TD Meloche Monnex Award

I am currently a PhD student in the School of Nursing at Dalhousie University and a Registered Nurse at the IWK Health Centre. I graduated with my BSN degree from UBC Okanagan in 2016 and have since practiced in various acute medical-surgical settings. My research interests include global health, women’s health, and maternal health and my doctoral research will explore postpartum sexual health. By combining my academic studies with ongoing clinical practice, I am able to pursue meaningful avenues for research and knowledge translation so as to improve health outcomes for women and their families.

My answer to why I became a nurse has changed many times over the course of my 3 years in the profession, exemplifying the diversity of opportunities and roles that nursing provides. Whether it be research, advocacy, education, or clinical practice, I am always intrigued and excited about the work that nurses do. During my first year in clinical practice, I had many questions about care delivery and patient outcomes: How can we do better? Why is this happening? As a nurse, I saw that I was in an ideal position to create change and to have an impact. Opportunities within the profession are endless and I’ve been fortunate to experience incredible learning, both personally and professionally, through my nursing work. Nurses are leaders and combine action with knowledge, vision, and compassion.

My sincerest thanks to the Canadian Nurses Foundation and TD Meloche Monnex for their support of my doctoral research.