♪
I'm Captain Rebecca Parent
at the Ottawa Health
Services Centre.
I studied nursing at
Cégep Garneau, in Québec City,
and worked as
a civilian until 2008.
Only after that did
I decide to join
the Canadian Armed Forces
as a nursing officer.
And since 2019,
I've been assigned
to the Ottawa Health
Services Centre.
The first thing we did was open
a clinic at another site,
with the medical resources
that we had here.
So, we have a clinic
that was opened at NDMC.
A COVID clinic that's really
just there for people
who present with symptoms, who
need to be treated or tested.
We set up that clinic
in a few days.
I myself was deployed
in charge of the clinic there
for about a month until I left
for Op LASER in Montréal.
I was deployed in the long-term
care homes this spring,
and I saw members
from armoured elements
helping care for people.
With three days of training,
they did very well.
For me, it was a setting
that I knew, but all the same,
readjusting to all of that,
which is not necessarily easy,
but I think
we managed fairly well.
When I was deployed
on Op LASER in Montréal, yes,
I was put in high-risk places
as a CAF member,
but you can't forget
the civilians
who work in these places
day and night,
who were there before us, who
are still there after we left.
But I think it's part
of the health trade.
It's not just physical injuries,
it's taking care of people
who have illnesses
that could be contagious,
that could have an impact
on our own health.
I think that's really part
of what we sign up for
when we decide to do this trade.
Wearing the uniform,
yes, it's a dual role,
if I can call it that,
a double responsibility.
One thing that stands out for me
is how my life has developed
since I joined the Forces.
My clinical knowledge
has improved greatly.
I've grown in terms
of my career,
and on a personal level too.
Having been transferred
to places
all over the country as well.
I know my country very well now,
I think I can say.
And it's made me grow
as a person,
that's important to point out.