Winner Nicole de Bosch Kemper
Nursing has been a lifelong aspiration for Nicole as it always had an impact on her life. Looking back, Nicole cannot remember a time that she did not want to be a nurse and help young children as she had always been helped when she was in and out of a hospital as a young child. There is one nurse who always stood out to her as exceptional; and, this nurse is the one that Nicole most remembers when looking back on times spent in the hospital. “I have always wanted to be that nurse to someone”, Nicole remarks.
As a student in high school thinking about career options, Nicole thought about the positive impact of that particular nurse and thought it would be wonderful if she could be a nurse and have even one child remember her as the one who really made a difference. Having the ability to work with children and get them through a difficult period in their life has always been something that she thought she would find very rewarding.
Today, Nicole works on the pediatric ward at the Kelowna General Hospital as the Patient Care Coordinator. In this role she has the opportunity to work with children hands on and learn about a vast array of different illnesses and childhood diseases. A large part of Nicole’s time is spent caring for children and adolescents with cancer. “I find this to be an extremely gratifying area of work and take great pride in the connections and relationships I am able to form with the kids that I see on a very regular basis.
It is always so rewarding to see how these children adapt to the situation they are faced with and overcome such great hurdles”.
Nicole is currently enrolled in a Masters of Science in Nursing at the University of British Columbia Okanagan and hopes to complete with her studies in the fall of 2011 – with the support of RNFBC. Nicole is the most recent recipient of the Gordon J. Murphy Memorial Bursary. “RNFBC was able to provide me with financial help with my studies and lessen that burden immensely. The costs of continuing education are always increasing. This bursary has helped me towards achieving my goal of obtaining my masters degree and becoming patient care coordinator on the pediatric ward. The bursary that I was awarded was very fitting for my practice because a large part of my role includes oncology care and I am so grateful for it.”
Nicole learned about RNFBC through colleagues of hers who had taken post-graduate studies and had become familiar with the Foundation through schooling. When asked what she tells other nursing students about RNFBC, Nicole says “RNFBC is a foundation that supports nursing and quality healthcare by giving us the opportunity to pursue our educational dreams.
I hope to stay where I am and continue to care for children. It has always been my dream.” RNFBC wishes Nicole every success in continuing to realize her dreams.