“Ultimately, my experiences thus far in the MSN program have served to solidify my passion for the discipline of nursing and nursing research.”
Meet Karlee Fonteyne, UBC Okanagan School of Nursing Master’s student. Karlee came to the program after working as an operating room nurse in her home province of Alberta. She found the program and her supervisor, Dr. Laura Struik, a perfect fit, and is currently researching augmented reality as a vaping cessation tool for youth. Karlee has received a number of awards, including most recently the CGS-M Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) award.
What is your background and what brought you to the Master in Science in Nursing program here at UBC Okanagan?
I was born and raised in a rural Alberta community. From a young age, I knew I wanted to work in healthcare in some aspect; I enjoyed supporting others and felt a natural pull to the health sciences. At the start of my undergraduate journey, I was unsure about the path to take as there are many health professions. It was when I spent time studying in the nursing building at the University of Alberta and sat in on a few classes that I first felt connected to the discipline of nursing. I loved how the professor explained that a key part of nursing is supporting the health of the whole individual with complex lived experiences and viewing the person as an active participant in their own care.
I transferred to the nursing faculty at U of A the following term and completed my Bachelor of Science Honours . Participating in the honours program afforded me a firsthand experience of the research aspects within nursing and sparked a passion. After graduating, I spent some time working in the operating room to gain some acute care experience as a registered nurse. My time there taught me a lot about interdisciplinary team dynamics, communication strategies, and how to better approach stressful situations.
Due to the nature of my husband’s job, we currently spend much of the year living outside Canada. Going with him, it was important to me that I could continue to develop and progress toward my professional goals. The UBC Okanagan Master in Nursing (MSN) thesis-based program was a perfect fit for me!
I greatly appreciate the program’s transparency and flexibility and the multifaceted support I have received from the Faculty of Health and Social Development and the School of Nursing. I have been fortunate to be the recipient of several awards throughout my first year, including the Joseph and Molly Degrazio Graduate Masters Entrance Award in Nursing, the Nursing Leadership Award, and the UBC Okanagan Graduate Research Scholarship. These awards and the CGS-M Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) award continue to facilitate my development as an emerging nursing scholar.
I am heading into my last course of the program, after which my focus will shift primarily to completing my thesis project. Throughout the courses, I have benefited significantly from the expertise shared by my professors and the diverse perspectives my peers offer. I have built some great professional connections that I hope to foster in the years to come. Ultimately, my experiences thus far in the MSN program have served to solidify my passion for the discipline of nursing and nursing research further.
Tell us about the research you’re undertaking with your supervisor, Dr. Laura Struik?
I am extremely fortunate to have Dr. Laura Struik as a mentor and supervisor. I connected with Laura through the recommendation of a faculty member who thought we would be a good fit, and they were right! Under Laura’s feedback and guidance, I have grown in skill and confidence as a young nursing researcher. Her unwavering passion for the field of nursing serves as a constant source of inspiration, propelling me forward in my academic and professional journey.
Dr. Struik’s research on understanding and addressing the complexities of the vaping epidemic grabbed my interest. I am excited to participate in vaping research as it is such an emerging issue. While many long-term health effects are suspected, it will be interesting to see in the years ahead. I think it is an issue with health implications that may define part of my generation. As such, I am proud to be doing research that can contribute to saving and improving lives through vaping prevention and cessation strategies.
I am currently working on my thesis project titled Youth and Young Adult-Driven Augmented Reality for Vaping Cessation: An Interpretive Description. Leveraging Augmented Reality (AR), this study pioneers an innovative approach to engage and empower young Canadians in their journey toward vaping cessation. The findings will inform the development of a mobile-based AR application that resonates with those affected by vaping. We are set to begin data collection this summer, pending ethics approval. I am also involved as a graduate research assistant with Dr. Struik and her team on a threefold project examining the socioenvironmental influences on quitting vaping.
What are some top learnings for you thus far?
Two big things come to mind. Firstly, research is very much a team effort; everyone brings a unique combination of their background, perspective, and skill set. This diversity fosters a rich environment for generating innovative ideas. As such, learning how to be a good collaborator is an essential component of success.
Secondly, it’s good to be pushed outside your comfort zone. This point, for me, has probably been the most impactful. I had the opportunity to participate in the Create in Immersive Technologies (CITech) program at UBCO in the fall 2023 term. This program brought together students in Master’s and PhD programs across various disciplines, including computer science, engineering, and the health sciences. It challenged us to work together on immersive technology and design thinking projects in small groups and with an industry partner. For me, it was a step in a different direction towards emerging technologies while trying to keep a foothold in nursing to relate what I was learning to the uses for healthcare. The coding and development aspect of the program was new for me and pushed me particularly far outside of my comfort zone to a new way of thinking; I learned a lot about myself and how I approach problem-solving. I also learned a great deal about immersive technologies, which will help inform my future research.
What is your vision for the future?
I plan to continue my thesis research in the Nursing PhD program. In addition to vaping research, I am fascinated by the intersection between healthcare and technology and plan to build my own research portfolio around this eventually. My end goal is to become a professor. I am interested in teaching as well as research and would love to be able to do both. This spring term, I have the opportunity to work as a teaching assistant for two courses in the School of Nursing. After so many years as a student, I am excited to taste the hard work that goes into a course from a different perspective.
Where can people follow your work?
I will be sharing my work on my LinkedIn account.
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