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Navigating Scope of Practice Challenges: A Guide for Nurse Educators

Nurse educators hold a pivotal role in shaping the future of nursing practice. They provide students with the foundational knowledge, clinical expertise, and ethical frameworks needed to ensure their success as competent, safe, and compassionate professionals. However, one aspect of nursing education that consistently presents challenges is scope of practice—an area where the lines of responsibility, authority, and competence can sometimes blur. As members of a regulated health care profession who have advanced knowledge in adult education it is important to explore the complexities surrounding scope of practice for nurses in Canada, its impact on nursing education, and how nurses who are in educator roles can navigate these challenges to foster a collaborative, well-prepared nursing workforce. Understanding Scope of Practice in Nursing In Canada, nursing is a regulated profession, with each province and territory having specific legislation that outlines the scope of practice for regi
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Succeeding in a PhD Nursing Program While Maintaining Full-Time Work as a Nurse During the Pandemic

You know what's tough? Completing a PhD. It is especially tough finishing a PhD during a global pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic, unfortunately, feels like a distant dream now—a memory fading faster than we care to admit, thanks to our collective short attention span. It’s as if the global crisis was a dream we all shared, but now that we’re emerging from it, we’ve already moved on to the next crisis. But for those of us still navigating the residual chaos—juggling a full-time nursing job with the demands of a PhD program—those pandemic-induced challenges linger. The fatigue, the trauma, the overwhelming shift in healthcare dynamics may not be as vivid now, but the weight remains. For nurses pursuing a PhD while working full-time, the journey has become a balancing act that feels like an endless tightrope walk, with academia, nursing, and personal life constantly shifting underneath. It’s a daunting challenge—especially in a profession that has faced unprecedented demands during the
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Choosing Kindness in a Politically Divided Canada: A Call to Action

 In a nation as vast and diverse as Canada, political division has become an unsettling reality. We are witnessing an era where blame and animosity have seeped into our everyday conversations, fostering a culture of hostility rather than understanding. In such a climate, the importance of choosing kindness cannot be overstated. This isn’t merely a lofty ideal; it is a necessity for the well-being of our communities and the fabric of our society. Dr. Simone Roach's work on the "Cs" of caring—Compassion, Competence, Confidence, Conscience, and Commitment—provides a meaningful framework for navigating these tumultuous times. By integrating these principles, we can cultivate an environment where kindness flourishes, even amidst deep-seated political differences. Compassion: Understanding Before Judging Compassion is the cornerstone of kindness. In a politically charged atmosphere, it is easy to fall into the trap of viewing others as adversaries rather than fellow citizens w
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More or Less Capitalism or How I Embrace Challenging the Promise of Consumer Culture

Take a step back, and drink in the landscape of a free market saturated with social media influencers and repackaged cable television fueled by artificial intelligence bots and empty promises of an American Deam. Take it in North America. Warmly embrace our world dominated by the relentless pursuit of more—more wealth, more consumption, more productivity and somehow also packaging a selling the idea of less as a romantic, quaint notion that also leads to us buying more, just in a different way. We find ourselves running on this hamster wheel, caught in this narrative that celebrates growth at all costs, human costs, the cost of humanity. Capitalism, we love it, we make movies about it, we write books about it. I mean that in a very real way when you take a look at the latest (and I mean latest by the last 40 years) blockbuster hits and New York Times best-sellers. It is the engine of progress. It presents itself as a promise of infinite abundance. It's the Fountainhead embodied as
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Innovating Healthcare Strategies Driven by Nursing: A Call to Action

As the healthcare landscape evolves, the role of nursing must adapt to meet the challenges posed by an increasingly complex system. Innovative strategies that prioritize the nursing workforce are essential for delivering high-quality patient care. Central to this discourse is the establishment of safe patient ratios, which hinge on a healthy nursing workforce capable of providing the expertise necessary for optimal patient outcomes. However, efforts to bolster a dwindling nursing workforce often overlook a crucial element: retention is about more than salaries and the mere production of new graduate nurses. Historical Context: Lessons from Early Hospital Systems The early days of the hospital system provide valuable insights into effective nursing strategies. Initially, hospitals were staffed by student nurses who received education tailored to the needs of the institutions where they worked. This model fostered a deep commitment to patient care and a strong sense of belonging within t
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Addressing the Critical Nursing Shortage in Canada: The Need for PhD-Prepared Nurses to Lead Transformative Change

We are facing a critical nursing shortage in Canada following in the post-COVID-19 pandemic crisis (Tomblin Murphy et al., 2022) . Nursing shortages are not new (Cohen, 1989; Park, 1983; ‘The Nursing Shortage’, 1963) , but the impact of COVID-19 alongside global crises like climate change and war have spotlighted the significance of the problem at this historical moment (Peters, 2023) . I recently completed by PhD in Nursing at the University of Alberta. The journey was a long five years in which I had to navigate a pandemic, raising 4 kids, working full-time a nurse leadership and in direct hospital-based care in one of the largest urban centres in Canada, and significant family crises. I love the diverse opportunities that my nursing career has brought me. I feel a strong connection my professional identity as a nurse and appreciate the monumental impact that the discipline and profession have had on shaping the healthcare system and shaping the health of people in Canada. However, i
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The Heart of Nursing: Compassionate Care in a Complex World

 In the demanding world of healthcare, where the head and the heart must often find a delicate balance, nurses play a vital role in shaping patient experiences. The journey of self-discovery within nursing isn't just about acquiring technical skills; it's about understanding the profound "why" behind our work. This article explores the importance of compassion in nursing, how it shapes our practice, and why it is essential for both patients and practitioners. Defining Compassion Compassion is more than a buzzword; it is a critical component of nursing that encompasses empathy, understanding, and a genuine desire to alleviate suffering. Compassionate care is defined as the ability to recognize and respond to a person's emotional and physical needs. This involves being present, listening actively, and providing not just physical care, but also emotional support. For nurses, a focus on compassion allows us to forge closer connections with our patients. When we take t
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Getting Past "Just Say No": Reflections on Adolescents and Substance Use

 As the death toll in North America from the opiate overdose crisis continues to rise nurses must re-think the approaches that are being used in the healthcare services that are supposed to be designed to best help youth. There are now decades of evidence that support the ineffectiveness of the 1980s ‘Just Say No’ drug strategies targeted to prevent youth from using drugs. In reflection on my nursing career, mostly in programs and services designed to provide care for people who use substances, I feel heartbroken about the slowness of change in inpatient settings.  As I near the five-year anniversary of my joining what was heralded as an innovative mental health and substance use program for youth, I also critically question the erosion of that innovation to conform to a rigid system with rigid values about youth who use substances and how to best provide care for them. Three years ago, I walked into the care team station, early for my night shift. I began my night shift ro
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