Military Nurses Canada Award

Founded by Col. Agnes Campbell Neill

When picking our post-secondary programs in high school, nursing was a last-minute choice. I always had an interest in health sciences but was unsure of a nurse’s role. Once I entered nursing school, I persevered because I enjoyed caring for others. I felt fulfilled when healing someone or making them comfortable. In my first year, I learned about Nurse Practitioners (NP) and since then it has become my goal to pursue that career path. Nursing school was challenging and as much as I struggled, I was proud when I graduated. I worked in cancer care where I learned about chemotherapy protocols and innovative treatment options. This line of work challenged me to be a constant learner as once we became knowledgeable, there would be change. After obtaining several years of clinical experience, I finally decided to enroll into the Nurse Practitioner program in Primary Health Care. I really want to give back to the community and to follow patients throughout their lifespan. I believe becoming a NP will allow me to make a meaningful contribution to health care. Overall, I am proud of myself for continuing my Masters program and being able to use it to explore the topic of Indigenous health, which I am passionate about. I have used projects to gain a further understanding of Indigenous Health and the barriers they face. This past semester, I developed a module on pain from an Indigenous perspective. Upon graduation I hope to work with Indigenous and rural communities.