Me and My Thoughts...

Health education and active living are important virtues that I am constantly striving to achieve and balance with my personal and professional life.  Health education is educating others about health, and empowering them to restore, maintain, or promote their health status and quality of life.  Active living is incorporating physical activity into daily routine.  As a health care provider, it is my role and responsibility to ensure I encompass both health education and active living, as maintaining health is on ongoing process.   

About Me

To sum it up…I am a proud mother of 2 boys – 10 and 14 years old.  I am also a wife, daughter (and daughter-in-law), sister (and sister-in-law), aunty, cousin and friend. Each of these roles have defined and shaped who I am. 

Work Experience

I have always wanted to be a nurse for as long as I can remember, and felt nursing was a profession that was meant for me. 

I have been employed with Fraser Health Authority for over 15 years, and have worked the areas of medical/surgical, palliative, labor and delivery, operating room, and community care. 

I have been in the community for the past 8 years, and have transitioned through the roles of Nursing Supervisor to Clinical Resource Nurse (educator) to Team Leader.  As a Team Leader, I provide leadership and clinical/administrative support to an interdisciplinary team, and am also involved with practice standards and quality improvement.  In my role, I lead a team of Licensed Practical Nurses and Registered Nurses that oversee 250 community health workers (equivalent of residential care aides) in the community.

I love being a nurse, and am doing exactly what I have always known that I am supposed to be doing.   

Career Expectations

I have been asked by co-workers why am I entering a Masters of Education program when I am already in a leadership role?  To be completely honest, completing this post-graduate degree is purely for personal growth.  The experience gained through my leadership role, along with a graduate degree, will only open more opportunistic doors if needed in the future.  At this time, I am enjoying the development and growth in my leadership role, and not sure whether I would take on the challenges of a managerial role.  Perhaps with the newly gained knowledge, I may feel different in the future, and will have to cross that bridge when I get to it.

HEAL MEd Expectations

I selected SFU’s cohort program based on its structure and curriculum.  Health education and active living have always been very important to me. 

With a Master of Education in Health Education and Active Living, I will gain scholarly knowledge, and be able to utilize it to address many of our issues at our worksite.  I want to learn how to implement health promotion, and utilize active living techniques to support our staff.

On an informal note…I am very excited about this program, and looking forward to the connections that have already begun. 

Active Living and Health Interests

Sense of Active Living

I grew up hating sports.  My parents’ focus was on academic curriculum only, and sports were non-existent in our home.  I developed my passion for running only about 8 years ago.  I joined a Learn-to-Run clinic, and realized that I enjoyed the solitude and peacefulness that running provided.  From there, I completed the 5K clinic, 10K clinic, half-marathon clinic, and the full marathon clinic.  I have completed 5 half-marathons, and 2 marathons.  The best feeling in the world is crossing the finish line of a marathon, and appreciating the challenges your body overcomes when challenged to run 26.1 miles (42.2 km). 

We are an active family.  Both my boys play soccer 3-4 times per week, and then we also work on their fitness as well.  My husband has been following the Body for Life regime, and exercises 5-6 times per week.  In the summer, we tried to do as many family activities that our schedules allowed…biking, hiking, swimming, and roller-blading, to name a few.

One of my challenges and biggest struggles is related to balancing my work and personal life, and being able to maintain an active, healthy lifestyle.  I am also aware that exercising/physical activity has so many benefits – providing energy and strength, increasing endurance, increasing metabolism, and as an active person, being less likely to develop illnesses.  I am always striving to set a good example of healthy living to my boys, and at the same time, we look forward to the time spent together.

Health Interests, Concerns and Questions

I have battled weight my whole life, and have successfully kept off 90 pounds for the past 6 years.  I have lived the life of an overweight person, and understand the health concerns and risks faced by others in the same situation.  I was motivated enough to change my life.  I woke up one morning, about 7 years ago, and realized that I want to be an active part of my children’s life, and started my journey to lose weight. 

Being a nurse, I constantly see the many health challenges related to leading an unhealthy lifestyle.  As a society, why are we not being more proactive, and providing support to promotion and prevention of disease?  Our health care system is already so overburdened and unsustainable, and as health care providers, we still have to provide care for individuals that have made poor and unhealthy lifestyle choices. 

There are so many factors that influence those struggling with a health challenge, such as socio-economic, cultural, and educational factors.  As a health care provider, am I doing enough to address these concerns?  Are we empowering the individual to change, or are we just applying a “band-aid” solution, and hoping they can manage on their own? 

I have many concerns about our health care system, but realize we need to all support each other in this industry to make it sustainable.