60 Seconds With Colonel Carolyn Blanchard, CAF Chief Nursing Officer
Video / May 15 2025
Transcript
Hello, I’m Colonel Carolyn Blanchard. I’m the Chief Nursing Officer for the Canadian Armed Forces, and I’m here to do the 60 Second Challenge.
Let’s get started.
So, what is the biggest lesson you’ve learned throughout your career in the CAF?
The lesson I’ve learned is flexibility and expect the unexpected.
What is the most rewarding part about being a nurse in the CAF?
Looking after patients in garrison as well as on deployed ops definitely is a highlight.
What advice would you give to someone considering a nursing career in the CAF?
I would say if you love adventure, going overseas, being deployed, looking after patients in austere environments perhaps, or at home, I would say join the CAF. You will have the experience of a lifetime.
How do your responsibilities differ when deployed versus stationed on base?
So, I would say when you’re deployed, things are unpredictable because you don’t know what you’re going to be faced with, and you need to be adaptable.