June 4, 2021
Class of 2021: Troubled by diabetes’ toll, nurse returned to school
Sara Scott’s master’s research examines how to support Indigenous people managing diabetes through social connection
Sara Scott
New Master of Nursing grad Sara Scott is the perfect example of what happens when experience, interest and a formal education converge. At the age of 41, shesaysreturning to school was exactlyhow she discovered shecan still make meaningful contributions to society despite being away from school for so long and prioritizing her family in her nursing career.
Aregistered nursefor 17 years, eight of those spent on Foothills Unit 37 (acute nephrology and renal transplant),Scott returned to universityto focus on improving diabetes outcomesinthe hope of eventually finding more balance in her nursing and her personal life.
'I saw diabetes literally take everything away from people limb by limb'
“Iworked with people managing end stage renal diseasewho were oftendealing withadvanced diabetes” she says. “I wanted to find a way to help earlier on in the diabetes experience because at times I saw diabetes literally take everything away from people limb by limb.I wanted to help with tackling root causes, prevention and slowing progressionrather than symptom management.”
Impact of Motherhood Matters
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personalexperiencewithMotherhood Matters, a groupsupportingyoung mothers prior to grad school.“I wasn’t expecting the benefits I received fromthegroup members,who had similar life experiences to me,and allowing myself space to reflect on my life and my values,” she explains, adding that being part of the group sparkedher desire to becomea role model forotheryoungmothers.
ThefinalpiecewaslearningmoreaboutIndigenoushealthinpartthroughlunchandlearn events atUCalgaryNursing. “I was surprised at how little I actually knew about colonization and the distress that has impacted,at the population health level, this group andhow my own family was impacted,” says Scott, herselfa member of theYellowknives Dene FirstNation. “My supervisor, Dr. Ruth Swart, and I began to think about what a peer mentorshipprogram aimed at Indigenous populations would look like and if it had been explored.”
AndsoScott’s program of research was born— examininghow to better support Indigenous people managing diabetes through social connections in the form of peer mentorship.She became a research assistant with Dr. LindsayCrowshoe’sinitiativeEducating for Equity,and that team helped her find anaccessible sample of individuals forher own project.
“Results from my research indicated a definiteinterest and a need for meaningful support for Indigenous people managing diabetes,” she says, “and the participants provided me with many ideas on how to start to develop the concept of Indigenous peer mentorship.”
Lifetime of experiences
Scott isexcited abouthernew role as a clinical research nurse, working onexcitinginitiatives led by the researchers she connected with inherlearning including (from ɫ Cumming School of Medicine)Drs.David Campbell, DanaOlstadandCrowshoe.And she is grateful for her lifetime of experiences that have helped her reach this point.
“My experiences as a motherhave helped my success:time management, stamina, patience, understanding the grey, respecting multiple perspectives and sitting with paradox,” she concludes. She encouragesother mothers who have invested time and themselves intotheir families to also consider investing in their education and career, even if they think it is too late. “I have had many hardships to overcome as I started out as a single mother at18. Inever imagined I would make it to a graduate level program and thrive in it.
“Iam really looking forward to getting graduation pictures taken for the very first time with my husband andkids who all worked hard to get me to this milestone as well.”
Congratulations, Class of 2021!
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