Dr. Dorothy J. Kergin Award

I carry out my life with the philosophy of “healing others is connected with healing yourself”. As a Chinese immigrant whose family members grew up in poor, rural and remote villages in China, my upbringing and my collectivist culture imparted on me a commitment to doing good for each other to achieve a greater good. This is the fundamental reason why I became a nurse: to do good. I have navigated the Canadian healthcare system in various roles: family caregiver, patient, and healthcare provider. Through these experiences, I developed a strong commitment to patient- and family-centered care, a powerful stance on the importance of upholding universal healthcare, and a passion to address nursing workforce challenges.  

At present, I am a Registered Nurse in the role of Corporate Professional Practice Leader and Manager at a community hospital in Toronto, Ontario. I am currently enrolled in the PhD in Nursing program at Queen’s University. My research interests, which center on practice environments, leadership, and the nursing workforce, are informed by my professional experiences in various roles across the nursing continuum, spanning research, education, administration, and clinical practice. I am deeply passionate about elevating nurses, nursing professional practice, and nursing scholarship to further benefit patient care as well as to enhance outcomes for nurses, organizations, and the healthcare system as a whole.