CINA/CNF Indigenous Award

My name is Tessa Martin, before I became a nurse, I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I started out working in retail then made my way into healthcare. I was a housekeeper, then a laundry worker. I wanted to help people more and desired to change my path again. In which time I became a Psychiatric nursing assistant 1 and then took more courses and became a psychiatric nursing assistant 2. I knew I loved helping people and caring for people. I desired more from my job and that’s when the Enhanced Aboriginal LPN program came to be and I dove right in. I found my calling. I became a nurse because I have a strong desire to care for people. As I worked through these fields in healthcare, I knew I wanted to meet people where they are at and always strived to uplift peoples spirits no matter where they are at in life. I became a nurse to be a support for people when they are at their worse and care for them to get them back to their best. Ultimately, I became a nurse for the people. This is why I love nursing and continue to educate myself so that the next persons room I walk into, to care for they will have the best version of myself to get them on their way to recovery.