Stories

Kirsten Gibson: Third Generation Future Nurse Receives Vancouver General Hospital School of Nursing Alumnae Bursary.

Kirsten Gibson did not always know that she wanted to be a nurse. She first applied for a variety of Science programs, but as the decision of what education path she wished to pursue came closer, she realized that nursing was the best fit not to mention Kirsten is to become a third generation nurse in her family.

While working at Victoria’s Royal Jubilee Hospital as a certified medical laboratory assistant, Melissa Nuttall had access to all units of the hospital. She became familiar with the hospital setting while feeling particularly drawn to the emergency room. She enjoyed working with the patients and problem solving which led her to want to return to school and obtain a nursing degree.

As soon as thirteen-year-old Rhonda Wigglesworth started volunteering as a candy striper at Yorkton Regional Hospital, she knew she wanted to become a nurse. “I observed nurses first-hand working on the pediatrics unit and the power they had to create change and provide support for a family during a stressful time. I saw nurses take the time to answer the family’s questions and the care they demonstrated. The nurses were a catalyst for taking away the family’s fear.”

Bernadet loved her many roles in Health Care. She also loved music, history, the theatre, and playing tennis. But first and foremost, at heart, Bernadet was a Nurse and Educator. She made a tremendous positive impact on the nursing profession at both the provincial and national level. Of all her accomplishments during her distinguished career, she was most proud of her mentorship of other nurses. Throughout many years, she received cards from nurses who felt that she helped them in some very meaningful way in their working lives. All her work was directed toward supporting nurses so that they could be better at what they did: “nurses need to be supported and need to have control over the work they do because this has a critical effect on patient care.”