Originally from British Columbia, I have lived across the province from Haida Gwaii to Vancouver Island. I have been a nurse since 1990, joining the Northern Health Authority in 1991, my focus in nursing has been surgical, medical, pediatrics and Post Anesthesia. I started as a faculty member at the College of New Caledonia since 2010 teaching in the NCBNP, with a focus on Health Promotion, Global Health, International Education, and clinical skills. I have completed my Master of Nursing with a Teaching Focus, my Provincial Instructors Diploma, and currently working on achieving my PhD in Healthcare, Education and Leadership. I have facilitated learning through various avenues, theory, laboratory, simulation, and the clinical setting.
I have a great interest in both global health and education, and international clinical experiences and the transformation of theory to practice, especially related to cultural responsiveness and soft skill development. This interest supported the creation of a nursing field school, and my participation in leading and facilitating second year nursing students in completing their credited consolidated nursing clinical rotation in Bangalore, India. This experiential opportunity inspired me as a life-long learner, in obtaining my PhD. In addition, my passion has been the driver behind becoming an international educator (and learner) working/living in Doha, Qatar, for the past 3 years delivering nursing education to a diverse population.
I am committed to life-long learning, mentoring of faculty/staff and students, working with student focused learning, encouraging empowerment, cultural awareness, and creating environments conducive to learning. “It is important to ensure we stimulate growth and development on both personal levels and professional levels, for both our students as well as ourselves.”
Education is a key element in restoring, maintaining, and promoting overall health and wellbeing within all levels of societies. The discipline of nursing works with a diverse group of people, regardless of the community one resides in. For nursing students learning in environments, which are outside our ‘comfort zone’ or our familiar surroundings, allows for experiential and transformational learning to occur. This learning opportunity promotes communication, collaboration, problem solving/decision making and leadership skills, which are detrimental and foundational to their current and future nursing careers.