A day in the life: Andrea Dovick

Category: Study at NSCC

Andrea sits on a hospital bed beside a male mannequin wearing a hospital gown.

Get to know Andrea, a continuing care student

Name: Andrea Dovick
Program: Continuing Care
NSCC Campus: Annapolis Valley Campus
Class of: 2023

Why did you choose this program?
Well, I used to be a doula, both for labour and birth, and for post-partum. I absolutely loved the work, especially the post-partum aspect, but finding clients was so difficult in the Valley. So I started researching other career paths with a similar focus, and came across the Continuing Care program.

What’s something that has surprised you about NSCC?
How close knit the community is! Everyone knows everyone else, and all the staff (at the Middleton campus, at least), are just the sweetest, kindest people.

What has been your most memorable NSCC moment so far?
Oh my goodness, can I just say all of it? But really, it would probably be the first time we interacted with the mannequins in the lab.

What do you love most about your program?
Other than the amazing life-long friends I’ve made, I love the confidence I've gained in this program. I have the skills, the knowledge, and the compassion to succeed when I graduate.

What do you plan to do when you graduate?
I plan on working!! I’ll be applying to a local long-term care home and will hopefully be working full-time!

What advice would you give to a friend considering NSCC/your program?
DO IT! NSCC specifically is so amazing and supportive. And this program? If you like helping people, the continuing care field is a fantastic jumping off point for healthcare work. With the government funding currently available, you really have no excuses!

A day in the life

Morning

6 am – I wake up most mornings to one of my four kiddos coming for morning cuddles…and then the rest of them needing their turns too!

7 am – With cuddles provided and everyone dressed, it’s time to eat breakfast and make school lunches. I’m lucky that my boys are quite independent, so they are able to get their own breakfasts (cereal or a bagel most mornings) and even make their own lunches from the “lunch drawer” in the fridge. The 9 year old helps the 2.5 year old, which leaves me to get myself fed and ready for my own day at school!

7:30 am – Time to take the kids to daycare and the bus! We take the 2.5 year old to his wonderful day home, then head back to our neighborhood to get the other 3 on their bus to school. This makes my a bit late for morning classes, but I have an understanding with my instructor that this is how it has to be for me.

8: 37 am – I arrive at school and basically run up to class; I hate missing even a minute of class time, let alone 7!
Most weekdays, we have class lectures/discussions on the topic of the day, but Wednesdays are lab days. That means we wear our grey scrubs, do some cooking in the kitchen, and have skills lab in the afternoon. Lab days are great, because I don’t have to think about what to wear one day a week!

Andrea stands in a kitchen with her classmates and they smile at the camera for a group selfie.

11:30 am – Lunch time! On Wednesdays, we eat what we cooked in lab, but other days I either bring a lunch or buy my lunch at the Farm Café. I also tend to use this time to catch up a bit on homework or review, depending on what is due that week.

Afternoon

12:30 pm – Lunch is over, and it’s back to class for a couple of hours. Wednesdays sees us in the lab working on skills (bed making, oral care, application of topical medications, etc), and other days have us in class lectures/discussions. Honestly, classes are so fun in this program. It doesn’t feel like we’re being taught, it feels like a big group talk on a specific subject. It is really the best way to learn!

3 pm – Class is usually done by now, or 1530 at the latest. I stick around most days to get my homework done so I don’t have to bring it home. The more uninterrupted time at home with my family, the better!

4:30 pm – Time to leave the campus and pick the youngest up from daycare. My husband picks the other 3 up from the bus, so I don’t have to worry about them at all.

5:15 pm – We usually start making dinner around 5 or so. Lately it’s been my husband cooking, so I can relax a bit and have some time with the boys!

Evening

6 pm – Time to eat!

6:30 pm – Kiddos brush teeth and get in to jammies so we can all watch a show or part of a movie together before bed time.

7:30 pm – Time to put the kids to bed! My husband and I take turns tucking them in, and I have to say…He does it so much quicker than I do!

7:45 – 10 pm – Time to relax. The stress of the day is over. I read, watch TV, play video games, or go to choir. This is my “me” time more than any other time.

10 pm – Time for me to brush my teeth and get in to bed! Every day is so busy, but so rewarding. I love being able to show my boys that you are never too old to keep learning, and they love seeing Mommy go to school just like them!