RECOGNIZING EXCELLENCE RACHEL RADYK
Rachel Radyk (WaabanoKwe)
Firstly introduce yourself and tell us where your home place is. Describe your job/jobs in just under four sentences. Please also provide your title and profession.
Rachel Radyk (WaabanoKwe) is a Registered nurse in Waterloo, Ontario. She is a proud member of the Chippewas of Georgina Island. She is of mixed ancestry, Irish and Scottish on her mother’s side and First Nations Ojibway and Ukrainian on her father’s side.
She graduated last April from the Ontario Tech RPN to BScN program. Rachel also has a degree in communications from Carleton University. Rachel recently started working as the manager of Indigenous health for the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario. Previously worked with the Southwestern Ontario Aboriginal Health Access Center on the rollout of COVID vaccines and Indigenous patient navigation in the local hospitals in the Waterloo-Wellington area. Rachel also has a passion for advocating for Indigenous health and leadership and is the Chair and one of the founders of the Indigenous Nurses and Allies Interest Group for the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario. She has received multiple awards for her leadership and academic achievements, including Valedictorian, Anishinabek Nation Student Excellence Award, Nursing Student Leadership Award, Rise 2021: Innov8 Award Winner for Nursing Entrepreneurship, and recipient of the President’s Award of Excellence in Student Leadership.
What sparked your interest to work in this industry?
I was inspired to be a nurse by my mother, who is also a nurse. I wanted to follow in her footsteps after seeing how fulfilled she was from her impact on her patients’ lives. While completing my Bachelor of Science in Nursing, I discovered my passion for nursing leadership and Indigenous health. I was able to take leadership opportunities as a student in leadership positions at the institutional, provincial, and national levels. I was able to find my passion from these and started to see opportunities working in Indigenous health and public speaking.
What do you enjoy most about your profession?
Nursing is such a versatile profession having the options of working on the front lines, leadership, policy, and political action, to name a few. It allows for a career where you can always continue to grow and learn, which I love. I also enjoy touching the lives of my patients and the youth I have inspired to go into healthcare and take on leadership roles.
What educational preparation would you recommend for someone who wants to advance in this field?
There are many paths’ individuals can take to get into nursing at both the college and university levels. Look into the schools you are applying to and what is required to admissions to their programs.
What does success look like to you for Indigenous youth?
Success looks different to everyone. However, I think it is crucial to see Indigenous youth have the opportunities to be in leadership roles. Doing one thing to challenge yourself and continue growing is how I look at success in myself.
How has a failure, or apparent failure, set you up for later success?
Failure taught me to have the grit to stick to my goals no matter how long it took—not succeeding in sciences while in high school continued to drive me towards my dream of being a nurse—finding different ways to study the content until I was successful. This grit continues to move me towards my new goals in my life.
In the last year, what new belief, behavior, or habit has most improved your life?
In the last year, I have been challenging myself to continue to do things that challenge me and put me out of my comfort zone. I find this is the best way to continue to learn and grow.
What advice would you give to a smart, driven student about to enter the “real world”? What advice should they ignore?
Don’t be afraid to fail. Failure is okay and does not define us. Being able to overcome the challenges and find a way to reach your goal is.
Don’t feel pressured by what anyone else is doing and change your path. Continue the way that you want to follow because it is your journey.