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National Nurses Week 2022 - A chat with Nicola Devoe
#NursesWeek2022 is a great opportunity to celebrate the efforts and impact made by nurses in the health care industry. Today, we’re celebrating Nicola Devoe, a 2005 graduate of the College’s Practical Nursing Diploma program. Nicola is currently working with patients with dementia and providing end-of-life/palliative care for those in need – a career she pursues with passion.
“I wanted to become a nurse because I wanted to help people. I felt like I had the compassion and caring personality it takes to be a nurse. So, I chose to relocate to Calgary and enroll at Bow Valley College because I had heard great things about the College,” she says.
When asked what she enjoys most about her job, Nicola points to the bond she gets to create with her patients and their families. “I enjoy the relationship part of my job. Getting to know the residents and their families,” she says. “We become family as we spend so much time together and I help and support them through end-of-life care. I enjoy having fun with the residents making them laugh and smile.”
According to Nicola, the way she cared for her patients was altered by the COVID-19 pandemic. “I made sure I took the time to FaceTime families daily. We also made a special video for the families of residents holding signs with loving messages,” she says. “The families knew that their loved one was being well cared for, and making sure they could still see them even on a screen gave them that extra comfort and peace.”
Although her job requires both interpersonal and technical skills, Nicola feels well-equipped for her role thanks to her education at the College. “At Bow Valley College, the hands-on learning in the labs and the practicums helped prepare me for nursing. I learned best by being hands-on. Teachers were great, and coming from a small town was an adjustment for sure but helped me grow and gain independence.”
We appreciate Nicola and other nurses for the work they do and the impact they have on our families and our communities. #AnswerTheCall #BVCNow
