I wrote this article for the School of Graduate Studies at Queen's University, which can be viewed here.
“When I started the program in 2013, it was still an option to simply do the nurse practitioner certificate program without doing a Masters. However, I was aware that other provinces required nurses to have a Masters in order to practice and that Ontario would be following suit. I wanted to be ahead of the game and I knew that the dual program at Queen’s University was the perfect fit for me,” she says.
Charlotte Holmgren has an insatiable appetite for knowledge
and information which are indispensable tools for empowering one’s self.
That is why she decided to apply for an MSc in Nursing
(Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner) — a dual program which offers Holmgren
the opportunity to gain both theoretical as well as practical skills.
Photo Courtesy of: Charlotte Holmgren
“When I started the program in 2013, it was still an option to simply do the nurse practitioner certificate program without doing a Masters. However, I was aware that other provinces required nurses to have a Masters in order to practice and that Ontario would be following suit. I wanted to be ahead of the game and I knew that the dual program at Queen’s University was the perfect fit for me,” she says.
Holmgren was also aware that any nurse practitioner needs to
be able to use evidence based care and that aspect involves understanding
research and literature. She was confident that the dual program at Queen’s
would allow her to gain a solid understanding of the theoretical concepts in Nursing
which she would then be able to apply in the field.
“What makes the dual Masters and Nurse Practitioner program
different from a strictly thesis based Masters is that you are placed in a
clinical setting where you can practice. In the thesis based program, students
might be collecting data in a clinical facility but they don’t practice as a
nurse practitioner student,” she says.
She claims that if you want to be a nurse practitioner, you
need to not only be able to grasp information quickly and understand the
theoretical underpinnings behind certain concepts, but you also need to be able
to utilize that knowledge in a field that’s constantly evolving.
Always passionate about the health sciences, Holmgren moved
to the Limestone City three and a half years ago after pursuing an
undergraduate degree in Nursing from Western University. She started working as
a nurse at the Kingston General Hospital. Her thirst for knowledge led her to
research on Masters programs in Ontario and she immediately felt that Queen’s
would be the right place for her.
“While I was researching potential Nursing programs, Queens
kept coming out on top when I was weighing the pros and cons. I even talked to
practising University of Ottawa students and they told me that Queens graduates
are better prepared compared to others because they get a lot more clinical
time which is so needed when you’re in a profession like Nursing. That’s how you really learn things,” says
Holmgren.
Having formed a strong bond with the Kingston community
during her time here, Holmgren knew that her decision to choose Queen’s was a
no brainer.
“I was scared that I might not get in because it’s a
competitive program. They usually take in around 6 students per year for the combined
Masters and Nurse Practitioner stream. Queens was my first choice so I was very
happy to know that I got accepted. I've talked to people in similar programs in
other universities and it seems like we do have the best opportunities and the
most amount of placements. I would advise undergraduate students interested in
applying to get to know their professors. In the end, it is their references
that make a difference,” she remarks.
She also feels that the professors in her program have
really helped her and her peers by fostering an environment where the students
can openly approach the instructors for help.
“Our professors are always looking for opportunities for us
and getting us involved in different things. It’s a rigorous program but you
have all the support around you. That definitely helps a lot,” says Holmgren.
She admits that she didn't realize how much work it would be
but strongly believes that it was worth every minute of her time.
“It’s pretty great to see how far my peers and I have come
since September 2013 in terms of our knowledge and communication. I would highly
recommend this program to aspiring Nursing students looking for higher education,”
she says.
She looks forward to becoming a nurse practitioner after
finishing her Masters but her long term goal is to teach at the post-secondary
level.
“I’ve had a couple of opportunities to do nursing labs with
students and I really enjoyed that interaction. So I’m really hoping to teach,”
she says.
She’s excited about the future and is set to graduate in the
summer of 2015.
“It has been a remarkable learning experience and there’s
more to come. One can never stop learning,” she says.
