During National Nursing Week, Registered Nurse Joyce Ball was recognized for her dedication and commitment of working with First Nations and Inuit communities.

The 14th annual, 2016 Excellence in Nursing was awarded to three registered nurses across Canada, with Ball being one of them.

Ball has been actively practicing nursing for over 40 years, and has been working at the Stoney First Nations Health Services in Morley for 24 years. Ball says it is hard to believe she was selected.

"My boss at the Stoney Health Services where I work submitted my name as a nominee for this award. With a few letters of support from the Health Director and some of the doc's I work with, put forward this nomination to Ottawa and my name was one of the one's selected."

Ball was very humbled to be receiving the award.

"I felt very honoured, overwhelmed and thinking this was a bit surreal. I have worked in nursing for a long, long time so this is like a culmination of all the year's of hard work."

Ball started off working in the NICU at the Foothills Hospital where she practiced for 15 years before moving out to Morley, where she eventually started the Home Care Program and was the Home Care Coordinator for 10 years.

Ball has spent the past few years helping diabetic patients.

"I went back and wrote my certification exam so I am now a certified diabetes nurse educator; and developed and have been running the diabetes program for the Stoney Health Services in Morley"

The future remains unknown for Ball.

"I am not sure exactly what it looks like. But I think I am getting close to being near the end of my career, I have been nursing for over 42 years. I think it is coming close to an end but I think there is still a little bit of time left for me."

Ball thanks her co -workers for helping her achieve this award.

"I personally believe that any achievement like this isn't just an individual thing. It is a culmination of people that support you, work with you, and promote you."

Ball was presented the award by the Honourable Minister of Health Jane Philpott and Regional Chief Isadore Day.