RN
Amanda MacDonald is the RN recipient of the 2024 Nursing Now Ontario Awards. Much of her experience over more than 10 years of nursing is in oncology care. She currently works in the cancer program at Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH) in Barrie.
MacDonald graduated from Western University with a double major in bio-chemistry and biology. She originally planned to become a pharmacist but changed course to pursue nursing. She completed Humber College’s consolidation program associated with the University of New Brunswick and started her nursing career in 2012 at Orangeville’s Headwaters Health Care Centre in their outpatient ambulatory clinic. It was there where she was first exposed to oncology care and took on a full-time position before moving to RVH’s hospital float team in 2013. MacDonald spent a year gaining experience in other areas before deciding oncology care was where she belonged. MacDonald says her work in this area is fulfilling, especially since cancer-related information is constantly changing – “it gives you hope.” MacDonald’s colleagues describe her as the “best supporting nurse” because of her unwavering commitment to patient care and willingness to advocate for her patients.
Her interest in ongoing learning and professional development led MacDonald to a two-week fellowship focused on acute leukemia with hopes of achieving her de Souza designation awarded by the de Souza Institute, which she obtained in 2016. Given there are less than 20 Ontario-based nurses with this designation, MacDonald says she holds this accomplishment near and dear to her heart.
When MacDonald first started her nursing career, she was given the following advice that has stuck with her to this day and that she’d like to pass on to new nurses: “There’s always an opportunity – you have to keep your oars in the water.”
