Name: Ilka Stoyanova Chobanova (she/her/hers)
Job Title: Registered Nurse, Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter (PICC)
Length of Service: 18 years
Worksite: Royal Inland Hospital
Community: Kamloops
Ancestral Territory: Secwépemc
Favourite Quote / Advice to Live By: My favourite word is “Today.” My favorite quote is by Maya Angelou: "Do the best you can until you know better. Then, when you know better, do better." My philosophy is to do the right thing when nobody is watching; it’s the definition of integrity and one of the pillars of my moral code.
When Ilka Chobanova immigrated to Canada in 2003, she didn’t know how to speak English. Three and a half years later, she started working as a registered nurse (RN) with Interior Health.
“I remember feeling quite stressed when I had to talk on the phone with my health-care colleagues,” says Ilka, who was an internationally educated RN and had worked in Bulgaria and Germany. “At one point, I wanted to create a ‘survival kit’ for the future internationally educated nurses.”
Nearly 20 years since her IH career began, Ilka has made a tremendous impact. She specializes in peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) nursing. She assists patients when IV access is needed for bloodwork, CT scans or even chemotherapy treatments.
She was a 2025 regional winner for Western Canada in the CVAA/BD Excellence in Vascular Access Management & Infusion Therapy Awards. The awards recognize the important contributions made in vascular access management and infusion therapy practice with a focus on peripheral IV therapy. It was the first time a team member from Royal Inland Hospital (RIH) has been recognized with the award.
