Name: Janet Quesnel (she/her/hers)
Job Title: Registered Nurse
Years of Service: 35
Worksite: Ashcroft Hospital & Health Centre
Community: Ashcroft
Ancestral Territory: Nlaka’pamux
Advice to live by: Treat others as you expect to be treated, and respect others as you expect them to respect you.
Hailing from Edinburgh, Scotland, Janet Quesnel immigrated in 1966 to Wabush, Labrador. She made her B.C. debut with a move to Logan Lake in 1972 and has been in Ashcroft since 1987. A registered nurse (RN), Janet has been with Interior Health for 35 years.
Learn more about her journey with IH
Janet is looking forward to retirement but says she’s not done with nursing yet. While she’s not sure what her next step is, Janet’s looking forward to the journey and knows there’s more education in her future.
“I have never tired of this career. It is rewarding in many ways and frustrating in many ways. The only facility I have worked in is Ashcroft. I started in a full hospital with its own hospital board, and have seen it through many reincarnations. Now as I prepare to slow down, Ashcroft is changing again. We are survivors and I know, although difficult, we will rock it.”
Janet entered nursing to help others, no matter how insignificant the interaction may seem. She trained at Cariboo College, which is now Thompson Rivers University. Janet wasn’t after the degree – she just wanted to look after her patients to the best of her ability.
“I have helped souls into this world, helped souls to stay in this world and assisted souls on their journey out of this world, through palliative care, and onto their next journey. That is my proudest moment.”
You may not know it, but Janet describes herself as ‘shy.’ This trait helps with her work.
“The people I work with and the people I meet at my job inspire me. I love hearing their story and getting to know them respectfully without intruding on their path.”
Janet enjoys the quiet life, as evidenced by her hobbies. She curls, knits, gardens and kayaks, but her favourite activity is anything involving her family, including being outdoors. Janet loves reading, but not on a tablet or computer. “I love the smell and feel of a book.”
Janet nominates Lanaray Porter, Registered Nurse, to keep We Are IH going:
“Lanaray is an RN who never stops learning. She will be such a large part of the new regime at the Ashcroft Health Centre. ” – Janet Quesnel
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