About Us

After graduating with a diploma in nursing in 1979, Dr. Duchscher’s early career was focused on developing expertise as a direct care nurse, researcher, leader and educator in cardiothoracic and high acuity contexts. Instrumental to her early development was a 10-year tenure developing and coordinating heart, lung and multi-organ donor transplant teams across Canada and the United States. Judy’s commitment to advanced education can be seen in her acquisition of a Post-Graduate Diploma in Intensive Care Nursing from the University of Manitoba, a Diploma in Cardiovascular Nursing from Stanford University in California, a Clinical Transplant Coordinator Diploma from John’s Hopkins in Baltimore, Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN) certification through the American Association of Critical Care Nursing, a Post-RN Baccalaureate and Master’s degree in nursing from the University of Saskatchewan and a PhD from the University of Alberta. Dr. Duchscher holds Associate and Adjunct Faculty positions with the University of Saskatchewan, University of Alberta, University of Hawaii and the University of Western Sydney in Australia. 

For the past 23 years Dr. Duchscher has been an active researcher and consultant in the area of new graduate professional role transition – work for which she has received over 32 national and international grants, awards and scholarships. The findings of her research have generated a theory of Transition Shock and a model of the Stages of Transition resulting in the publication of more than 18 peer-reviewed articles, 2 books, 9 book chapters and the delivery of over 300 keynotes and workshops throughout Canada, the United States, Australia and Asia on the topic of new nurse integration. Dr. Duchscher founded and acted as the Executive Director of a federally registered non-profit nursing organization entitled Nursing The Future (NTF) that served as a bridge between the ideals taught in undergraduate nursing education and the realities of the ‘real’ world of professional practice. 

As an Associate Professor of Nursing at Thompson Rivers University and an international expert in the area of new nurse transition, Dr. Duchscher maintains that “it is the vision, creativity and passionate commitment of these young professionals, supported by the expert knowledge and practice experience of their senior mentors that will drive nursing and healthcare forward”.

Julia Burke is currently a second year licensed practical nurse at Red Deer College.
 
Through her years of volunteer work through the Central Alberta Cancer Centre, Julia became aware that nursing was her passion. After encouragement from a fellow nursing student, Julia started her studies at Red Deer College. Working through clinical experiences, Julia has discovered her appreciation for the advocacy, equality and quality care that is expected. She also takes a special interest in deep conversation and interaction with other nursing students and peers, in a desire to better understand their fears and hopes for the future. As she continues her final year of schooling, she hopes to use all she’s learned to pursue a career in oncology and palliative care.

Julia is incredibly grateful for the unique opportunity to be a part of the Nursing the Future team. She hopes to provide an insight on the perspective of nursing students, particularly those of Licensed Practical Nurses.

Madison Cook graduated from Thompson Rivers University, School of Nursing in April 2020. As she makes her professional role transition amidst the global public-health crisis, she is eager to share her experiences. Madi is currently employed on the Medical Telemetry floor of Penticton Regional Hospital, British Columbia.

During her undergraduate degree, one of the aspects Madi most enjoyed was the holistic approach of nursing care. Madi sees communication as a vital element in her nursing practice, that helps her respond adequately and humanely to her clients. She often finds herself engaged in teaching with her clients. Upon entering her third year of the BScN program, Madi was presented the opportunity to become a Research Apprentice, allowing her to work on internal, provincial and federal grants. This quickly opened the door for Madi to become a Lead Research Assistant on a year long study exploring the professional transition experiences of newly graduated nurses and mentorship. That project's subject material was highly relevant to Madi's future and further sparked her desire to become involved in Nursing the Future (NTF).

Madi is thankful to have been asked to provide a New Graduate perspective for the NTF team and is hopeful her insight will help new nurses feel needed, valued, and appreciated while decreasing stress and improve self-confidence.

Kathryn Corneau is a graduate of the School of Nursing at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, BC. She lives and works in Kamloops and is completing her Master of Nursing at TRU. Her graduate research is focused on emerging instructional technologies as they are experienced by undergraduate students pivoting to online classrooms. She is passionate about the education of nurses, both in clinical and classroom settings. Her involvement in undergraduate education as a graduate student and teaching intern has cemented her goals of supporting new nurses through evidence-informed approaches.

Kathryn has experience working and living in rural and remote communities and considers this the foundation of her equity-based views of nursing. She has participated in numerous workplace transitions and repeatedly embraces the opportunity of advocacy through leadership that nursing provides.

