When they hear “ding, dong!” at their door, many of Nicole Bock’s patients are old enough that they might expect to see a cosmetic salesperson or vacuum huckster cooling her heels on their doorstep, but having a Nurse make house calls sounds like a blast from an even more distant past.
In fact, while “working from home” is the norm for many now, Nurse of the Week Nicole Bock, RN does her work from other people’s homes as an essential nurse.
“I go around and see patients in their home and help them with any nursing needs they have,” says the RN case manager – and Daisy Award winner.
Always on the road – “My office is everywhere!” she says – the Good Samaritan Society – Home Care (Robbinsdale) team member in Minnesota cares for a handful of patients every day.
“You kind of get to see them on their turf a little bit instead of in the hospital,” Bock says. Teaching others about their medications, taking care of wounds, and lab draws are just some of the tasks the eight-year nurse is counted on to complete.
Bock might not have become a roving photojournalist as originally planned, but she is certainly a hit as a Roving Nurse. She pivoted to a nursing career after her four-year degree in photojournalism produced few opportunities… and a lot of patients are very grateful for her career pivot.
On getting a Daisy: “I was beyond shocked!”
Patient Nancy D. Loehr says Bock “makes me feel comfortable and I feel I can ask her anything.”
Elevating people’s health is Bock’s goal. Elite at taking care of clients, she was nonetheless surprised when honored with The DAISY Award for extraordinary nurses: “I was beyond shocked. I had no idea. Beyond shocked,” she says. “Very honored and I love that they felt that I was worthy of this.”
Going above and beyond for those she cares for and for her teammates is why she’s getting well-deserved recognition. Simply put, “I like helping people,” Bock says.
“She’s very special to us”
Linda Stokes says Bock’s care for her husband Otis, who is fighting cancer, is keeping her family safe and putting them at ease.
“She’s very special to us. Good Samaritan was just good to us period,” Linda says. “It’s hard when you don’t know or understand anything about medicine. To have someone who comes in and doesn’t talk down to you explains to you simply what you can do but clearly cares about what she’s doing.”
That effort prompted Linda and Otis to type up a letter of gratitude.
“Nicole said whatever you need is what we will do when we come into your home. Period. Everyone who came in on this team walked in and said I want you to know I’ve been vaccinated. I’ve been boosted,” Linda says.
A humble team player, Bock says the kind words mean a lot.
“It makes it all worth it just knowing that people appreciate it and I’m making a difference,” Bock says.
- Nurse of the Week Nicole Bock Makes House Calls: “My Office is Everywhere” - June 8, 2022
- Nurse of the Week: Mary Hannover, LPN Celebrated for 55 Years as “Heart” of Good Samaritan Nursing Facility - April 13, 2022
- Mother/Daughter Nurses Share Commitment to Caring, Faith, and Science - March 10, 2022