We are IH: Celebrating a full-circle journey in health care

Sarah’s journey into nursing began with a simple but powerful intention: to build a career grounded in compassion and human connection. That intention has guided her through every chapter since. 

She specialized early on and began her career on the Labour & Delivery unit at Royal Inland Hospital in 2006. In 2019, she specialized as a perioperative nurse.  

Later she stepped into regional knowledge coordinator roles, first in Perioperative Services, then in Specialty Learning Pathways.  

Today, she serves in Clinical Operations as the manager for Obstetrics and the Thompson Region Family Obstetrics Clinic, a role that blends her love of mentorship, her commitment to quality care, and her ability to bring people together during challenging times. 

A career comes full circle

Ask her about her proudest moment, and Sarah will tell you it’s returning to lead the very unit where she began as a third-year nursing student—the very same place she spent 15 years growing, learning and finding her voice as a nurse. 

Becoming manager of that unit wasn’t just a career milestone; it was deeply personal. 

She later helped to redesign and implement new pathways in partnership with the Ministry of Health and post-secondary institutions. Today, she interviews and hires students into programs she helped build, creating a full-circle moment that still feels surreal. 

Many of the learners she once taught are now staff she supports as their manager. Many of the mentors who once guided her are now colleagues. These relationships, layered with history and mutual respect, are among the most meaningful parts of her career. 

“Relationships, compassion and connection are the heart of my work. I’m a human being first above everything else,” shares Sarah. “My proudest accomplishments are those that involve supporting teams through difficult transitions, uplifting others, and helping create environments where people feel cared for, heard, supported and respected.” 

She also reflects proudly on leading her obstetrical team through an unprecedented period of change by instilling hope and resilience to a team that showed up for each other, even in times of uncertainty. 

Sarah spends her days supporting staff, troubleshooting clinical and operational challenges, coordinating across services and sites and ensuring the unit runs smoothly. She spends much of her time checking in with staff, problem-solving, and supporting the needs of her team. 

Looking ahead

After completing her Master of Nursing this past December, Sarah is excited to translate her academic work into tangible improvements for families and staff. She’s looking forward to contributing to long-term, sustainable solutions for obstetrical care. She's filled with optimism, curiosity and a deep sense of responsibility. 

Outside the hospital, she finds joy in the quiet moments such as spending time with family, snuggling her fur babies, crocheting, attending yoga classes, and nurturing her garden of more than 75 plants. 

She is a devoted plant enthusiast, turning plant care into a creative, calming practice. “It’s a hobby that brings me peace,” she says, “it allows me to experiment creatively with different species, arrangements and growth techniques.”  

Just like her garden, Sarah helps her mentees grow and thrive 

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