Indigenous Talent - Success Stories from the SHA - Adrienne Zuck
Adrienne Zuck is a nurse Practitioner with the Saskatchewan Health Authority. Read more about her healthcare career journey below!
What area of healthcare do you work in?
I work in Primary Health care, family medicine at Four Directions Community Health Centre in North Central Regina. I care for people of all ages and manage both chronic & short term illnesses, preventative screening and mental health.
Have you always wanted to be a Nurse Practitioner?
My primary care as a teen was provided by a Nurse Practitioner and I immediately appreciated their knowledge and ability to build a rapport. The blend of advanced knowledge while remaining personable made having a Nurse Practitioner a great choice for my primary care.
What are your roles and responsibilities as a Nurse Practitioner?
I mainly work in a community health clinic where I have scheduled appointments. During these appointments I see patients from all stages of life for their primary care needs. I use my advanced education to assess, diagnose, order diagnostic investigations, refer to medical specialist and other medical professionals as needed. I also provide education and counselling for various health concerns. All my interactions with patients require medical documentation as well. I often leverage my work environment to collaborate and communicate with other health professionals in my building. Some of the other professionals include pharmacists, dieticians, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, respiratory therapists, public health nurses, indigenous elders, home care nurses and other community workers.
Please describe a typical day for yourself and explain how you incorporate your Indigenous ways of life into your workplace?
I try to incorporate physical activity or mobility in the morning before I start the workday. In the winter that often looks like yoga for deep breathing and mobility or walking outside to try remain immersed in nature. In the summer I add riding my bike to work.
I start the workday with a team huddle to learn about what is happening in the clinic for the day as well as support staff assignments. Throughout the day I have 30min appointments with people in the community addressing any of their health care needs. The schedule is pretty particular; therefore, I take SHA opportunities to participate in traditional indigenous ceremonies or practices. On my own, if I feel particularly imbalanced, I will smudge at work. The clinic has 2 rooms that support smudging with special ventilation and we have smudging medicine available. Periodically throughout the year we have opportunity to attend sweats and, in the summer, to go sage picking and complete the preparation.
Thinking of the Medicine Wheel, how do you balance your work life and personal life working as a Nurse Practitioner?
My work-life balance is always fluid and ever-changing. I try keep myself physically healthy by staying active and trying to incorporate that in my everyday activities. I support my emotional health by staying connected to friends and family and building deep meaningful relationships in the community. I also volunteer, coaching women’s sports, continuing to build and uplift other women in the community to feel valued and encouraged to succeed in all aspects of life through building relationships. Everyday my mind is challenged by the profession and medical practice. My patients’ unique health challenges continue to allow me to build my wisdom and knowledge to help them. I continue my spiritual journey by learning more about my Métis culture and asking for support from elders around me and in the community.
Please compare your current experience with working as a Nurse Practitioner to other jobs you have had in the past.
Working as a Nurse Practitioner is quite unique to other jobs I have had in the past. Working as a Registered Nurse has helped me understand the health care system flow and actively participate in patient treatment plans. Working as a RN one is aware of the diagnosis process and becomes aware of the ruling out differential diagnosis. My 10 years+ career and experience that I gained as a RN definitely helped prepare me to work as a Nurse Practitioner.
Have you always wanted to be a Nurse Practitioner?
Not initially. I chose to become a Nurse Practitioner to continue to develop my skills and for potential career opportunities.
What is the number one thing you love about being a Nurse Practitioner?
The people I serve. I get to meet resilient, strong and caring people.
I have a great work environment with supportive co-workers and various health professionals with an astonishing wealth of knowledge. We strive to build and continue a positive work culture.
What are your hobbies or interests outside of work?
I enjoy being active; biking, running, kayaking, hiking, and given the chance - snowboarding! I still participate in sports like touch football and other recreational sports when I can. Much of my time is dedicated to coaching women’s football and the football community in Regina. In the summers I volunteer at Dallas Valley Ranch Camp. I enjoy arts like beading, crocheting and rekindling my love for sewing. I do enjoy travelling and exploring, I just don’t do it as much as I would like.