Celebrating Barb Bock’s 40-year nursing career during National Nurses Week

Photo: Registered Nurse, Barb Bock, surrounded by her Endoscopy and Cystoscopy colleagues at the Comox Valley Hospital celebrating her recent retirement.

Barb Bock is one of those very special people in the healthcare field who retires after a 40-year nursing career and returns to the frontline after only a couple of months away.

Her last day as Clinical Nurse Leader in Minor Day Procedures at Comox Valley Hospital was February 12th. On May 5th, she began orientating as a Healthcare System Navigator for the Surgical Services Department in a casual capacity. To no one's surprise, a friendly conversation with a colleague at her retirement party ended with words Barb has likely said thousands of times throughout her career: “Let’s get it done.”

During National Nurses Week, the Comox Valley Healthcare Foundation is delighted to share Barb’s nursing story and shine a light on one of the hundreds of outstanding nurses dedicated to caring for us here at home in the Comox Valley.

Barb grew up in the small town of Fort Frances in Ontario. She always loved helping people and was familiar with nursing through her mother, who was a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), a role once called a Registered Nurse Assistant (RNA).

Right after high school, Barb trained as an RNA in her hometown and worked in that nursing assistant role while pursuing her 2.5-year nursing diploma in Thunder Bay. She later obtained her full nursing degree through BCIT.

Barb moved from Ontario to Tsawwassen in 1987, working on an orthopedic unit at Richmond General Hospital and as an IV nurse at Vancouver General Hospital. After taking coursework in intensive care, she worked part-time in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Richmond and St. Paul’s Hospital. She continued to pursue additional training in cardiac and emergency care and worked in the Emergency Department (ED) at both hospitals. Eventually, she became a Critical Care Educator, supporting the ED and ICU at Richmond General.

In 1996, Barb reluctantly followed her spouse to the Comox Valley and instantly fell in love with the community. She was hired at St. Joseph’s General Hospital in Comox, where she worked in the ED, ICU, and as a nursing supervisor. She later became the Clinical Nurse Leader in the ED, which led her to become an instructor for Advanced Cardiac Life Support and Basic Life Support within Island Health. For many years, even after the transition to the new Comox Valley Hospital, Barb and another well-loved nurse, Carol Tinga, worked together as Nurse Educators responsible for the entire hospital.

One of Barb’s career highlights was starting a Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Program in the Comox Valley with Respiratory Therapist Craig Dickson, local kinesiologists, and local respirologists Dr. Penner, Dr. Lundy and Dr. Dawadi. This program had a significant impact on patients with heart and lung issues, enhancing their access to care and treatment locally, and improving their quality of life.

Almost three decades of Barb’s nursing career supported healthcare in the Comox Valley. She speaks of her colleagues as people who always go above and beyond, providing patient-focused care with inspiring dedication and compassion.

“I feel a mixture of gratitude, honor, admiration, and a sense of shared community and camaraderie when I think of the thousands of caring spirits within Canada and around the world during National Nurses Week. I feel an overwhelming sense of pride to have worked with such remarkable people. I truly believe that nurses are the backbone of our healthcare system.”

Barb found herself on the “other side” of healthcare when she was 39 years old. She was diagnosed with cancer in both breasts, requiring multiple surgeries and intense treatment. This personal experience, described by Barb as humbling and frightening, inspired her future nursing practice and led her to join the Hope Afloat Dragon Boat Team.

Barb defines her teammates and experience with Hope Afloat as life-changing:

“We are a team of survivors who have had a life-changing experience, and when we are on the water, our fears and anxieties drift away. Our mission is to encourage breast cancer survivors and women with any other cancer diagnosis to live full and active lives by participating in dragon boat racing. Hope Afloat is a cocktail of passionate, feisty, caring, hard-working, determined, and wonderful beings. Being a part of this team—being surrounded by such positive and enthusiastic women—changed my life... I love them to pieces!”

Photo:  Barb Bock speaking at the opening of the Public Healing Garden at St. Joseph’s General Hospital on May 30, 2014 with former Executive Director, Lynn Dashkewytch, looking on.

During her retirement, when she isn’t “dabbling” in her new casual nursing role, Barb hopes to spend more time traveling and with her two beautiful granddaughters.

The Comox Valley Healthcare Foundation would like to offer Barb a huge thank you for not only her incredible service to our collective health but also for her volunteer efforts with Hope Afloat and their significant contributions in support of cancer care and palliative care in the Comox Valley. Congratulations on your retirement, Barb!

On May 12th, International Nurses Day and the anniversary of Florence Nightingale's birth, MNP and the Foundation are hosting Espresso Our Gratitude. Nurses and all staff at the Comox Valley Hospital will be treated to a warm beverage as a small token of our huge gratitude.