Ann Beckingham Award

Choosing nursing as a profession is a call to pursue the betterment of humankind through practice, education, and research. My grandmother was a nurse and completed one of the first Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs in Canada at the University of Alberta in 1936. Her work as a nursing scientist, as well as witnessing her final years living in a nursing home with severe dementia, inspired and motivated me to become a nurse. For over a decade of my career I worked as a front-line practitioner in critical care across the globe (Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom). These experiences have shown me that whole system change is needed to improve healthcare quality, and that strong leadership at all levels (e.g., policy-makers, managers, and front-line providers) is essential to drive this reform. I believe leaders create and articulate a vision and lead by example to actualize positive change. My vision is to help guide system transformation by becoming a nurse leader in health services research to help ensure that all Canadians receive high-quality, safe, patient-centered care. The scholarship provided by the Canadian Nurses Foundation will support my endeavours to improve the quality of emergency department care provided to older adults with dementia.