We Are IH: RN “fell into nursing” 50 years ago

“I fell into nursing not really knowing what it’s about, or what nurses actually did,” says Deb. “But I have always felt is was a lucky choice of an 18-year-old, and feel so happy about all the opportunities being a nurse has provided.”

As a young nurse in her 20s, Deb continued to move from town to town, and country to country. “My husband was in the Royal Canadian Air Force. We lived in Kingston, ON, Moosejaw, SK, Cold Lake, AB and Germany,” she explains.

When her marriage broke down, she moved to Kamloops. “I had a four-year-old and a baby. A doctor recommended I apply at Overlander as they had 8-hour shifts. Suddenly, I had been there five years,” says Deb. It was the longest time she had been in one place, and would go on to spend 24 years there.

“I loved the camaraderie of the staff at Overlander. I got to know the families well, and I really liked it.”

Seventeen years ago, Deb transferred roles to Hillside Centre acute tertiary mental health care. “A lot of people don’t know what nurses do,” Deb says. “I told my mom once ‘I bathed four men today’ and she was shocked. At Hillside, I wash, dress and feed people every day.”

In July 2022, Deb celebrated 40 years of service with Interior Health, a moment she’s proud of. “Fifty years is a long career!” she says.

Deb attributes her love of travelling to her frequent moves while growing up. And not only does she travel, she also loves maps. She has contributed 940 photos and 100 reviews to Google Maps, which have been viewed 14 million times. Her contributions have earned her a Level 7 (out of 10) Local Guide status. A lover of reading, she will even search the Google Street View of the towns and cities depicted in books.

Outside of work, Deb says she’s happiest around water – rivers, lakes, oceans and pools are “all wonderful.” She even loves the frozen variety – snow. “I love to walk in the snow, and even shovel snow and clear it off my car,” she laughs.

When she retires, Deb is looking forward to more travelling and spending time with her grandchildren. “I love to show them places and introduce them to new experiences,” she says.

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