Hejun Meng is already making a difference with her Grenfell Campus education.
She is finishing her undergraduate journey with a bachelor of science in nursing, an impressive resumé and a promising future — and a walk across the stage during spring convocation ceremonies in Corner Brook on May 19.
Ms. Meng is from Liaoning, China, and came to Canada several years ago to pursue her post-secondary education. Her nursing degree is her second bachelor’s degree, having already completed a bachelor of science in environmental science.
However, she found herself drawn back to education and the field of nursing because of her passion for helping others and calls her decision to become a nurse the “best decision I have ever made.”
Pandemic learning
Completing a nursing degree during a pandemic was bound to be complicated, but Ms. Meng rose to the challenge with skill and dedication.
She worked in both the COVID-19 vaccine clinic and the swab clinic as a nurse collegian.
“These special experiences gave me a chance to stand in the front line.”
And while practice guidelines are constantly changing as knowledge of the virus increases, Ms. Meng and her colleagues are learning to adapt quickly and efficiently.
The goal, Ms. Meng says, is to “always provide the best form of care that is also the most up to date.”
Ms. Meng says she takes great pride in the role she plays to keep her community safe and is grateful to be part of the team rolling out the immunization program.
“The purpose of the vaccine clinic is to prevent people from getting severe symptoms of the virus, while the swab clinic’s purpose is to identify positive cases of COVID-19 in our community,” she said. “These special experiences gave me a chance to stand in the front line as an independent health-care professional.”
Ms. Meng already has a position lined up in Labrador that she will be starting this summer. She has an interest in many different areas of nursing and is eager to explore some these areas going forward, such as operating room or intensive care nursing.
She also has an interest in continuing her education and completing a master’s degree. Until then, Ms. Meng says she will continue to study nursing and prioritize keeping her practice up to date.
With two degrees under her belt, practical experience and the perseverance needed for a pandemic-era graduate, Ms. Meng says she is excited to embrace the next chapter of her life.
