From Nursing to Research: A McMaster alumna’s journey of compassion and curiosity in palliative care

In this Q&A, we explore the inspiring journey of a nurse who recently completed her master’s degree at McMaster’s School of Nursing, all while being heavily involved as a research coordinator. Fuelled by curiosity and a passion for palliative care, Julia Kruizinga shares insights, reflections, and advice for fellow students and aspiring nurses.

What has been your journey from your undergraduate BScN to a MSc in Nursing at McMaster and afterwards? 

I started my undergraduate degree (Bachelors of Science in Nursing) at Queen’s University in 2016 where I thoroughly enjoyed everything about the nursing program. I knew I was interested in pursuing further education sometime down the line but was not exactly sure what that would look like. I had the opportunity to spend my last two summers in Kingston where I was able to develop my research skills alongside a unique summer nursing internship program with the School of Nursing. I absolutely enjoyed discovering the interplay between the nursing and research paradigms. That, alongside my growing interests in palliative care, led me to apply to McMaster for a thesis-based master’s degree. While I completed my masters, I was able to work with my supervisor, Dr. Sharon Kaasalainen, and her research team “Strengthening a Palliative Approach in Long-term Care” (SPA-LTC). Now, I have the opportunity to work as a registered nurse in my field of interest (hospice/palliative care) and continue as a research coordinator on the SPA-LTC team. 

What motivated you to choose McMaster School of Nursing for your master’s? 

I grew up in Hamilton originally and returned to Hamilton after completing my undergraduate degree. I was initially drawn to McMaster because of the research-intensive nature of the school and the breadth and depth of research interests offered by faculty. I also knew as soon as I connected with my supervisor, Dr. Kaasalainen, that we had several mutual research interests, and I would have the opportunity to contribute to her research program. Regarding the program, I particularly appreciated the master’s program’s structure and the clinical practicum for advanced nursing alongside completing a thesis. All in all, McMaster was my top choice, and I am so thankful to have completed my masters of nursing there. 

What advice would you give to current students at the university? 

My advice would be to really enjoy the time you have to learn and be curious. Curiosity is a wonderful attribute and will aid you well as you study, explore, and write about what your research. There may feel like times where you are running down many rabbit holes and become fascinated by new things you are discovering, so do enjoy that. And then know when what you are reading or exploring is no longer helpful for your thesis or studies. Maybe go back to that topic later or talk about that idea with a friend. The beauty of research is that there is a never-ending number of ideas and research to learn from, so enjoy the time to do so, and keep your nursing practice in focus to remind you why you are doing what you are doing. 

How did your experience at McMaster shape your career path? 

My experience at McMaster has given me many opportunities to explore what research in nursing can look like. It has also connected me with other like-minded individuals and opened me up to consider the variety of careers nursing affords. My time at McMaster has also made me think more about the home care sector and how we can support individuals better and create a culture around caring for others who are palliating in the home. I am still open to where my nursing career may lead, but I see a greater need to support all sectors providing palliative care and I look forward to seeing how that will continue to shape my future career endeavors and aspirations.  

What is a valuable lesson you’ve learned post-graduation?  

If anything, it has been learning to enjoy the boundaries of work and other things in life. Education is a wonderful opportunity to grow and learn, but it is not everything. So, if anything, I am enjoying the new freedoms of not always thinking about school.  

Please explain your thesis and what inspired you to pursue the topic you chose. 

My thesis topic was on quality indicator rates and comparing these among home-care clients receiving palliative care through a retrospective study pre- and post-COVID-19. As a nurse working in hospice palliative care, I was interested in how we define the quality of palliative care and then using what was presently in the literature, I applied this to consider changes in quality indicator rates. COVID-19 shifted our healthcare services and systems in unprecedented ways, so it seemed like an ideal time to examine already available data on home care clients and examine what changes might have occurred and were the disruptions as prominent as it was made to seem. I recently published my findings, so if you are interested, you can read more here: https://rdcu.be/dxU0k.