If you're about to graduate from a nursing program, you might want to take the road less traveled and consider looking north for a dynamic and rewarding career. There are numerous jobs offered by Health Canada that not only offer an adventure to a unique part of Canada, but also give you the opportunity to earn great money and build a career supporting a worthy community.

Canada has the second largest proportion of Indigenous people of any country in the world, representing four percent of the Canadian population. There are over 600 distinctive First Nations communities, and almost half of First Nations people are living in rural and remote locations on reservations. According to the Health Council of Canada, First Nations people currently have a health status that is well below the national average. These reserves offer a great opportunity to put your skills into practice. With the median age of First Nations people at only 25 years old, the health prevention and awareness programs put into place can seriously impact and shape a healthy future for the community.

Janet Currier, director of Nursing First Nations and Inuit Health in BC, says that Health Canada has many opportunities for both Registered Nurses (RNs) and Nurse Practitioners (NPs) who are interested in this type of posting.

The nursing positions that are available in remote and isolated areas are at nursing stations, and in rural areas at health centres, says Currier. In the nursing stations, most nurses are the sole health care provider in that area and are often the first point of health care for most of the residents.

In the rural area health centres, the nurses will work Monday to Friday from 9-5, and recent graduates are supported by a more experienced nurse, says Janet Currier. These positions dialogue with the community to understand what the health concerns and priorities are so that you'll be able to anticipate the best use of your time and skills.

If this type of work interests you, but you're not sure you're ready, have no fear: Health Canada offers great support to their nursing staff. Once they are hired they do an extensive orientation. There is a fair bit of time spent on the scope of practice, their work role, and the community that they are going to, says Currier.

The benefits of these postings also extend to a regular 37.5 hour work week with compensation for overtime work. Your salary can range from $67,000 to $108,754 for those with advanced education degrees. Added incentives include a recruitment, retention, and isolated posting bonus.

Also, the breadth of experience that you'll gain from working in this area will prepare you for all types of health care opportunities. They'll have a lot of community health experience, and advanced assessment skills, says Currier.

Virginia Childforever, an RN graduate from the Native Nurse Entry Program at Lakehead University, really enjoyed her positions in northern Ontario. There's such a variety of nursing that you can do in one day, she says. There's so many expanded skills that you can learn.

Jan Frith, a community health nurse who works with First Nations people in northern Alberta also likes the breadth of services she provides. It's community work in public health so you're dealing with prevention, you're developing programs specifically for communicable diseases and maternal child health, as well as pre-school and infant immunization, Firth says. But there's so much opportunity for input into developing programs toward illness prevention, which is where healthcare has to go.

With the need for nursing in the north, institutions like Lakehead University offer bridging programs for Native students interested in pursuing their Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN), in order to help fulfill this growing demand. Sandra Cornell, manager of the Native Nurses Entry Program at Lakehead, says their graduates are eager to go work in First Nations communities that are more remote and rural.

Jan Frith changed her direction after leaving a small town hospital to begin servicing northern Alberta communities and hasn't looked back. After two years, she says that it continues to provide me with wonderful experiences and appreciation for the land and its people.

There's a lot of autonomy and lots of support; Health Canada is a really good employer, Frith says. Treat it like an adventure and learn as much as you can because it really is an adventure. It can be a really fun learning experience.

Photo: Brian Lasenby/Thinkstock