Experiences of a Registered Nurse Developing as an International Leader

By Rachel Radyk

Disclaimer: The views are those of the author's alone and do not represent the views of UNA-Canada.

Image 1: JPC Rachel Radyk

My name is Rachel Radyk. I’m a Registered nurse. I obtained my Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Ontario Tech University, and a Communications degree from Carleton University. I am currently completing my Master of Science in Nursing at Western University. I have been placed as a part of the United Nations Association in Canada’s International Youth Internship Program (IYIP) at the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in Jordan. I decided to apply to the United Nations Association in Canada’s International Youth Internship program because I wanted to learn more about international health policy and experience the global career opportunities that are available for healthcare professionals. I was very excited to learn about my placement in the health department of UNRWA further to develop my leadership skills at the international level.

Image 2: UNRWA Logo

My placement with UNRWA has been a very empowering and engaging learning experience. I am supporting the health department of UNRWA to create training programs for nurses in leadership, patient assessments, and emergency preparedness. I am working under the guidance of Dr. Ishtaiwi Abuzayed to develop a survey to measure the satisfaction of nurses in Jordan working during the COVID-19 pandemic. From these projects, I am learning about international health policy, and the experiences of healthcare providers globally and further developing my public speaking and leadership skills. The intention of these projects is to foster conversations about global health with nursing staff at UNRWA and further improve healthcare delivery for individuals accessing care.

One thing I have really enjoyed during this placement at UNRWA is seeing all the international opportunities for nurses that I had never even thought about prior to being a part of the International Youth Internship Program. It has also been nice to work and learn with so many wonderful and knowledgeable colleagues.

This placement is helpful to my career objectives of continuing to understand nursing leadership, global health, and international health policy. I hope to take the experiences and knowledge I have gained and use it to continue to inspire me to grow as a nurse leader. If you are a medical professional or a student studying in the medical sciences, I encourage you to see what international leadership opportunities are available through UNA Canada.