Johnalyn’s Story

Johnalyn is from the Philippines, where she grew up and then spent two years working as a community nurse. Wanting to come to Canada, she made the move and began working as a nanny via the Live-In Caregiver Program.  One day while shopping in Walmart, she came across a Filipina nurse and asked about her experience as a nurse in Canada.  It was through this conversation that Johnalyn learned about Health Match BC.

Motivated to provide a better future for her family and children, Johnalyn decided to begin finding her way back to nursing.  With the support and guidance of Health Match BC, Johnalyn started her journey to nursing in Canada.  In May of 2022, Johnalyn started nursing school at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, where she took clinical and online classes. She completed her program in April 2023, and by June of that year she had finally landed her first Canadian nursing job, working in a medical overflow unit.

“Working as a nurse is fulfilling because I get to care for people. Nursing is about being compassionate, and in some ways it’s a calling because it’s not for everybody,” says Johnalyn. Looking into the future, she aims to pursue a Masters degree in order to open up more career options.

As for future nurses, she encourages them to consider BC because of the work/life balance, which is the main reason she chose BC over other Canadian provinces. As a nature lover, having access to different outdoor activities and a variety of natural landscapes is a bonus. Johnalyn also shares that BC is a great place to start a family.

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