ROLE: Registered Nurse, Surgery
JOINED SHN: 2018
COMING FROM: Alberta, Canada
HEALTHCARE EXPERIENCE: 8 years
LOVES OUTSIDE WORK: Playing with Milo, my cat!
“Today I am a charge nurse with SHN’s surgical department where I communicate assertively, know my strengths and weaknesses well, and trust my judgement.”
There’s no magic button for sparkling self-confidence. Sometimes I reflect back on my time as a novice nurse, and while I was a skilled healthcare professional with a supportive team, I didn’t necessarily start off with the confidence to lead.
One day, one of my managers pulled me aside after our team huddle and said, “You know that you can speak freely with us. How you show respect at home doesn’t need to dictate how you advocate for patients at work.”
Let me give you some context. In most cultures, you show respect to those who are senior or older than you. Well, this value is particularly strong in Asian culture. My manager was also Asian and understood where I was coming from.
She encouraged me to express myself openly at work with my colleagues and those in more senior roles. By challenging me to think critically about the assumptions I had about myself, people, and situations within the workplace, she cracked my perception of professional relationships.
I can’t think of a better example of the diversity that exists at SHN, and the importance of seeing yourself reflected in leadership as a person of colour.
Since those early days as a novice RN, I have been able to establish good relationships with my interdisciplinary team, including other nurses, allied health, pharmacists, and physicians.
Today I am a charge nurse with SHN’s surgical department where I communicate assertively, know my strengths and weaknesses well, and trust my judgement.
It’s not always easy to be confident in yourself, particularly if you’re naturally self-critical. Thankfully, there are steps you can take to build it and people along the way here at SHN who will make sure you find it.