Bloomington DAISY Nurse Leader aims to help, support and guide

“Compassion in action, integrity in practice and humanity at the heart of every decision.”

That’s how the IU Health Bloomington Oncology and Palliative Care team describes their manager, Christina Barker, RN, OCN.

This DAISY Nurse Leader Honoree began her nursing career in 1989 when she became a licensed practical nurse. Since then, she’s worked in inpatient and outpatient Oncology, outpatient Palliative Care and played a key role in the hospital transition as the team consolidated three outpatient offices.

Her team says Christina is a hands-on manager, stepping in without hesitation to answer calls, coordinate patient care, and ensure no one falls through the cracks. Here are just a few things they shared about the leader in her award nomination:

“I am blown away by the heart she pours into the nurses, physicians, pharmacists, and patients…She is both a compassionate leader and a fierce advocate.”

“After the tragic and untimely deaths of three colleagues and team members within three months, she arranged for grief and counselling resources, facilitated presentations on recognizing burnout, and made sure every team member of our oncology and palliative care teams felt seen and supported.”

“When we picture her in action, we see leadership grounded in compassion and teamwork. She embodies the heart of nursing leadership – showing up, listening, protecting, and inspiring others around her to do the same. She is not only a manager; she is a role model who reminds us why we became nurses.”

“We are one team with one shared purpose: providing the highest standard of care,” shares Christina. “As a nurse and as a leader, I strive to be present, authentic, and someone my team can trust.”

She emphasizes the importance of being present for your team, patients and every person you encounter. This builds trust, which builds accountability and leads to safer care and better patient outcomes.

“Humanity is at the core of what we do. I believe deeply in serving with compassion, and I expect my team to feel confident that I will always be there to help, support and guide them.”