Virginia A. Lindabury Award

I am honoured to be the recipient of the 2020 CNF Virginia Lindabury Award. I was inspired to become a nurse, as I grew up surrounded by strong nurse role models, including my mother. I am passionate about nursing, as it allows me to combine my love of science and learning with my love of people. I am currently in my final year of the Bachelor of Nursing program at Red River College (RRC). Throughout my time at RRC, I have been involved in my school’s Nursing Student’s Association and have held the position of social chair for the past year. I am actively involved in mentorship and plan events that foster peer support. I sit on both the Curriculum Committee and the Research and Scholarship Committee as a student representative, and work as a research assistant for the nursing faculty. Last summer I was one of two RRC nursing students chosen to attend a summer program about dementia and welfare technology in Aarhus, Denmark, where I learned approaches to patient care that I can apply to work in any field of nursing. With a group of peers and a faculty advisor, I completed a pilot research project studying the effects of Mental Health First Aid training on nursing students’ self-efficacy, and we had the opportunity to present our project at the Canadian Nursing Students’ Association national conference in Montreal this past January. This award will allow me to continue on my path towards an impactful career in nursing.