Health-care Hat Trick: Mom and two daughters nursing together at Ottawa's Queensway Carleton Hospital

OTTAWA -

Nurses at the Queensway Carleton Hospital will tell you many of their colleagues are like family.

Well, in some cases, they actually are.

Tamara Guindon and her two daughters, Aimee Boyd and Julia Guindon work together at the QCH and the trio loves it.

“I don’t know how to describe it, except that I’m so blessed,” said mom and nurse, Tamara.

Aimee Boyd, 27, was the first in the family to land a job at the hospital. She encouraged her mom to apply.

“And I said to my mom, well the Queensway’s great. You could come and work with me. How funny would that be?” she smiled.

“I didn’t expect that because I had always figured my kids would want to do their own thing and go their own ways,” said Tamara.

“But she was excited to see me apply, so I thought sure. I’ll apply and we’ll see what happens,” she said.

Daughter, Julia Guindon, 25, had done some student placements at the QCH while studying nursing. After graduation, she, too, would start working at the hospital.

Sister Julia Guindon (left) and Aimee Boyd (right) work at the Queensway Carleton Hospital in Ottawa alongside their mom Tamara Guindon (middle). (Joel Haslam/CTV News Ottawa)

“Aimee started three years ago, my mom two years ago and I’m coming up to a year now. I’m the newest,” she said with a smile.

“I love the Queensway.”

The three women all graduated from the nursing program at Algonquin College. In fact, they were in different years of the program at the same time, studying together and encouraging each other, never imagining they would one day work at the same hospital.

Now, they share shifts, workloads, and patients. They take their breaks together, eat lunch, and hang out with each other on their days off. They say working with people you love is a gift.

Sisters Julia Guindon and Aimee Boyd and mom Tamara Guindon (standing) share shifts, workloads and patients as they work together at Ottawa's Queensway Carleton Hospital. (Joel Haslam/CTV News Ottawa)

“My mom and my sister are my best friends,” said Aimee.

“So, it’s really nice to have people in the family who know what you’re going through, especially during the pandemic,” she said.

“Nursing can be really stressful sometimes,” said Julia.

“It’s great and I love it, but it’s nice to have someone you can talk to about your day who actually gets it. It doesn’t feel weird, or annoying, or like I want to get away from them. It makes my day better when I work with them,” she said.

Tamara is beyond proud of her daughters. As a parent, she has a privileged view of their worlds.

“I’m so proud of them,” Tamara said, tears filling her eyes.

“Proud to see them stand up for their patients and advocate for their needs. I hear their maturity and go, ‘Wow, you’re really a cool person. I’m not just proud of you as a mom, but I’m proud to be your colleague.’”

Tamara Guindon (left) watches as her daughters Aimee Boyd (middle) and Julia Guindon (right) discuss a topic at the Queensway Carleton Hospital in Ottawa. Mom and daughters all work together as nurses at the QCH. (Joel Haslam/CTV News Ottawa)

They say patients enjoy knowing “a family” is on duty and taking care of them.

“Oh they love it. They’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, that’s so great,’” Aimee said with a laugh.

And working with her daughters brings Tamara maternal rewards she never dreamed of.

“To hear them interact with patients, I’m thinking, ‘That’s my kid right there.’ It’s really neat.”