My name is Natalie Daoust. I am co-owner of Plan A Scarborough, but I am also a nurse in the ICU. During the first wave of the pandemic, I was also working on the frontlines and was able to understand the fears my Plan A staff were facing with all of the uncertainty that was …
Tag: personal support worker
Making it Through: Reflections One Year into the Pandemic
As I sit here on a Saturday morning having my coffee and enjoying the amazing view from my couch, I am reminded of how lucky my husband and I are to have a business that we can run and a job that I love. I have watched our friends and family have to close their …
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6 Lessons I’ve Learned as an Entrepreneur
Hello A Dot! It’s been a while, but I’m happy to be back. So much has happened since my last entry. An engagement, a pandemic, a marriage and baby number two, but that’s a story for another day. Today I want to talk about a few of the lessons that I’ve learned since becoming an entrepreneur. If you’re …
What it Means to Staff the Front Lines
As I sit here writing this, Ontario is preparing to enter a Stay at Home Order for the next 28 days. Ontario is seeing cases of COVID-19 surge. Hospitals are under more pressure now than they have been at any point in the past 12 months. Long Term Care is almost on its knees with how …
I Think I Need an 80s Christmas
Yes, that is definitely how I feel this year! Maybe it’s true that when you get older, the things that once mattered don’t really matter as much anymore. All I know is that I am really struggling to find that magic that this time of year used to bring me. Is it because the kids …
An Incredibly Uplifting & Rewarding Experience
I have been in the middle of COVID-19 since the start of the first wave. I am glad I decided to work in LTC homes during the most difficult times and when help is most crucial. I understand that many are afraid to work as they fear getting sick. I do believe that if the right PPE …
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I Will Always be Grammy’s Little Girl: The Reason My Job Means so Much
The #1 thing I ask myself when I'm hiring for LTC is "is this someone I would have wanted to take care of my grandmother?" About 3 months ago I got the job offer to work for Plan A. Within the same week, I also found out that my grandmother was diagnosed with cancer for …
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My Plan A Journey
For me, wanting to make a difference in the healthcare sector has always been a goal of mine. I first became interested in the healthcare field in university where I was a part of several clubs focused on healthcare for vulnerable groups. Here I learned about the different struggles people with disabilities, those without permanent …
Navigating Work Fatigue and Career Uncertainty During a Pandemic
Let me hit you with something obvious - It’s hard to find our calling in life and far too easy to second guess our career path once we have chosen it. Am I right? In these days of curated content, it is so easy to compare ourselves and feel like we’re doing something wrong, that …
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Are You A Real Nurse?
“Are you a real nurse?” I have heard this question asked to my fellow colleagues many times throughout my career. I sometimes think I am in a Dr. Seuss book. Are you a “real” nurse? What makes a “real” nurse? Less letters or more letters at the end of your diploma? The colour of the …
