Artifact #1

Workplace – The Oshawa Clinic Group

My first artifact is a photo of me mid-donning at my place of work, The Oshawa Clinic Group. After spending the first 8 years of my career in healthcare working as a Medical Device Reprocessing Technician, I moved into an administrative role in radiology where my knowledge of Infection Prevention and Control allowed me to assist implementing set-up, protocol and policy for prostate biopsy patients in collaboration with Lakeridge Health and Peterborough Prostate Assessment Clinic. This role gave me exposure to interacting with patients and their families during vulnerable, stressful situations and allowed me to respect and appreciate the intimacy we’re privy to as healthcare workers and to recognize how patients look to us to offer calmness, empathy, compassion and strength in these times.

When the COVID-19 pandemic came, I transferred to a partner site at the Taunton Interventional Pain Management Clinic , where I had a hybrid role of working as a Nursing Aide and assisting the medical director in updating and rewriting the policy and procedure manuals. Going through the process of reading our own policy and vetting for updated government policy reinforced the significance of how not only do these policies serve to protect healthcare workers, but their main objective is to protect patients through safe practice implementations at all levels. When I wasn’t doing administrative work, I absolutely adored having the opportunity to work with patients and be directly involved in their care. Our patients come in with significant pain and duress, but by the time they leave there is almost always an improvement to their mood even if intervention was unsuccessful because of the therapeutic relationship our staff has built with our patients. When I stepped down from my role to return to school full-time, I was so touched to receive cards filled with well-wishes from our patients. 

Artifact #2

Letter of Acceptance – TFSON BScN Compressed Program

Trent Offer of Admission

My second artifact is my offer of admission to the Trent/Fleming School of Nursing Bachelor of Science in Nursing Compressed Program. When I had applied to Trent’s compressed program, I was so hopeful because it was the only compressed program I was eligible to apply to without having taken human anatomy and physiology in my previous degree. Offers came in quickly from other universities for their 4-year degrees, and after a couple of months I had lost optimism that I would be able to accomplish my goal of getting my degree in the timeframe I had wanted. When I received this offer at the end of March, I was ecstatic. I felt that working so hard at night school in the years prior had been recognized and I was so grateful to be selected. Even though validation should ultimately come from within, I do take pride in this external validation because it shows that I have worked hard to achieve, and that had set me apart from other applicants which I do not take lightly nor for granted. I recognize my successful completion of this degree will rely on retaining the steadfast qualities that got me thus far to carry me through and on to writing my NCLEX exams.

Artifact #3

Letter of Selection – TFSON Appeals Committee

Trent University – TFSON Appeals Committee

My third artifact is my successful application as a member of the Trent/Fleming School of Nursing Appeals Committee. I received an e-mail asking all undergraduate nursing students to apply to join the TFSON Committees and I thought, “Why not?” and put my application in. When I take the time to practice reflection, this is how I’ve ended up as a certified Joint Health and Safety Committee member at my work and volunteering to be involved in work that supports my colleagues and community. When there is a call to action or request for assistance, what reason is there that I shouldn’t step forward? While I would not call myself a leader, I do deeply value offering support, guidance and implementing best practices that uplift and empower the group as a whole. I believe as a member of the TFSON Appeals Committee I can help enrich my peers lives by upholding these values by embodying the academic and professional expectations I am tasked to enforce as well as non-judgmentally evaluate the appeals of my peers. I believe these traits will help me uplift the profession of nursing, as having active involvement at any level serves to further improve the quality of  nursing in both education and practice.

Artifact #4

Thank you Letters – Living in Japan

My final artifact are my thank-you letters from my students when I was living and working as an English teacher in Japan. I was the only foreigner in my small town and I lived alone with limited language capabilities. I often struggled to communicate, understand what the different monthly bills I received were for or read street signs I even ended up at the hospital trying to navigate the healthcare system, incorrectly I might add. The kindness, patience, and resilience of strangers and families on the street, employees and healthcare workers is something I will never forget. No matter who it was, they would ask if I needed help and take the time to make sure they helped to the best of their ability.

In  addition, being entrusted to care for my students and sharing in cultural exchange as I watched them reach milestones are some of my most cherished memories. When I was leaving to return to Canada, one student and her mother waited after class to tell me that my student had never liked English class, but I had taken the time to get to know my student and help her come out of her shell and join the class and my student was now having fun at school. It was then I realized one individual can make a profound difference if the effort is consistent and genuine. I have always valued these experiences with humility, and I hope to embody the same time, patience, care and understanding as I was once given through exercising inclusivity in my nursing studies and future nursing practice.