The path to becoming a nurse is not always straight

“I want to go into the clinical setting and be able to make a difference; for my voice to mean something and you need a degree and credentials behind your name to do so.”

Zoe Henderson is a second year University of Saskatchewan (USask) Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) student at the Saskatoon Campus.

Originally from Lethbridge, Alberta, where her family still resides, including her twin, Zoe dabbled in a number of jobs before finding her place in nursing.

“I was studying Kinesiology at Lethbridge College in 2020 working on what turned out to be my pre-professional nursing year courses, while trying to figure out where I was meant to be in life,” said Henderson.

“While studying, I worked for an organization that ran residential group homes for adults with special needs, which really interested me.”

“I had no experience, but times were desperate during the COVID-19 pandemic when no one wanted to work in healthcare. I ended up working as a care aide, likely a job I was not qualified for, but I learned fast. I did everything from daily care to meals and anything in between. I loved the job, but I loved the people more. When pandemic restrictions started to ease and people got back to their lives, I knew I was going back to school to become a nurse.”

Henderson had never considered Saskatoon or the University of Saskatchewan. But the pandemic made her realize how fast things can change and she was up for an adventure. She hadn’t considered leaving Lethbridge, but after meeting her boyfriend who lived in Saskatoon, Henderson applied on a whim and got accepted at USask.

“I chose the BSN program because I have always loved healthcare and I wanted to be able to focus on patient care, interactions, and building connections with patients,” said Henderson.

“There was no single driving factor to me choosing USask, as there were many moving parts that came together to bring me here. But looking back now, I know Saskatoon and USask is exactly where I need to be.”

Henderson has found her passion for nursing, but she knows it’s not an easy profession and the path ahead of her to completing her degree will have its challenges.

“If I was speaking to a student considering nursing school, I would say they need to decide that nursing is really for them. It's a grind, tears, and a lot of hard work. I know nursing is what I want to do, and I know my passion is helping people, but even with that pushing me, there are days the only thing getting me through the next exam is knowing there will be a day where I will be so proud of myself, so excited I pushed through.”

“I have student loans and if I had to take an extra year because I failed a class, I may not be able to return. I completely believe the BSN program is worth it, but I don’t want future nursing students thinking it's sunshine and rainbows. There's challenges to everything, but looking at the future and realizing what you'll be able to do in people's lives as a registered nurse is worth the tears, worth the fighting, and worth the heartache to get to the other side.”

Henderson has continued to work in youth homes during her time as a nursing student. She feels it is important to broaden her experience and skills to make herself a better nurse after graduation.

“I don't necessarily believe book work, passing exams, and clinical placements are the only way to find a good nurse. I believe a good nurse is made and sculpted through experience, through passion, and through heart. I have a lot of experience. I have seen the darker side of being human, and it's really opened my eyes to the kind of things that are in this world. I've also been witness to people who can't take care of themselves, those who rely on me completely. It takes compassion and empathy and the ability to forget your pride to understand our job as nurses is to love and to care for people. I truly believe if you don't have these things, you will never reach your full potential as a nurse.”

While Henderson has loved working in homes the past number of years and has gained a lot of healthcare experience, she knows getting her BSN degree is the her key to making a true impact.

“Most of the time in the places I worked, I was the voice for people who couldn’t advocate for themselves,” said Henderson.

“It's hard to advocate for patients when you don’t understand completely what you're fighting for, but that's where nursing education comes in. If we as nurses can understand what we're asking for and if we can understand exactly what we're fighting for, we can really make a change to impact the lives of those around us and in the policies related to our work.”

Henderson is excited to continue in her BSN program and eventually become a registered nurse. But she also knows the nursing profession can be challenging and many nurses are experiencing burnout.

“I have spoken to friends who are nurses and they are already at the point where they don't want to nurse anymore,” said Henderson. “It’s sad because nursing is supposed to be such a rewarding career and I don't believe nursing should end in burnout. I want my career to grow me and to develop me as a person, but to also give me life and give me joy. There are many people who don’t see that joy anymore and I intend to change that! I want to get as much out of this career as I give the people I'm helping.”

When Henderson completes her BSN degree and becomes licensed as a registered nurse, she would like to work in emergency or psychiatric nursing.

“There is no place in Saskatchewan offering provincially-funded treatment for people with eating disorders,” said Henderson. “It's become a passion of mine to somehow help shift the policy and funding, so we can help people in our community who struggle with this specific type of mental health concern.”

“There are many people overlooked by the system, and if we can find the gaps and fill them, we can begin to work on a broken system. I would love to have a role helping to transform this. You can only fix the system one step at a time, but if I can make myself a part of those steps I will accomplish my dream of helping people. I want to find my niche in nursing where I can help people that also help me.”

Her final piece of advice for someone considering nursing is that nursing programs are designed to create successful nurses, and if you want to be a successful nursing student, USask is where you want to be.

“If you want to master theory, strive in clinical settings, know what to do in crisis, and be a credible nurse, go to USask. But if you enter a nursing program, whether it be USask or anywhere else, remember the joy and the love of the job and profession must come from within. You must remember why you're doing what you're doing. And only then, will you become the nurse everyone remembers – the kind of registered nurse I want to be!”