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Since the age of 13, I had decided I wanted to be a paediatrician. I loved kids, and I loved science, particularly biology. I got admitted to the Life Science Program at Queen’s University. Two years in, I realized that the long haul of 14 years to become a paediatrician was not for me, specifically since I wanted to have four kids. At this point, I had a crisis. What was I to do? Being a paediatrician was all I had ever thought of. I was admitted to a hospital having experienced a breakdown.
There, I encountered an incredible nurse. I had been around incredible nurses before, having volunteered at Toronto’s SickKids and other hospitals as a teen. I asked this nurse what she loved about nursing. Her answer made up my mind and I switched into nursing upon being discharged.
It was the best decision I ever made and I have never looked back! For my placements at Queen’s, I had told my story above and they matched me with only paediatric placements. Having placements in paediatric outpatient and inpatient units and in the community in the Healthy Babies, Healthy Children program in public health. I even did an international placement in Barbados on the obstetrics floor in a hospital. This solidified that being a paediatric nurse is what I wanted to be.
Starting my career at SickKids (hospital) as a young BScN grad at the age of 24, I worked on a high acuity respirology floor. It was very stressful and we had codes very frequently, but I learned all the clinical skills I ever needed in the one year I was there. I left, having wanted to experience travel nursing for the longest time.
My nursing career has been absolutely incredible. I went back to working at the hospital after I heard in the media that droves of nurses, and especially young nurses, were leaving the profession. I came back to inspire the next generation of nurses and to say, being a nurse is the best career in the world.
Travel nursing took me to New Mexico where I worked on an inpatient paediatric floor with an aboriginal population. I encountered fetal alcohol spectrum disorders and abuse cases. My charting on a patient here actually landed in court as it was so detailed the prosecutor stated. Next, I sent to San Diego, California where I worked in a state-run facility for abused and neglected kids aged 0-18. My clinical skills helped send two children to the hospital, one with meningitis and the other with tuberculosis.
After returning from travel nursing, I enrolled in a Master’s of Nursing Administration Program at the University of Toronto. Here, I learned broad picture and theoretical framework thinking. I also gained recognition of areas of nursing I had never considered, which was public health. I did a placement at Toronto Public Health in the family health division where I supported the policy creation banishing corporal punishment in Toronto.
After marriage, I also worked in Michigan, in a private paediatric hospital. Here I was faced with patients having to pay for every item used. I also faced a caseload of 10-14 patients to one RN. I left as I told the manager that patient safety was at risk having such a high ratio.
Upon my return to Toronto, I landed a role at Toronto Public Health. Public health has been my passion for the next decade and more. I have worked in five of the largest public health units (Peel, York, Halton, Toronto and Wellington-Dufferin Guelph). I’ve been a public health nurse in school health, Healthy Babies and Healthy Children and then a manager in school health, school immunization and the COVID-19 vaccination paediatric clinics.
Throughout my career, I’ve maintained my passion for child health. I’ve held every role possible in nursing and have even been a professor in a Bachelor of Nursing program. I’ve worked in inpatient, outpatient, public health and travel nursing fields. And now I’ve come full circle, after 15 organizations, working as a senior clinical manager at SickKids. Here we are working hard to move the surgical waitlist down after years of delays due to COVID. I have an incredible team of hardworking, motivated and absolutely awe-inspiring nurses.
My nursing career has been absolutely incredible. I went back to working at the hospital after I heard in the media that droves of nurses, and especially young nurses, were leaving the profession. I came back to inspire the next generation of nurses and to say, being a nurse is the best career in the world.
P.S. I’ve also been a panel member and facilitator for the RNAO Leadership Series for emerging leaders! I want to give back to the next generation of nurse leaders!
Submitted June 2024
