How Olivia Balances Nursing Studies and Care Work – and Why She Chose Home Instead

We recently caught up with Olivia Cheetham, one of our brilliant Care Professionals who is also a student nurse. Olivia’s journey is a real testament to how a career in care can offer not just rewarding work, but the flexibility and support needed to achieve even the biggest dreams.

In this blog, Olivia shares how working with Home Instead has helped her navigate university life, gain valuable experience, and build the confidence and compassion that will shape her future nursing career.

Here’s Olivia’s inspiring story…

Can you tell us a bit about your journey – what made you choose to become a student nurse?

I applied for nursing during my gap year, I had done A Levels in History, Business and Psychology, my plan was to go and study Psychology at university however I took a year out to build some savings in preparation for living away from home and I got a job working in community care. Whilst working for a company in my hometown, I met a district nurse who’s visits always lined up with mine. I was always so interested in what she was doing and her and the client would let me observe her completing leg dressings and after a few conversations, she said if I was interested, I should apply to nursing. It isn’t something I had thought about before, but I loved my job and I wanted to learn more so the next day I started my application. I was unsure about it at first, but I absolutely fell in love with it and I’m so excited to say I qualify in just 3 months!

How did you first hear about Home Instead, and what made you decide to apply?

I had work a few part-time jobs throughout my university career but I was not fond of them, I felt like my jobs were not fulfilling and not fitting in with my university studies. I decided to go back into the care industry as I know it’s what I’m good at, and I enjoy it. I saw an advert for Home Instead on Indeed and applied, I looked at their website and found my personal beliefs lined up with the companies manifesto, which was a large factor in me choosing to apply.

How do you balance your nursing studies with your work at Home Instead?

It’s difficult at times, but I keep everything organised in my calendar and always maximise time by completing assignments in my breaks. I am able to communicate with the office team and they are really understanding, and even make sure I’m not taking on too much at times! When I have assignments due or exams I always let the office know so that I have enough time to prepare and am well rested for the day.

Do you feel the hours you work are flexible enough to fit around your university schedule?

The hours are really flexible! I have periods of sometimes a month or more where I am not in university and I can open up my availability, however I do sometimes struggle when I’m on placement as I work 37.5-48 hours a week unpaid, fitting in work around this can be tricky, especially with different placements having different hours and requirements for which days you can work. But, I always let Home Instead know with as much time as possible, and they are very flexible at working with me to put a plan together for the weeks that I am on placement. Without them, I would really be in a pickle, as not working is unfortunately not an option for me so, in a way, without Home Instead I would have to look at taking out loans just to stay in university or even consider dropping out!

What kind of support do you receive from the Home Instead team when it comes to managing your shifts?

The whole team are so supportive of me working alongside completing my degree and I find as long as I’m upfront about my university commitments, they are always able to find something that works. If I feel I have taken on too much, I always feel like I can talk to the office about how I’m feeling and know that they will support me in whatever way they can.

Are there particular days or times that work best for you – and are you usually able to work those shifts?

I always try to work on Fridays and alternate weekends, having that solid day works really well for me as I know I can fit everything else around it. However, due to my placements sometimes my availability changes and I end up working whenever I can, as these shifts are set in a plan I always know what days I am working and I can work around this. During breaks from university, when I can work more I try to fit in shifts wherever I can, I love getting out of the house and seeing all my lovely clients on my available days.

Has your experience as a care professional helped you in your studies or given you more confidence in your nursing practice?

Definitely! Going into my first placement I was so much more comfortable with meeting patients basic care needs, starting as a first year and working in a new environment not really knowing how you fit into a nursing team I felt much more confident knowing I can help clients have a wash or support them with eating. I had a placement with district nurses (which is the field of nursing I am hoping to get a job in) and I found that my ability to talk and build a therapeutic relationship with patients was so much easier for me and I think that is because I’m so used to doing that with clients day to day. Getting ready to graduate and reflecting on my progress, one skill they cannot teach you at university is kindness, compassion and being able to build meaningful professional relationships with service users, these attributes I built whilst working at Home Instead learning clients’ different routines and care needs. In short, working at Home Instead has shaped me into the nurse that I want to be, not just focusing on the clients’ clinical needs but seeing the person behind the patient.

What do you enjoy most about working at Home Instead South Manchester?

I love the little things, catching up with clients over a cup of tea brings me so much happiness and seeing clients happy and able to live in their homes as independently as possible is so fulfilling. Having a whole hour with clients enables me to spend time learning about clients’ needs, their likes and dislikes, and to get to spend time doing things that they enjoy, this is something that I have never experienced working in care before, at other agencies, visits are often rushed and task-oriented however at home instead you really get to build the routine around the clients.

Is there a moment or memory with a client that really stands out to you?

There are too many to say! I have so many happy memories with clients that sometimes I think they help me more than they know! As I bought my first house, a client’s advice actually helped me avoid making a huge mistake during early renovations, which ended up saving us lots of time and money. But, more recently, a client was struggling with shakes in one of their arms, all I did was hold her hand and reassure her through them until they passed but the next day she said to me that she was so thankful that I had just took the time to sit with her and hold her hand, it really reinforced how much small gestures can make a huge difference to people’s lives and that made me feel a great sense of gratefulness that I can be a part of her journey.

What would you say to other students who are thinking about working while studying – especially with a company like Home Instead?

Do it! Being a student is expensive and sometimes isolating. Having a part time job is a great way to meet new people and earn some extra money along the way. That being said, working whilst studying is hard and you need to find an employer who is understanding of your out of work commitments and for that reason, I cannot recommend Home Instead enough. They have not only been flexible and built a great working culture but have been one of my biggest cheerleaders throughout my degree. Although I am moving on in a few months to build a career in nursing, I will find it really hard to say goodbye to the team at Home Instead and will really miss both my colleagues and my clients.