Q&A with CASN award winner Jessica Sondhi-Cooke: Her journey and advocacy in nursing

Jessica Sondhi-Cooke is a dedicated MSc student and research assistant at McMaster’s School of Nursing, whose journey has been marked by her academic excellence, resilience, and a passion for advocacy. Recently, Jessica’s MSc thesis research on the prevalence, associated factors, and impact of violence and racism experienced by nursing students in clinical placements earned her the prestigious CASN Woodend Clinical Education Research Grant. In this Q&A, she shares her remarkable journey with McMaster and the impact she hopes to make in the field of nursing.

What has been your journey at McMaster been like? Why did you choose to attend McMaster for your undergrad and now your masters?

My journey at McMaster has been extremely rewarding and fulfilling. I chose to do my undergrad BScN at McMaster for the unique experience that McMaster offers in terms of Problem-Based Learning, as well as the prestigious reputation that McMaster holds in multiple disciplines. McMaster provided excellent undergrad nursing education through small group discussions, research opportunities, and exciting clinical placements. I returned to McMaster for my MSc to obtain further education from nursing leaders that exemplify qualities of scholar and expertise in the nursing field. In my MSc so far, I have had the privilege to learn from outstanding educators that have helped me flourish both personally and professionally. I have a wonderful thesis supervisor, Dr. Nancy Carter who has provided exceptional guidance, as well as a supportive committee including Dr. Joanna Pierazzo, and Dr. Shaunattonie Henry. It has almost been a decade since I started my journey at McMaster in the undergrad program, and I am thrilled to continue with my MSc journey and for the opportunities that McMaster will continue to provide.

How did your experience at the university shape your career path?

My experience at McMaster has influenced my career path in many ways. The undergrad nursing program provided high level theoretical learning coupled with robust hands-on skills as well as various clinical opportunities. Due to the holistic approach of the undergrad program, I was able to land my first two positions working on the same units that I had been placed on as a McMaster student nurse. The combination of critical thinking, creativity, and leadership that I had learned throughout my undergrad had motivated me to explore and experience nursing in various different roles. Eventually, the tools that I had gained at McMaster from the PBL approach influenced my decision to enter nursing education as a clinical instructor. Since joining the education realm of nursing a few years ago, I have excelled as an educator and advocator which brought me back to McMaster to pursue my MSc in order to continue expanding my skill set and expertise. My return to McMaster for my MSc has already opened many doors for my future in the nursing profession as an educator, advocator, and leader.

Please tell me more about your MSc thesis and what inspired you to pursue the topic you chose?

My MSc thesis is focused on the prevalence, associated factors, and impact of violence and racism that is experienced by nursing students in clinical placements. As a racialized nurse who has experienced violence in my own career, I know too well how violence and racism impact professional identity, mental and physical well-being, as well as perceptions of the nursing profession. Although these experiences are often normalized in the nursing profession, I had a different perspective on violence and racism in the clinical setting when I started working alongside student nurses. As an educator, I have heard multiple stories from nursing students on the violence and racism that they endure during their clinical placements. I have witnessed first-hand how violence and racism can impact a student’s well-being and interrupt their learning process. The impacts are devastating, and the supports for students as well as educators are alarmingly limited. Nursing is a unique profession where personal resilience is often overemphasized which leads to gaps in resources and resistance to system change. Due to my role as an educator and the experiences that I have had with nursing students, I have now become an advocator for change to address violence and racism in clinical placements. My thesis will collect important data on the prevalence, associated factors, and impacts of violence and racism to shed light on the severity of this issue in order to provide a foundation for change and social justice.

What does it mean to you to have received the CASN Woodend Clinical Education Research Grant?

Receiving the CASN Woodend Clinical Education Research Grant has not only validated the need and the importance of my research in nursing education but has also provided me with the necessary platform to share this research with expert stakeholders to advocate for change. This grant will support my efforts to conduct this MSc thesis project and disseminate the findings at CASN events to connect and collaborate with nursing education leaders. I am extremely thrilled and grateful for receiving this grant and look forward to advocating for change. Through the opportunities that this grant has provided, I hope to raise awareness and lead clinical education reform to address violence and racism that nursing students experience in clinical placements.

Who is someone that inspires you? Why do they inspire you?

The person that inspires me every day to pursue my dreams and be a powerful advocate is my mother. My mother was raised by a single mother whom she had to leave along with her friends, family, and country to immigrate to Canada in her early 20s for a better life. She had to learn how to adapt to a new country, a new culture, and a difficult life where she spent her blood, sweat, and tears to support her family. Her hardships and sacrifices paved a solid path on which I can stand and flourish. Despite the various adversities that she has faced in life including being a survivor of breast cancer, she continues to brighten every room, spread laughter, and encourage others to thrive. She is a nurturer, a fighter, and the reason why I am able to accomplish my goals and become the person I am today.

What advice would you give to current nursing students at the university that may want to choose a similar path to yours?

I often try to give tidbits of advice to nursing students that I have the privilege of working with through my educational roles and it usually includes focusing on what you are passionate about. Nursing is a magnificent discipline as it allows for various professional paths and opportunities ranging from primary care to research and anything you can think of; nurses are everywhere! I have found that it is important to do some exploring and reflection to find out what brings the most fulfilment to you as a professional and as a person; sometimes that means taking a risk and leaving your comfort zone. Once you can find out what drives your passion, it is almost inevitable that you will thrive to become a leader and an advocate in your area. I always encourage students to pursue higher education to build on their knowledge and expertise and to become change agents wherever and whenever possible. I definitely encourage individuals that have identified a gap or area for improvement during their nursing journey to pursue the thesis pathway in their graduate education and conduct research to add to the nursing discipline. I am aware that nursing programs can be extremely demanding, but it is truly worth it, and I can vouch for that any day! Sometimes all it takes is one step at a time or one day at a time, but I wholeheartedly believe that nursing students are capable of great things, and I am grateful to be in an educational role to support students and watch them flourish.