Tylenol Bacc Award

My name is Ali Akbari, and I am entering my second year of the accelerated standing track nursing program at Queen’s University. I chose nursing because I believe in providing safe, compassionate, equitable and ethical care to underserved populations. I have come to learn that nursing is an intersectional profession, as nurses provide care and attend to people experiencing varying levels of oppression and privilege in their livelihoods. As such, I am a fervid advocate for uplifting marginalized peoples, including all within our BIPOC and 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. In my community, I serve as a nursing student advocate through my commitments as Senator at the University level and in various committee involvements.  

My nursing experience has been incredibly reflexive, as I have developed an appreciation for the opportunities and clinical skills I have experienced. Through nursing, I have developed an acceptance and achieved clarity in the challenges of my own life, health, identity, and goals as a future health care provider, and I have developed the tools to navigate this new landscape in this ever-changing health care field. 

As the amount of knowledge new nursing graduates learn has significantly increased over the years, the quality of nursing education has remained stagnant. There are very real, and extreme challenges we face in this profession. I believe in improving nursing education within our schools and work settings and bringing awareness to the public. Thus, I aspire to become a Nursing Educator in the classroom and in the clinical setting.