More than 4,000 students have graduated from McMaster's nursing programs. Here we meet Sarah Voorberg, RN at St. Thomas Hospital, London, England
Published: June 29, 2016
McMaster degree:
I graduated from McMaster's BScN program in 2012.
My current position:
I'm currently working on a Gastroenterology/Surgical Assessment Unit at St. Thomas Hospital in London, England.
How I got here:
Initially after graduating I did my third summer at a summer camp in Switzerland for two and a half months. From there I started a New Graduate position on an Oncology/GI/Palliative ward at the Juravinski Hospital in Hamilton. I absolutely loved working there and was able to develop a solid base of knowledge and experience. After two years in Oncology I began to work on obtaining my UK Nursing Registration. The process took close to a year to complete and came with its own obstacles. McMaster was very helpful throughout the process, and they eagerly filled out all the paperwork I needed promptly and thoroughly. Finally, after many exams and lots of paperwork, I started working as a nurse in London, England.
Why I chose McMaster:
One of the biggest motivators for going to Mac was their PBL (problem based learning) curriculum. I think it is so important to not only learn content and information, but also to learn how to learn. Mac always pushed us to look deeper past the superficial issues to really get at the root of the problem. They helped us realize that everything is connected and that sometimes asking one more question makes all the difference in your assessment of a situation. I also appreciated Mac's high commitment to quality education and nursing care. I always felt my tutors were doing their best to ensure we were learning as much as possible and that they worked hard to instill strong nursing values and morals in us. Mac placed great emphasis on viewing the patient as a holistic being, rather than solely a pathophysiological diagnosis, which takes nursing to the next level and makes it a profession I'm proud of.
How my Mac experience has helped:
Mac has provided me with strong assessment skills, the insight to identify what my learning gaps are and the research tools to find well-supported answers. Nursing is a profession where you are always growing and learning more, and I truly feel Mac has equipped me to do that effectively. Having now worked as a nurse in more than one country, I feel I can confidently say Canadian nurses and McMaster nurses are some of the strongest in the world. The ability to assess problems and come up with a critically thought plan is so crucial to nursing. I am proud to call myself a McMaster graduate and hope they continue to provide the nursing world with strong, passionate nurses.
If you are a graduate of the School of Nursing, we'd love to hear from you and learn about your experiences. Please email spenceg@mcmaster.ca.