I Dare You to Drink the Vinegar

In the first article of this series, the focus was on how stigma, social exclusion, and documentation practices can subtly shape the care people receive, especially in settings like methadone clinics. That piece invited us to look at policies, electronic health records, and institutional routines. This second article turns the lens even closer: toward the stories we tell ourselves as nurses when we encounter people whose lives are deeply affected by structural inequity, substance use, and trauma.  Nurses encounter many people whose lives are shaped by complex intersections of health, identity, trauma, and structural inequity, including those who move in and out of substance use over time. For someone like Alex or Sharna, years of navigating a relationship with opioids can include periods of reduced use, times of not using at all, and ongoing efforts to stay safe, connected, and housed. Despite this resilience, the ways their lives show up in care, for example missed appointments, o...

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. One aspect of nursing education that consistently presents challenges is scope of practice. This is where have to take a cold hard look at the overlapping lines of responsibility, authority, and competence because they can sometimes blur. As members of a self-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, the 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 l...