Employment Opportunities

Are you a registered nurse?
Join the Public Service of Canada through the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch (FNIHB).

Come for the experience... Stay for the people

Not every nursing job lets you influence the future. But then this is no ordinary job. Nursing in First Nations communities is challenging, rewarding and meaningful work.

You will engage in community development -- making a difference in the lives of First Nation's peoples. What's more, knowing that the health of First Nations people is enhanced by expert nursing care, nurses in turn benefit from the privilege of being part of their lives and considered a valuable member of their community.

You will be working in a collegial and independent practice environment, within a team of health care professionals where you will have access to strong, visible nurse leaders. Above all, you will enhance your knowledge and skills, and experience high satisfaction with professional autonomy and teamwork.

Public health, home care and primary care opportunities are available to you now across Canada in health centres and the more remote nursing stations.

Explore your limits... Join our team

Nurses working in First Nations communities make a difference. We'll help you broaden and expand your current nursing knowledge and experience in a uniquely different practice setting. This is an opportunity to work in a unique cultural context with First Nations peoples. Come join this team of professionals who came for the experience and stayed for the people.

Health Centres

As a community health nurse working in a health centre, you'll work with other community members to identify health priorities and plan programs to address these needs. Sharing your knowledge and nursing experience, you'll facilitate the planning of activities and strategies to achieve healthy outcomes. Based on public health principles, you'll participate in the provision of a full range of comprehensive health programs which include health promotion, illness prevention and health protection across the lifespan.

Nursing Stations

You can also choose to work in a nursing station where you'll use a primary health care model approach to common health problems across the lifespan. Working in an expanded scope of practice, you'll provide treatment and emergency services and deliver comprehensive health programs. Working in collaboration with community members and other health professionals, you'll influence and promote positive lifestyle practices and illness prevention activities.

Discover your potential... Strengthen your skills

Health Canada's Office of Nursing Services nurtures a sense of common purpose among its nursing team and partners in the transferred communities. In many respects, that sense of common purpose is already keen because they share an exceptional degree of commitment to their clients and their profession. Oftentimes working in small teams and sometimes alone, they are the only point of contact with the health system for many Aboriginal people in need of care and attention.

This can be a tremendous responsibility, but the rewards can be just as impressive: learning first-hand about a vibrant and ancient culture; getting to know your clients in a way that's almost unheard of in regular practice; feeling part of something far larger than yourself; experiencing life in a part of Canada that many dream about but few know.

The exceptional commitment of nursing professionals of the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch (FNIHB) matches the sometimes daunting complex health challenges facing them and their clients. Few other nursing opportunities offer the same breadth of experience; the same sense of adventure; the same levels of personal and professional satisfaction.

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To learn more...

• About nursing in First Nations communities
  
  For more information about employment opportunities for nurses within First Nations communities, please contact your regional office.
  
  
• About other nursing opportunities in FNIHB
  
  FNIHB employs nurses not only at the local level but also in Regional offices across the country and at the national level. In other areas of the department, nurses work in a variety of settings, using their expertise and knowledge in many specialty areas. For more information, contact the individual regional offices, or contact the Office of Nursing Services directly.
  
  Health Canada maintains a special nursing applicant database for consideration when job opportunities arise in areas like Communicable Disease Surveillance, Epidemiology, Home and Community Care Coordination, Policy Analysis to name a few.
  
  
• About the Canadian nurses portal
  
  Health Canada is proud to be associated with NurseOne, one of the most comprehensive web portals of its kind in the world. Nurses in First Nations and Inuit communities will be able to take advantage of a wide array of information and tools to support continuing education, professional development and career planning available on this web portal.
  
  See our September 2006 News Release - Health Canada announces $8.1 million for NurseOne Portal: Cutting edge tool another step to improving health care.