We Are IH: Nurse loves ‘challenge’ of serving Okanagan community

March 30, 2023

Linda explores a lighthouse in Dalkey, Ireland.

Name: Linda French (she/her/hers)
Job Title: Community nurse/long-term care case manager
Years of Service: 27
Worksite: Kirschner
Community: Central Okanagan-South
Ancestral Territory: Sylix Okanagan
Favourite Quote / Advice to live by: Life is too short to drink bad wine.

Throughout her health-care career, Linda French has done her part for the community.

Linda, who was born in Scarborough, Ont. but grew up in North Delta, B.C., started her nursing career at BC Children's Hospital in pediatric cardiology. She worked at Kelowna General Hospital in pediatrics from 1994-1997 and then transferred to community nursing in 1997. She now serves as a community nurse/long-term care case manager for the Central Okanagan-South.

“I have been enjoying this challenging role for 26 years,” Linda said. “I’m an active girl who can't sit still and loves a challenge.”

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Learn more about her journey with IH

Linda poses for a photo during a Jack Daniels Distillery tour in Lynchburg, Tennessee.

Linda said the goal of the long-term care program is to support clients 19 years and older (mostly seniors) so they can remain in their home. This includes:

Making home visits to complete comprehensive nursing assessments
Putting in-home support in place
Facilitating attendance to Interior Health’s adult day programs
Providing information about community resources and supportive housing
Assisting with assessments for government-funded assisted living and long-term care homes

“I work together with the client and often their family members as a team to provide supports to meet the client’s needs,” Linda said.

It’s really nice to receive positive feedback from clients, their families or other colleagues I work with when I have done a good job and my work is appreciated. I enjoy working with clients and their families, and love to see how this work impacts their lives and helps them, often when they are at their most vulnerable.

-- Linda French (she/her/hers)

A man and woman wearing winter gear pose for a picture together outside with water and mountains in the background. — Linda and her husband Daryl visiting their son and daughter-in-law in Tegernsee, Germany.

Outside of work, Linda loves long walks on the beach or hikes with her dog; she jokes that she sometimes lets her husband, Daryl, tag along. She has been an avid CrossFitter for over 10 years now, which is something she says keeps her fit and is an enjoyable activity to take part in with her husband and two adult sons. She also has a “love-hate relationship with golf,” getting out and swinging the clubs at least once a week.

A woman does a handstand on the grass at the bottom of a hill. There’s a building behind a wall at the top of the hill. — Linda does a handstand during a break on a wine tour in Napa Valley.

“I’m a very competitive person, and yes I do keep an eye on the stats to ensure I’m a leader both at work and play,” Linda said. “I’m also pretty handy and can install an irrigation system or wire a three-way switch with a dimmer.”

Linda says she’s really looking forward to grandchildren in the near future.

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