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Why did you decide to enter the nursing profession?

When I was 10 years old, my father was in a near fatal accident. My aunt, who is an RN came from Baltimore, Maryland to look after him for six months while in hospital. I thought she was awesome and that it was very caring of her to do that. Her selflessness motivated me to care for others. She is my hero.

How did you get to where you are today?

Before getting into nursing, I worked as a sous chef, in an art gallery and as a business administrator for my husband's business. When I went into nursing, I was 37 years old, married and had 3 children (13, 14 and 16 years old). I entered the BCIT RN Diploma nursing program where I upgraded my skills at the College of of the Rockies in Cranbrook, B.C., and BCIT in Burnaby, BC. It was a big adjustment for my family to have me in one place and then the other, but they all pitched in to help!

I stared as a casual RN on a medical floor at East Kootenay Regional Hospital. I worked a couple shifts on the surgical floor and enjoyed it very much. Eventually I was offered a full-time position on the surgical floor. Throughout my nursing career, I have taken critical care courses, worked in the ICU and did a one year temporary full-time position in the Post Anesthesia Recovery Unit (PAR). In the end though, I always went back to surgery.

What do you find most challenging in your current role?

What I find most challenging is the critical issue of inadequate staffing. Presently, our hospital is running at 100% to 120% capacity and often times is short staffed. The floor is already very busy and demanding and it can be very challenging to provide proper and safe care to everyone under these conditions.

What do you find most rewarding in your current role?

What I find most rewarding in my current role is teaching. I enjoy teaching patients how to benefit themselves in the recovery process as well as teaching and mentoring nursing students to guide them in their new profession.

What advice would you give to new nurses or individuals considering nursing as a career?

My advice would be to get to know someone who is in the profession and to talk to them about your goals. You can learn a lot about what it means and takes to be a nurse from speaking to those who are already in the profession. It is so important to find out whether nursing is right for you before you enter the profession. Nursing needs to be personally fulfilling in order for you to feel successful!!

Nursing is...

Multifaceted, stressful, rewarding, frustrating, challenging and ever-changing...