Triple talent drives patient care
NorQuest practical nurse grad holds two health care designations and is also instructor
What do you get when you combine a health care aide, a practical nurse, and an instructor? An extraordinary, triple-talent champion for Alberta’s health-care system.
NorQuest graduate Brett Funk is employed as a practical nurse in one of the most dynamic medical facilities in Edmonton, the Orthopedic Surgery Centre at the Royal Alexandra Hospital.
“There’s never a dull moment,” says the 29-year old, whose job it is to assist patients before and after surgery.
Like many young people, Funk worked in the trades for about 10 years, starting in high school. With a desire to expand his horizons, he completed his Health Care Aide (HCA) certificate in his home province of Manitoba. He then found work in Edmonton, but still wanted to go further in his career.
“That’s where NorQuest came in. Deep down, I always wanted to work in the medical field. The Practical Nurse program at NorQuest gave me the foundation I needed to move forward in my career.”
Today, in addition to working at the Royal Alexandra Hospital, he is back in NorQuest classrooms – not as a student, but as a practical nurse instructor, assisting with teaching at the college’s Whitecourt campus thanks to his front line experience.
“It’s a great feeling to support students and pass on what I’ve learned.”
Funk’s story is just one of many NorQuest graduates serving on the front lines of health care. The next time you walk into a hospital or continuing care centre, you’re likely to see them busy as unit clerks, health care aides, licensed practical nurses, or pharmacy technicians. And when you do, you can expect extraordinary service and care.
Deep down, I always wanted to work in the medical field. The Practical Nurse program at NorQuest gave me the foundation I needed to move forward in my career. It’s a great feeling to support students and pass on what I’ve learned.