Finding herself

A decision to take a break from college led Kerri Andrews to a career in medicine.

Andrews, then 19, was attending the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill when she decided it wasn't for her. When she finished the semester, she took a job in an optometrist's office teaching patients how to put their contact lenses in correctly. It was then she realized she loved patient care and decided to go to nursing school.

“I just enjoy helping people, loving on people, and taking care of people," said Andrews, who is currently the practice administrator for Dr. Viehman at SeaCoast Skin Surgery. "Getting to know them and getting to know their stories when you can. It’s just an awesome way to really meet someone’s need."

In 1987, Andrews enrolled in the nursing program at Wake Technical College. After graduating in 1989, she started a six-month internship at Wake Med where she trained in peripheral vascular surgery and neurological surgery. When the internship ended, Andrews continued in the position.

In 1997, after a brief stint as a nurse in the Kingston (NY) Hospital intensive care unit, Andrews' career led her to Wilmington.

Her husband, Phillip, was offered a job in the food and nutrition department at New Hanover Regional Medical Center.

“In his interview he mentioned that I was an OR nurse and human resources didn’t want to talk to him anymore, they wanted to talk to me," Andrews said. "Nurses with OR experience are not common.”

She also had a connection with the operating room manager at NHRMC: she was the daughter of Wake Med’s operating room director. Andrews worked at NHRMC for seven years, serving as supervisor and coordinator of the operating room. Since then she has worked as the nurse manager at Surgcare of Wilmington before taking her current position nine years ago.

In a career that has spanned 28 years, Andrews has spent 19 years in the OR. The other nine years have been spent in medical office management.

“Being in management, I really love taking care of the caretakers," she said. "There’s such a need for the people who are pouring out and taking care of the patients to also be taken care of. There’s a high capacity for burnout in the field and we really need to do a better job of nurturing our teams."

Andrews has no plans to change careers anytime soon.

“I love what I’m doing and I love being a part of SeaCoast. It’s just an amazing place.” she said.

Getting to know: Kerri Andrews

Age: 51

Favorite book: The Space Trilogy by C.S. Lewis

Hobbies: Fiber arts, tapestry, weaving, needle felting, crochet and church.

Bucket list: Oldest son is getting married next July in Italy; "I have a large bucket list of things to do while I’m there. I’d like to travel through Europe, see the Northern Lights, and Iceland."

Health tip: “Use sun block. Not sunscreen, there is a difference. Sunscreen is a chemical protection which is absorbed into your system where sun block, which is titanium oxide and zinc oxide, actually serves like armor and protects your skin on the surface.”