Kathryn believes herself to be acutely aware of the current barriers facing New Graduate Nurses as they transition to practice through her own participation in COVID ward nursing. She considers this partnership with the Canadian Nurses Association and the Canadian Nurses Foundation as a worthy investment in the future of this indispensable professional body. In whatever format the future of healthcare occurs, she considers nurses integral to the development and delivery of meaningful care for the benefit of all Canadians.

Kathryn has worked with Dr. Boychuk-Duchscher previously and considers the opportunity to participate in this project a distinct honour.

Michelle Lamont graduated from the University of Ottawa, School of Nursing in April 2020. As she transitions to life as a Registered Nurse amidst the global public-health crisis, she is eager to share her experiences as a bilingual new graduate in the nation’s capital. Michelle is currently employed at Ottawa Public Health where she works as a COVID-19 Case Management Nurse. 

Michelle’s personal nursing philosophy is entirely centred around creating a holistic health care experience for patients. She is a firm believer in compassionate care and therapeutic patient-nurse relationships.

Outside of her clinical work, Michelle is currently pursuing her Master’s of Science in Nursing at the University of Ottawa where she wishes to conduct research related to caring and compassionate care among nurses. Outside of her thesis work, Michelle works as a Research Assistant on a few projects relating to new graduate nurse transition, organ donation, the French NCLEX-RN as well as francophone minorities in health care settings.

Michelle hopes to contribute her unique experiences as a new nurse working in a linguistic minority settings. She feels absolutely honoured to be joining Dr. Judy Duchscher’s dynamic team at NTF and she is thankful to be able to help support her fellow new graduate nurses.

Julia Lowe is a 4th year Bachelor of Science in Nursing student at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, British Columbia. Before entering nursing, Julia worked extensively with youth in urban and non-urban regions across Manitoba. Julia’s work was focused on developing and facilitating outdoor programs that promoted social well-being, mental health, and resiliency. During this time, Julia became aware of health disparities among Canada’s population and the lack of access to health services in rural and remote locations.

Julia’s nursing philosophy is centred around principles of equity, justice, and holistic well-being. With that, Julia has aimed her nursing education towards understanding the health care system and how to best support and advocate patients within it. Nurses are a keystone of health care and improving professional role transition for nurses is imperative to adapting health services to Canadians’ increasingly complex care needs.

Julia hopes that her work with Nursing the Future will support new graduates and their supporters. As an emerging nurse, improving new graduate transition inspires Julia to advocate for the nursing profession. She hopes that Nursing the Future will inspire others as it has inspired her and she looks forward to the nationwide collaboration to come.

Anna Offiah graduated from the University of Saskatchewan, College of Nursing in December 2005. Anna’s desire to use her skills and abilities to join others on their wellness journey is what motivated her to become a nurse and sustains her in this profession.

Anna has worked in a variety of clinical areas over the span of her 15-year career in nursing. Her areas of interest include rural emergency, indigenous home care, occupational health and now clinical faculty in an undergraduate nursing program in Regina, Saskatchewan. Her interest in professional role transition began during her transition to practice and continued when she became one of the original members of the Nursing the Future Leadership Team spanning 2006-2009.

As a Master of Nursing student (Athabasca University), Anna’s areas of academic interest include professional role transition and teaching/learning in health professions. Anna is passionate about preparing nursing students and supporting new nurse graduates as they journey towards stability and excellence in their careers. Anna is thankful to re-join NTF and be given the opportunity to contribute to the well-being of new nurse graduates across the country.

Jenny White is a Licensed Practical Nurse in Summerside, Prince Edward Island, graduating in 2018 from Holland College. Upon graduation Jenny received the student excellence award, which was dedicated to a student with strong leadership skills and academics. Jennys passion for helping others guided her to nursing, being involved in tutoring at the college and speaking to new classes to help encourage and be a support to them as students.

Jenny worked casually on a medical palliative floor, surgery floor, and inpatient mental health. This past year Jenny accepted a permanent full time position on the mental health crisis response team, where Jenny works out of the emergency department supporting persons with mental health among a team of clinicians including Licensed Practical Nurses, Registered Nurses, Social Workers, Physicians and collaborating with community supports.

Jenny sees the importance of communication and having support while working closely with others as a team. When a former learning manager recommended Jenny for NTF, Jenny was curious to know more about this initiative and theory.

Now Jenny feels honoured to be a member of Nursing The Future and thankful to be able to help support new graduate nurses.