Before joining Pawnee’s Health Department, Ann Perkins worked as a nurse. She is introduced in “Parks and Recreation” as a local nurse living near the construction pit where her boyfriend, Andy Dwyer, breaks both legs.
That accident brings Ann into contact with Leslie Knope. Leslie promises to transform the abandoned pit into a park, creating the friendship that drives much of the series’ early story. Ann remains connected to nursing while becoming increasingly involved in Pawnee’s civic life.
Later, Ann accepts a part-time position with the Pawnee Department of Public Health. Her new work focuses on public relations and health outreach, but the show continues to identify her with her original profession. This is why “nurse” is the canonical answer rather than “public-health employee.”
Ann was played by Rashida Jones and appeared as a main character through the show’s sixth season. She eventually leaves Pawnee with Chris Traeger to raise their family in Michigan.