Sharon Nield Memorial Award

The past 12 years of nursing I have worked in a diverse amount of health care settings from nursing in Australia for two years to volunteering in a maternity clinic in Fiji, and the last 4.5 years I have been happily employed in the Canadian Rockies as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). Additionally, I am in my final year of the post-LPN Bachelor of Nursing program at Athabasca University. Growing up I always knew I wanted an impactful career that allowed me to help make a difference in people’s lives and at the same I wanted a career that was based on research and science. It was only natural that I was drawn to the nursing profession. Nursing is a beautiful balance between an art and science, and in modern nursing, one can’t exist without the other. It is a profession that requires individuals to have specialized knowledge and skills in order practice, while also ensuring that the art of nursing is maintained and guided by being caring and compassionate. I feel very lucky to be in this rewarding profession knowing that evidence-based practice guides my clinical decisions, but also being compassionate and caring compliments the interaction to help facilitate the most optimal patient outcomes. It is such an honor to be named a CNF scholar and I am extremely grateful for being selected to receive the Sharon Nield Memorial Award!