ENXHI KONDI

What brought you to Humber and your program of study?

I didn’t always know I wanted to be a nurse. I was studying in my first undergraduate program in health sciences at the University of Toronto when I began to feel a disconnect with the research and theory-based direction of my studies. I always knew I wanted to work in medicine, to directly impact people’s lives, and to be in a profession that would continually challenge me to learn and grow.

I didn’t know that profession would be nursing. My perception of nursing before nursing school was limited to its portrayals in the media and medical dramas: nurses are often depicted as interchangeable secondary characters who simply follow orders, change hospital bedsheets, and provide comfort to patients. Sure, nurses do all this. But that’s hardly even the tip of the IV catheter.

At my parents' behest, I finished my Bachelor's at U of T and then enrolled in the Practical Nursing Diploma program at Humber Polytechnic (then College). Despite my initial hesitance, I discovered that parents really do know best. I fell in love with nursing and returned to Humber to bridge into the Bachelor of Nursing program.

What was your favourite Humber memory or experience?

It was the first-semester theory course in the Practical Nursing program. We were learning about the scope of the nursing role. The basics: what do nurses do? So simple, so minimal, and yet everything.

If I close my eyes, I can still envision the PowerPoint slide that changed my mind about the profession. I can remember to this day the feeling that washed over me as the professor, who has become a colleague, read through the different roles nurses have. It was a feeling so absolute and clear: this is where I belong.
I learned that day that nurses are caregivers, coordinators, planners, educators, advocates, lawyers, liaisons, psychologists, therapists, healers, researchers, investigators, politicians, and writers.

In the years that followed, I discovered that nurses are everywhere and everything. And what an incredible feeling it is to be in such a limitless profession.

What was Humber's greatest impact on your personal and professional life?

Humber prepared me to be a nurse, and for that I will always be grateful. The Humber nursing program is one of the most rigorous, but through its challenging nature, I honestly believe it produces the most prepared nurses.

Beyond my education, however, Humber has given me an even greater gift: it has welcomed me back as a teacher, giving me the platform to share my knowledge, experiences and advice to inspire the next generation of nurses. Humber was a great place to study, but it is an even better place to work: there is a strong sense of support, fairness, and opportunity that makes it an enjoyable and motivating environment to teach in.

What are you up to now?

I have spent the majority of my nursing career at the bedside as an emergency department nurse. During that time, I returned to Humber as a clinical teacher and later as an adjunct lecturer in both the Practical Nursing and Bachelor of Nursing programs.

Simultaneously, I completed a Master of Nursing degree through Athabasca University, with a dual focus on teaching and leadership. My main interest was in developing strategies to integrate and foster the development of critical thinking in new graduate nurses.

My career eventually brought me into professional practice and education at the hospital, allowing me to leverage my bedside experience to influence policy decisions and lead quality improvement initiatives for nurses across the organization.

What else do you want to share (e.g. Memorable trip; If you had a superpower; Favourite food or coffee shop; Personal and professional interests; Awards and recognition; Other milestones)?

While working as a nurse during the COVID-19 pandemic, I was inspired to return to my writing roots. I have always viewed writing as my superpower. It was what allowed me to express the stress and anxiety of working through a pandemic and feel that I was giving voice to nurses who were feeling undervalued during such a turbulent time.

I wrote several articles for the Toronto Star on topics such as the nursing crisis, increasing burden on the hospital system, vaccine hesitancy, healthcare policy, and nurses as political advocates. I plan to continue writing, blending my craft with my profession to further highlight the beauty and strength of nursing.