Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner

Hi, I’m Jess Johnston, a nurse practitioner with 18 years of clinical experience, 5 as a registered

nurse and 13 as a nurse practitioner. I’m a fresh face to the Durham Natural Health Centre and am

beyond excited to join this amazing team. I grew up in a household that valued cooking from scratch

and sticking to whole foods and scant amounts of junk food. Although I coveted the twinkies in my

best friend’s lunch box it instilled a lifelong appreciation for clean living.

I have always been passionate about health, wellness and physical activity; heavy emphasis on

physical activity! My time in university competing as a varsity athlete (lightweight rowing at Queen’s

University and volleyball at Griffith University, Brisbane, Aus) was my first introduction to how

significantly nutrition influences peak physical performance. I learned how vital clean living is to not

only perform athletically but to achieve good overall health and wellbeing; as a former coach used to

say: “eat clean, workout dirty!” That said I also firmly believe there is a time and place for

pharmacological interventions. For example, when alternative measures don’t provide the desired

health results, when people are faced with acute illness, or individuals are simply blessed with less

than stellar genes that work against their best health outcomes.

I feel there is a gap in current health care. Working primarily in emergency departments in Canada

and the United States I’m well-versed in band aid like solutions instead of taking a proactive/wholistic

approach to health and wellness. I believe there is room in health care for utilizing all the tools

available and collaboration with other professionals to achieve your optimal health.

I am an avid learner and took the indirect route to becoming an NP, that said I feel that education is

never wasted. I loved to learn about cognition and behaviour and so I began my education studying

psychology at Queen’s University. Halfway through my degree my passion for health was facilitated

by entry into a dual degree program to continue studying psychology but concurrently pursue a

degree in Nursing Science. After entering the field of nursing in the emergency department at

Sunnybrook I was fortunate enough to become part of EMAT (Emergency Medical Assistance Team)

which provided exposure to disaster response. So back to school I went to complete my master’s in

Disaster and Emergency Management while working full time at Sunnybrook (with copious amount

of caffeine!)

After completing my coursework, I wrote my NCLEX, moved to California and began working in the

emergency department at Stanford University where my husband was finishing his PhD. I finished

my thesis while working in California and after exposure to different policies and procedures I again

felt the pull towards further education; I returned to Queen’s to complete my NP. Since graduating

I’ve had the privilege of working 9 years in primary health care (primarily women and children’s

health), the last 4 years in emergency and 13 years as the first NP with EMAT.

In my spare time you’ll find me anywhere outdoors with my husband and 2 amazing boys; canoe

camping, hiking, sailing, cross country or downhill skiing, racing triathlons (my oldest kiddo

completed his second with me this summer! Proud mama moment!) and making maple syrup in the

spring. Our wild and crazy Friday nights; making homemade pizza, building a blanket fort, and

watching a movie.

I look forward to helping to bridge the gap, use all the tools and help you achieve your health and

wellness goals!