Part of a special feature celebrating student success during spring convocation. You can also connect with Memorial's 2014 graduating class and their well wishers online @MemorialU on Twitter with #MUNgrad2014.

The Ross Tilley Burn Centre at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto is a major trauma centre for burn patients from across Ontario. It’s a specialized intensive care unit that provides a range of services, including major reconstructive surgery, and it’s where Jenny Bragg of St. John’s chose to do her final clinical placement in her bachelor of nursing program at Memorial.

“I took away more than I ever thought I would. It was the best placement I ever had,” said Ms. Bragg, who had once planned to be a hair stylist following high school because she didn’t want a regular office job.

“I saw people coming in with 15-60 per cent burns and over the course of 10 weeks I really got to see the healing process. I got to experience the whole collaborative effort that went into caring.”

After four years at the School of Nursing, Ms. Bragg has some ideas about the kind of practice she’d like to pursue.

“I’d like to work in an area of nursing where your patients come in at a low point and you’re able to help bring them to a better place, to a higher level of functioning. That’s what I wanted to aim for.”

And that’s why she wanted to complete a clinical experience at the burn unit. Paired with two preceptors, or nurse mentors, Ms. Bragg experienced many unique situations. There were many patients who required amputations due to their burns.

“My preceptors really pushed me to use my critical thinking skills. It was such a rewarding experience in that I got to be part of the collaborative process, to be part of the team.”

It was the first time a BN student from the School of Nursing had asked for a clinical placement at Sunnybrook's burn unit, and nurses were surprised that Ms. Bragg had come such a long way for the experience.

“They were all very welcoming when I told them where I was from, and very interested,” she said. “They all thought it was great I was there.”

Ms. Bragg will cross the stage in the St. John’s Arts and Culture Centre on May 30 to collect her bachelor of nursing degree. Next up? Conquering her national nursing exams.