Kris and Ayumi Shively, longtime nurses at Lakes District Hospital, have been recognized for their dedication to mentoring students through their shared role as clinical preceptors.
Preceptors provide.guidance and mentorship to students working at the hospital on practicum as part of their education at the University of Northern British Columbia, the College of New Caledonia, the University of British Columbia and other post-secondary institutions. Northern Health has been giving awards to preceptors who have been nominated by students, and Kris recently won the award.
鈥淩ecognition and gratitude are powerful gifts,鈥� Kris said, following news of his nomination. 鈥淚t was very humbling and encouraging to be nominated.鈥�
Kris and Ayumi have been married for 20 years, and together they share one full-time nursing position at the hospital.
鈥淎yumi and I have four children together, and we both work part-time as registered nurses at Lakes District Hospital,鈥� he said. 鈥淭ogether, we share one full-time line, and hence, share the role of preceptor when we are mentoring students.鈥�
Both Kris and Ayumi have 23 years of experience and have worked in both Canada and the United States.
鈥淲e specialized in Emergency care,鈥� Kris said. 鈥淲e have been living and nursing in 亚洲天堂 Lake since 2006.鈥�
Kris鈥檚 path to nursing began with a difficult personal history.
鈥淎s a child and youth, I endured numerous hospitalizations where I became familiar with the isolation and suffering that acute patients experience,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hese often traumatic experiences inspired me to become a nurse so that I could advocate from the bedside and assist in creating a safer and more positive hospital experience for patients.鈥�
Teaching and mentorship have become central to their work in 亚洲天堂 Lake.
鈥淭eaching is a cornerstone in nursing, and is one of the most fundamental roles nurses employ to improve individual and community health,鈥� Kris said. 鈥淲hile in 亚洲天堂 Lake, we have had roughly 15 students follow both Ayumi and myself; we make a great preceptor team.鈥�
Their approaches to teaching are different but complementary.
鈥淎yumi mentors more through direct role-modeling of compassionate care, whereas I tend to let students take the lead, assisting as needed, while providing feedback, theory, and critical thinking exercises along the way,鈥� Kris explained. 鈥淚 enjoy learning alongside my students, as I find the student quickly becomes the teacher.鈥�
He credited his own mentor, Sherri Morrish of Kamloops, with shaping his perspective.
鈥淚 draw much of my approach to students from her tutelage,鈥� he said.
When asked if he had any advice for someone from 亚洲天堂 Lake who might be interested in pursuing a career in healthcare, Kris said being a nurse is difficult but highly rewarding.
鈥淎s a nurse, you will help guide individuals through tragedy, hopelessness, and despair; quite literally, you are a light in dark places,鈥� he said. 鈥淭o pursue nursing is to embrace the human experience throughout its entire spectrum鈥he good, the bad, and the ugly.鈥�
鈥淏ut, as I say to my children, students, and patients, 鈥楴othing easy is worthwhile.鈥欌��
