Translated from French

"My name is Guerdine Luc. My mother had a positive influence on my career choice. She has always been my idol and role model. I am her only child. Our personalities are very different, but they complement each other. Making my mother proud has always been my goal, and I think she feels that, especially seeing the path I've chosen today. Although she is not at all in the healthcare field, she has spent her life helping the community and is always there for everyone. She was a teacher in her youth. In fact, I often tell her she should have become a nurse because she has a hidden talent somewhere (laughs!). That’s why I believe that, even though we don’t resemble each other, I have a part of her in me.

Working in healthcare has always seemed admirable to me, but choosing between becoming a nurse or not was unclear, but I became one! I have been practicing since 2010. I chose to study natural sciences without being certain of the path to follow. I eventually applied for the initial bachelor’s program in nursing. At the beginning of the program, I still doubted this career choice. But overnight, I fell in love with this profession with its many possibilities.

I started my career as a clinical nurse in coronary care at the Royal Victoria. I loved the action and challenges of this type of unit, including working in coronary intensive care and being part of the cardio-respiratory resuscitation team.

After three years of practice as a clinical nurse, I pursued a master’s degree to become a specialized nurse practitioner (NP), because I realized I particularly enjoyed the relational approach with patients, as well as teaching and promoting cardiac health. I worked in the emergency department of the Montreal General Hospital during my master’s. I enjoy the diversity of the profession and the daily intellectual stimulation. I have seen the role of the NP evolve over time, which was quite unknown at the beginning of my practice. It’s an advanced practice nursing role that allows me to support patients more holistically, combining medical procedures with advanced nursing skills.

I have always worked at CIUSSS de l’Est as an NP since obtaining my degree in 2016. In 2019, I joined the Mieux-Être team. Today, I manage patients from 0 to 100 years old, in collaboration with other healthcare professionals. I also handle mentoring new NPs, walk-in consultations, adapted clinic access, and the women's clinic (e.g., IUD insertion, PAP tests, etc.). I am also involved in tutoring and mentoring at the Université de Montreal.

I feel great pride in my enriching journey so far, especially when I am able to help someone by offering understanding and listening, even if I don’t manage to solve all their problems. It reinforces my conviction of having been there for that person.

When I was a child and asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, my mother says I always replied, ‘I want to become a teacher.’ She says I always played the role of a teacher, pretending to have students. In the future, I would like to expand my skills to be able to teach. Speaking of my ambitions, I recently discovered a new passion: learning the piano and eventually singing. I’ve always had an interest in music, but I never found the time. So, I thought, ‘Why not take advantage of it now?’ It’s not at all with the aim of becoming an artist (laughs!) – it’s really just a new hobby. I haven’t yet determined the exact path I’ll take, but I already have a foot at the Université de Montreal, so who knows? One day, I might show up as an NP with a teacher’s hat!"