From Columneetza High to Bli Bli - Andrea finds healthy career-life balance
Published on 30 May, 2007
CQU nursing student Andrea O'Brien has come a long way - both geographically and in terms of life changes - since leaving Columneetza Senior Secondary school in Canada as a teenager.
Now 30 (and proud of it), Andrea is halfway through a nursing degree with CQU and looking forward to fresh opportunities when she becomes a registered nurse.
"Some of these opportunities are specializing in any given area, further study, or traveling to work in other parts of the world. If I wanted to go back to Canada to live near my family in the future there would be a job waiting for me. Not many people can say that."
Andrea thanks her supportive husband, daughter and son for helping her to cope with study.
"CQU offered a flexible program which meant I could study around my family and work commitments," she said.
"The best points about the CQU experience have been the great friends I have made and supportive lecturers."
Andrea's clinical placements have so far included the Nambour Public: 2E Cardiac unit and The Sunshine Coast Private Hospital: 3B Surgical, where she recently gained a glowing patient evaluation.
"I grew up in a small town in British Columbia, Canada, called Williams Lake. I went to Columneetza Senior Secondary school where I completed grade 12. I then worked for a year in a local grocery store to save money to travel. I chose to come to Australia because my nanny I had as a child lived in Brisbane. It wasn't long after I arrived that I met my future husband and never looked back."
Andrea enjoys camping in Hervey Bay, swimming at Mudjimba beach, reading biographies ("at the moment I am reading Richard Branson's autobiography"), all types of music and walking either around our beautiful suburb or on my treadmill.
"I have found my passion in life and it shows in everything I do. I am so much happier for pursuing my goals and I have so many people to thank for it. I would like to take this opportunity to thank my husband for his unwavering support and my two children for their patience. I can only hope that my success in this program motivates other prospective students to take the plunge and change their lives."
