About ISC Nursing
Learn more about Indigenous Services Canada (ISC), our nurses and their stories. Come for the experience. Stay for the people. Enjoy the rewards.
On this page
Meet ISC nurses and learn why they love working in First Nations communities.
Transcript for video: Meet Indigenous Services Canada nurses
Jessica Zwaagstra: My name is Jessica Zwaagstra. I am the nurse in charge here in the Mishkeegogamang Nursing Clinic.
Text on screen: Jessica Zwaagstra, Nurse in Charge, Indigenous Services Canada
My name is Kenn Aseron. I'm a public health nurse here at Mish.
Text on screen: Kenn Aseron, Public Health Nurse, Indigenous Services Canada
Lana Angeconeb: My name is Lana Angeconeb. I am a community health nurse with ISC.
I'm a Mohawk from Six Nations Reserve and I'm Turtle Clan. So, working in First Nations communities has always meant everything to me.
Text on screen: Lana Angeconeb, Community Health Nurse, Indigenous Services Canada
Lana Angeconeb: I love nursing in First Nations communities because it is exciting. I love the people, working with the people, seeing people, and each community is unique and has its own specialness about it.
Jessica Zwaagstra: My favorite part about working in First Nations community is freedom of schedule, freedom of finance, and being part of something bigger than myself.
Kenn Aseron: I get to see the progress of my work, and I get to see the results of my work, which is not always true when you're working in an acute care setting in the South.
Lana Angeconeb: There's so much to learn. Every day I'm learning something about the culture, about the communities that I'm working in and living in.
Jessica Zwaagstra: I wanted to be able to do a little bit more than what I was doing in the hospital and I just sort of took a chance on it a little bit and I loved it.
Kenn Aseron: When we work in the hospital setting, you see them once and then you don't see them again. Whereas when you work in a First Nations community, you get to know the patients because you're calling them back in for follow ups.
Lana Angeconeb: You get to know families, you get to know babies, you get to see them grow up in the different stages—and that's really nice.
Jessica Zwaagstra: I think on the emotional side of things you get to do, it's taxing, it's hard, it's stressful. But then at the same time, you get to build a community. You get to have a family with the people you work with.
Kenn Aseron: I continue to do this job on a daily basis, and I keep coming back because I find that it's nice to be able to see results and I like seeing that my work is making a difference here.
Lana Angeconeb: As an Indigenous person, it really means a lot to me to be working here. I've always wanted to serve our people, and I'm so proud to say that my whole career has been nursing in First Nations, Indigenous communities.
Jessica Zwaagstra: I've been here for a couple of years. I've spent a lot of time learning about the families, connecting with the families, being involved in events. And so, for me, when I come here, it feels like home.
Text on screen: Come nurse with us in First Nations communities!
Text on screen: Canada wordmark
Why choose ISC
Indigenous Services Canada nurses face a unique set of challenges. Every day presents a new opportunity to grow personally and professionally. Work alongside a talented team of nurses, other health professionals and community members, dedicated to delivering quality care in a culturally safe way.
ISC nurses carry out a full scope of practice and provide a broad range of services unique to nursing in First Nations communities. Becoming a nurse in a First Nations community means building relationships and connections that will last a lifetime.
Our story
Who we are
Indigenous Services Canada was created in November 2017, bringing First Nations and Inuit health services (formerly with Health Canada) together with education, essential social services, child and family services programs, lands and economic development, housing and infrastructure programs from the Department of Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada. ISC was established through the Department of Indigenous Services Act, which came into force in July 2019.
Who we serve
Indigenous Services Canada Nursing provides direct care services in First Nations communities across Canada (Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Saskatchewan and Quebec) where other healthcare services are not readily accessible. We strive to provide quality, culturally safe and trauma-informed services to meet the needs of the communities we serve.
Journey to reconciliation
Together with leaders of Indigenous communities, ISC actively strives to create a culturally appropriate and high-quality approach to deliver healthcare services. Reconciliation is not a destination, it is truly a journey. ISC Nursing is working on this journey by taking steps towards a better healthcare system.
To learn more, please visit The reconciliation journey.