The Econoline Crush singer describes her nursing career

Trevor Hurst walks out the door and wanders the barren, desert landscape of southwestern Manitoba until the clock strikes 7 a.m.

The longtime lead singer of Econoline Crush has made a habit of touring Canadian highways since the Canadian rock band formed in the early '90s.

But it's the roughly 100-kilometer drive from Brandon, where he lives, to the Kanupawakpa Dakota Nation that the 58-year-old has come to know well in recent years.

While the singer was living in Vancouver, a conversation with a neighbor prompted her to consider a career change, so she moved to Manitoba's second-largest city and enrolled in a psychiatric nursing program at a local university.

In 2016, Hurst traded her microphone for a stethoscope and took a job as a nurse in a Dakota community of about 300.

“I wanted to do something a little more meaningful. I wanted a job that was in demand and not rushed to gigs, because that's what I've done with music all my life. that's the problem,” Hurst said in a recent interview with The Canadian Press.

Hearst's mental health deteriorated during this time after his mother died of cancer. The experience left him unsure whether he was ready to work with the elderly.

A friend invited the singer to get a job in Kanupawakpa, which was unable to hire a nurse.

Hurst remembers going out into the community with second thoughts about the job. After a “very intense” interview in which Hearst said she answered every question honestly, she was offered the position and asked to start the next day.

When Hearst began working with community members, what initially prevented him from finding work in the field helped him heal.

“Talking with the elders, they talked with me and shared their experiences. I have established relations with the people,” he said. “It was something that helped me overcome my own demons.”

The transition from singer to home and community care was not smooth.

As a non-native, Hearst understood that he had to work to earn the trust of the residents and showed them that he was not there “for a paycheck”.

Indigenous peoples have detailed the discrimination and inequality they experienced in the Western medical system.

Many First Nations in Manitoba do not have access to reliable health services, often relying on temporary nurses and doctor rotations or having to travel to larger cities to receive care. This can lead to a loss of trust in the local population and a lack of cultural awareness.

Former Kanupawakpa chief Lola Thunderchild said it wasn't about Hearst. She has known him for five years and considers him a friend.

The singer took nursing leave in 2019 to care for her newborn daughter, but Thunderchild convinced Hearst to return last year.

“Trevor always seems to get (his patients). I don't know how he does it, but he always gets their trust. He puts in all that time and effort,” Thunderchild said.

When the Truth and Reconciliation Commission released its final report in 2015, Thunderchild saw the impact it had on the elders in Kanupawakpa. It opened up old wounds for residential school survivors and emphasized the importance of mental health support in the community.

Hearst credits two professors at her university who were Native women for opening her eyes to the role of culture in health care.

“Having a place to live, safe water, all of these things affect how you live your life and how you can achieve your dreams,” Hurst said.

“It opened my eyes to the wrongs we've forced on indigenous communities.”

Thunderchild said he is proud of the work Hearst has done at home and abroad. The relationships he creates with his patients while embracing Dakota culture and Western medicine allow for a more holistic approach, he said.

Econoline Crush released and toured their latest album, When the Devil Drives, last year.

Last summer, Thunderchild wanted to give back to the community for Hearst's support. So he brought eight vans filled with his clients to a music festival in southern Manitoba where Econoline Crush was performing.

Many were surprised to learn that their beloved nurse was a singer in a Juno-nominated rock band.

“They were totally blown away when they saw him rock on stage. They loved it,” Thunderchild said.

While Hearst continues to juggle the demands of being a musician, father, and nurse, he knows it's worth it when his clients seek him out in their most vulnerable moments, knowing he'll do his best to make it right.

“That's been my greatest reward, just being a part of this community.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on February 10, 2024.