Hometown: Batoche, SK
Program: Practical Nursing certificate
Chantel Moosewaypayo, a Métis woman, wants to work as a practical nurse in palliative/hospice care. It’s a goal she’s working to turn into a reality as a student in the Practical Nursing program.
“I love that the program is offered at Gabriel Dumont Institute in Saskatoon through Sask Polytech,” Chantel says. “I’ve previously taken the Continuing Care Assistant program and enjoy the teaching at Sask Polytech. I like the small class sizes and the in-class lab, where everything is at our fingertips, so we can practice our skills.”
Chantel has gained a lot of life experience since graduating high school in 2007. Now, she’s using that experience to build a new career for herself. While her classes focus on how to care for others, Chantel has also been learning how to care for her own mental, physical and spiritual well-being.
“I was going through some mental health struggles at the beginning of the program, but I’ve overcome those and feel as if Sask Polytech and Gabriel Dumont Institute have improved that aspect of life for me,” Chantel says. “If I could go back and give myself some advice, I would tell myself to breathe. Be confident and remember that getting 100 percent on tests doesn’t always make the greatest nurses.”
One truth Chantel has learned on her journey is the importance of putting herself out there. “There are always people in your corner, people who are rooting for you,” she says. “Just keep going and success will come sooner than you expect.