Nova Scotia Nurses Association CNA Centennial Award

I am a Registered Nurse in Fredericton, New Brunswick, where I happily reside with my husband and our three children. I graduated in 1990 from the University of New Brunswick with a Bachelor of Nursing, First Division, and it has long been my dream to obtain my Masters to better understand and utilize research practices. In particular, I have always been fascinated by the role of spirituality in improving health outcomes. However, within five years of graduation, my first-born child, David Jr., was killed in a car accident. My mother was the driver, and died a year later. Three other children were born, and between recovering from grief, working shift hours, and raising a young family, a return to advanced education was inconceivable for a long period of time. At the encouragement of the Director of Graduate Studies, my husband, and others, I decided to return to UNB. So many of the secure places and familiar faces that had led me through my undergraduate degree had remained unchanged. It was awesome to be learning again! My mind seemed to be awakening, I had forgotten how this felt. The possibilities, the place, the people, and the rapid personal growth were all happening again, and a new world of possibilities seemed to be opening up for me to help my patients. I have dedicated my career to working with vulnerable populations, and now have the privilege of partnering with First Nations individuals to examine the role of spirituality in recovering from drug and alcohol addiction and to build community programs based on these findings. The CNF/NANB Scholarship has made this possible!