering the NP program I worked in a rural Albertan emergency room until I moved to Edmonton and worked for almost four years in Intensive care. I loved the challenging nature of emergency and intensive care and the opportunities for continuous learning and practice advancement.

After gaining much experience as a nurse I felt ready to pursue my NP aspiration. I am currently entering my second year of the NP program with a specialization in aging. Throughout my practice as a nurse, I cared for many older adults near the end of their lives and knew I wanted to work with this population. My thesis research involves investigating quality of care of older adults in long-term care. With the aging Canadian population and expected increased demand on the health care system, I hope to meet some of the demand in serving this population with an advanced scope as a Nurse Practitioner. Receiving this scholarship has allowed me the opportunity to concentrate on my studies and devote my time to school.  This degree will help me practice to my full potential and at an advanced scope of practice. I am looking forward to my future career as a Nurse Practitioner, which this scholarship will greatly facilitate me in achieving.