Working in the Yukon means opportunities to grow your career and develop your skills. Today let’s meet a licensed practical nurse (LPN) who is also a full-time student.
Laura is working in Yukon health care as an LPN supervisor within continuing care.
She is also part of a new partnership with the University of New Brunswick called Learn Where You Live.
The program allows remote learning and arranges clinical placements for LPNs to become Registered Nurses.
Could you introduce yourself and tell us about your work?
My name is Laura and I am currently an LPN supervisor for continuing care. Normally I'm at my home base is Whitehorse at Whistle Bend Place but I have worked at all of the facilities, in continuing care, so today I am in Dawson City at Alexander McDonald Lodge.
In all I’ve worked with Health and Social Services for 14 years now. And I like to move around! I have worked at different hospitals, I’ve worked in corrections. I have also worked with Mental Wellness and Substance Use Services as well.
What do you like about working in the Yukon?
I think the variety. There are a lot of options. I get bored easily! But in Health and Social Services you're able to switch around to different departments, and it's all under the same umbrella. So you have a lot of opportunity for change. I really enjoy the educational opportunities that they provide for you. There's always a lot of learning courses and stuff like that. And then there’s the work-life balance. The outdoors is right in your backyard and it’s amazing.
You now work in a supervisory role. How did that transition happen?
I think it was just a natural progression of being here so long and learning things. I have always loved education, so I always took every course available to me. Right now, I am in the bridging program that the Yukon has offered for LPNs to bridge to RNs. I'm going into the third year of that coming up in the fall. It’s a new program the Government of Yukon is offering with the University of New Brunswick to do distance education. And so I'm one of the nurses that was in the first cohort for that.
What kind of workload is that to study while you work?
It's pretty heavy! It is a full-time course load. The first year was online so it was a little bit easier to balance everything. Going into the fall, it is part online and part clinical so it'll be a little bit more challenging. But it is possible. The Yukon never had an RN program before. So having the Learn Where You Live program is amazing for us who want to grow into the role. I am on track to graduate in 2027.
What advice might you have for someone considering nursing in the Yukon?
Do it! Jump in as young as you can. It's a great career. There are so many opportunities. It's so diverse that you'll never be bored.
What do you think that is unique about the Yukon? How's your experience here different than what you might see elsewhere in Canada?
I think it’s just the opportunities and the ability to grow in your area. I am from Ontario and I feel that you would never be able to be a supervisor or a manager as an LPN in many places. But here in the Yukon they give you the tools to be able to do those jobs and help support your growth as an employee for various things, which is amazing. And the Yukon is so lovely in itself. If you're going to be a nurse anywhere, you may as well also enjoy the perks that the Yukon has to offer with the outdoor activities and the lifestyle. I think the potential for growth and the opportunities here for education and employment are amazing compared to elsewhere.
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
I like the staff-to-patient ratios that we have. Here I find you’re able to give your residents and patients better care because you have a better patient to staff ratio. We can provide amazing care up here for our patients.