Interview with Sarah
Meet Sarah, a student in her first year of nursing.
What was it that inspired you to enter the nursing profession?
Sarah: I actually already have a degree in biology. So when I started thinking of what to do after my degree, I figured nursing would combine how much I love caring for people and the knowledge I had from biology.
Did you have a mentor that made you think of nursing?
Sarah: No. I don’t think I had a mentor. I know other health professionals who suggested that based on my caring and friendly personality, I might like to go into nursing.
What is the hardest thing about the nursing?
Sarah: Keeping yourself separate is probably the hardest thing. Keeping work at work and keeping home at home and not combining the two is very difficult sometimes.
What is the best part about being a nurse?
Sarah: I really like nursing because you get to know so many people on such different levels, more in-depth than you would otherwise. And you really get a better understanding on how to think and how to react and why you act that way. And it is just amazing sometimes – you have these little epiphanies .
Do you have any interesting or challenging situations you faced recently that really stick in your mind?
Sarah: I attend to a couple of clients who have really unique situations, tough situations, and I have seen them several times. You always want your client to get healthy and to go home. There have been touching situations where I have made friends with the clients I work with and I look forward to going to see them.
Any other interesting situation that you can describe a little bit?
Sarah: One of the clients I return to a lot. She is such a nice lady. She is in a situation where she cannot do anything for herself. Every time I go, I try to do something special for her to make her know that someone cares. I always make it a point of coming in and asking her, ‘how are you doing’ and ‘what can I do to make you feel better’. The facility allows her to grow plants in her hospital room. But I guess because she is in long term care, they bend the rules a little. Her plants are very important to her.
What are some of the outside activities you enjoy that help you balance your life?
Sarah: I love playing sports and camping. Those are very personal things - exercising when you play sports and making yourself feel healthy. In camping you are relaxing and doing your own thing for yourself. When I work for Carecor, I am really sharing myself with other people. So I like to pursue these activities because they are only for me... "getting myself back", and they really help me balance my life.
How did you come to find out about working through agencies?
Sarah: I was at a career fair and Carecor was just one of the organizations there. As we were going around, my peers and I, we were asking, ‘Do you hire first year students?’ And no one did. Then Carecor was there and they were the only people that said, ‘Yes, we hire first year nursing students to work as Sitters or Constant Care Attendants.’ So that is how I got into it. After that, I have suggested to school-mates that they should also try it. I had never even thought of it before the career day.
What do you like about Carecor?
Sarah: I love that I get to go all across the city to all the hospitals, any hospital pretty much. I meet new nurses. I can interview the other nurses if I want more information about what they are doing specifically. I get to meet new patients all the time. Every time I am given a shift, it is something entirely different. It has helped me so much with my studies at school as a nursing student. It has helped me grow as a person. It is really exciting. You have to try Carecor first because they really work with you to get you the shifts you want and the settings you want. And no other agency I know does that.
