By Emma Hannah
Diane Shepherd’s experience as a nurse practitioner is unique. After completing her BScN with a specialization as a nurse practitioner at Bournemouth University in the UK, Shepherd began working in the south of England. After 4 years, she moved north and took a position as an NP in the emergency department in North Yorkshire. There she began work as a nurse consultant, a four pronged role which utilized Shepherd as an expert practitioner, consultant and educator
(Shepherd also holds a master’s degree in education). During the next several years, Shepherd acted as the first NP in first contact care/emergency care in the UK.
When Shepherd and her husband relocated to Canada in 2007 she was faced with re-certifying or not being able to continue working as an NP. Her vast knowledge and passion for the role drove her to apply to the NP program at the University of Victoria in 2009. Shepherd is passionate about her role as a nurse
practitioner and feels that there is a need for NPs in the ER here in Victoria, especially given how difficult it is to find a family doctor. Despite the fact that NPs have not historically been situated in acute care, Shepherd feels that changing this would be a mutually beneficial move. She notes that in the
UK, NPs attend to patients with minor illness and ailments in the ER, thus freeing up doctors for more intricate cases. Shepherd notes that she loves spending one-on-one time with patients as it allows her to understand what they know about their injury or illness and how that will affect their lives. This is often left out in the hustle and bustle of a busy ER. People are very grateful when someone takes the time to talk to them about what they are experiencing.
In the UK, ER NPs also focus on health promotion and education, something that is lacking in Canadian emergency departments. Shepherd insists that this “works beautifully,” and motivates the nursing staff, noting that, often if you want to move up in nursing the only options are academic or administrative. NPs in this capacity focus on patient care and use their skills to progress their career.
Shepherd will begin work on her final project early this year. She was the recipient of the James and Philippa Kerr Graduate Scholarship for the 2011/12 academic year.
From the 2012 Winter Communiqué
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