Did you know Beaver Creek is Canada’s westernmost community? It sits along the Alaska Highway near the Alaska border. About 118 people live there.
Beaver Creek has one of Yukon’s 11 community health centres. This is where Jennifer works as a primary health care nurse in charge.
Today Jennifer is a registered nurse. What’s more she works in an expanded scope of responsibility as primary health care nurse in charge.
But that was not her first career.
Jennifer used to work in research for Canada’s Department of National Defence. After a few years, she realized the job was not the right fit.
She decided to try something new.
Jennifer chose nursing because it offers many job options. Even though she already had two degrees, she went back to school at age 39. She completed a two-year nursing program at the University of Alberta.
At the start of her nursing career, Jennifer wanted to gain experience in different settings.
She first worked in northern Alberta. Soon after, she became a nurse in charge because she took initiative.
Later, she moved to the Yukon and worked as a “float” nurse. This means she travelled between communities to help where needed.
“I learned so much,” she says. “But I knew I wanted to stay in one community.”
Jennifer has worked in Beaver Creek since 2000. She is often the only nurse at the health centre.
Her role includes many tasks. She cares for patients and helps run the centre day to day.
She also works closely wit hospital staff, pharmacists, emergency medical services (EMS) and the RCMP.
“You use all your skills,” she says, “and you learn new ones too.”
he work can be busy, but Jennifer values the independence. She also enjoys building strong connections with people in the community.
Her schedule is a rotation: 5 weeks of work and 5 weeks off.
This gives her time to rest and spend time with family. She did not have this kind of balance in past jobs.
Jennifer believes this type of nursing is very important. It also shows how flexible work schedules can help nurses stay happy in their jobs.
