Extendicare Award

When asked why I wanted to be a nurse I could not come up with a simple answer; I just seem to have always known that this is what I wanted to do. I have an aunt who is a retired nurse and I remember respecting her ability to coolly handle crises, but remain caring and compassionate. There is an art to the way nurses use their knowledge to do important assessments while developing trust and genuine relationships with their clients and families. I have always admired that.

My personal route to becoming an RN had many detours through a degree in community development, travels, and life experience that laid the foundation for my philosophy on community nursing. I am a home healthcare nurse and my position brings me right into the client’s context with them, their families, and their homes. I am honoured by the journeys I share with my clients, and happy every day about the choice I made to return to school and get my BSN. As a nurse, I am able to assess and use clients’ strengths to develop collaborative plans of care to help them stay at home safely.  Another aspect of nursing I love is that there is constant learning and professional development. I plan to finish my Masters of Nursing in nursing leadership at the University of Victoria and hone my skills at bringing evidence into nursing practice in order to improve outcomes for our clients.