Nightingale Award

It was in grade 5 that I first realized that “helping others” was my calling in life. It was not until after graduation from high school that I decided to pursue a diploma in nursing. Frequently young nurses follow in the footsteps of family members who have been integrally woven into the tapestry of nursing but I did not have such a mentor. Instead, I was to be the pioneering professional for my family. I was enrolled in a hospital diploma program but when I learned of the undergraduate program I elected to make this a future bucket list item. Following graduation, I embarked on a career in the operating room which I loved. It was not until I began to explore my first community-based position, working at a physician’s office that I began to reconsider my bucket list and how to become a mature student.

Another exciting pathway in community nursing presented just as I was to enter university in which I became a community college healthcare program instructor. Considering the roles that community nursing positions have held along my university educational journey, I am pleased to be the recipient of the Nightingale Scholarship. I believe that community nursing is an important specialty and I hope to continue working in this diverse area of many possibilities. I envision my future self expanding upon the nursing advocacy role perhaps working as a team member for the Premier’s Advisory Council for those Living with Special Needs or for Age-Friendly Community Compliance.