Lundbeck Canada Mental Health Nursing Award

Immediately after graduating high school, I entered the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at McMaster University and I never looked back! I knew that by choosing nursing I would have a fulfilling career with many opportunities for professional growth. As an undergraduate, I had an excellent mental health placement which inspired me to pursue a career in that field. After graduating in 2010, I started working at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, where I remain employed today. Currently, I am an Advanced Practice Clinical Leader in the Medical Withdrawal Service. In this role, I have had many opportunities to grow as a nurse and engage in research, presentations, publications and teaching. I am most proud of the occasions when I have taught undergraduate nursing students and inspired them to seek clinical placements in addictions and mental health settings! As a doctoral student at the University of Toronto, my research is focused on understanding why some people leave withdrawal management services before their withdrawal and stabilization goals are complete. Through my research I hope to develop a better understanding of this clinical problem in order to develop meaningful interventions to prevent people from leaving treatment early.