Education credentia​​ls

RN

Residen​​ce

Terrace

Current emplo​​yer

Registered Nurse, Mills Memorial Hospital, Northern Health Authority​

Years in pra​​ctice

12

Regulatory exp​​erience 

​​​—

​Volunteer/community involve​​m​​ent

—

Ca​ndidate state​​ment

Why do you want to be a BCCNM​ Board Member? 

​I am a Gitxsan woman who was raised in the Gitxsan Nation and was fortunate enough to have grown up speaking Gitxsan. I have lived through all of health inequalities experienced by many First Nations people. I would welcome the opportunity to work with BCCNM in working to provide justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in​ the regulation of health professionals.  As a First Nations Registered Nurse, I have experienced various worksites withing BC. I have always had a desire to help others achieve success and work life satisfaction, this opportunity to serve on the BCCNM board would be ideal in sharing resources, sharing knowledge while working as an advocate for others. Many registrants may not be aware of all the regulatory programs, tools, processes, and policies that may be available through BCCNM.  I am very interested in becoming a board member mainly because I do not fully understand and do not fully know exactly how BCCNM can support their members.

Using​ the Board Composition Matrix as a guide, how do you embody these values in your work and personal life? 

​In my personal and work life, I always take time to self reflect in deciding what impact my decision may have after my words are spoken. I make every effort to act with integrity and speak the truth while taking full responsibility for decisions made by myself.  Throughout my work, I do recognize and appreciate that circumstances and needs are continuously changing either for better or worse. I continue to be open and responsive to ideas and suggestions from others in order for me to grow and learn. I make decisions that are in the best interests of others. Continuously working to promote a respectful and supportive environment that involves personal and working development without potential conflicts or interest. I enjoy learning and relearning effective and engaging techniques while unlearning behaviours that have either been pointed out to me or those behaviours I have identified in self reflection. 

Using​ the Board Composition Matrix as a guide, what specific skills, practices, and knowledge do you currently have that will contribute to the Board’s work and which do you need to learn? 

I realize my competency is not limited to my skills as a nurse but also extends to my position as a leader and role model within my work environment and in the community. Through my proactive and dedicated work as a Registered Nurse, I have staff and clients counting on me to use my skills and knowledge to assess, plan, implement and evaluate client focused care plans and to provide effective interventions with regard to best practice. However, I recognize the importance of further education in assessment, diagnosis, prescribing, ordering diagnostic tests and managing diseases, disorders and conditions within a professionally regulated scope of practice. 

What specific knowledge, perspectives and/or lived experience do you currently have that can meet the need to strengthen BC First Nations or Indigenous representation in the Board’s composition and support the Board in its pledge to make the BC healthcare system more culturally safe for Indigenous peoples? 

Through my work both on and off First Nations communities, I have seen many chronic illnesses such as: Lupus, osteoarthritis, high blood pressure, diabetes, and cardiac related illnesses. Many clients are not only impacted by symptoms related to their diagnosis but clients also have to deal with altered or limited mobility. Clients with altered or limited mobility have felt this as a barrier to their ability in getting the medical treatment they need.  It is also a well-known fact that many First Nations people are of low income, low education, and of poor health; important socio-economic factors that impact and indicate the quality of their health and wellness. Working as a nurse in the community of Kispiox has helped me realize that in order to more effectively support the community and make change, I require additional skills and knowledge in nursing assessment, rationale, interventions and more up to date evidence based practice knowledge.  Most people who suffer with chronic illness also suffer from depression both undiagnosed and diagnosed. First Nations and Indigenous alike experience the effects of suicide. Mental health consequences of depression are very broad and far reaching in a small community. ​