Watch out now---we got a Doctor of Nursing in the HOUSE!!! In this episode, the Gritty Nurses chat with Dr. Farah Laurent, a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) with 6 board certifications and nurse career coach! They talk about what a DNP is, what opportunities exist and the role of a DNP in healthcare organizations. They also take a dive into what Farah's career path has looked like and her entrepreneurial ventures! Have a listen and tell us what you think! Order our #1 National Best Selling Book, The Wisdom Of Nurses! If you have read a copy, please leave us a review on Amazon, GoodReads and I ..read more

In this episode, the Gritty Nurses discuss a viral Instagram reel in which a nurse describes what she believes to be the hardest specialty in nursing. We discuss the pros and cons! Which is the hardest or most stressful? There are so many, how do we decide? Does it mean the hardest is the best? You be the judge! Thank you to our episode sponsor, healthcareproviders.ca! Attention, hospital employees, retirees and HR in Canada!   Picture this: a benefit plan designed for casual and part-time hospital employees and retirees who aren’t covered by their hospital’s group health plan. Intro ..read more

In this episode, the Gritty Nurses get an update from the Chief Nursing Officer of Canada, Dr. Leigh Chapman! In the most recent update of the Nursing Retention Toolkit, on March 1st, 2024, the Honourable Mark Holland, Minister of Health and Dr. Leigh Chapman, Chief Nursing Officer for Canada, held a news conference to announce an initiative to improve the well-being and retention of nurses across Canada as well as the Working Together to Improve Health Care for Canadians Plan, which includes a government investment of over $200 Billion over 10 years. They discuss a comprehensive new resource ..read more

Trigger warning: the case discussed in this episode may be triggering for some In the true crime episode, the Gritty Nurses are back at it again with Bruce Sackman, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), Office of Inspector General, Criminal Investigations Division.  They discuss the shocking case of serial killer Lucy Letby, a British former neonatal nurse who was convicted and murdered seven infants and attempted the murder of six others between June 2015 and June 2016. (This is all we know of so far!) How did she get away with it for so long? Were there signs ..read more

In this episode, Amie and Sara discuss the Black Maternal Health Crisis in relation to the most concerning case/situation of Brittany Watts. We discuss the history of nurses who "police" their patients, obstetrical racism and the changes needed to prevent what happened to Brittany Watts from happening again. We stand in Solidarity with Brittany Watts against racial injustice.  Thank you to our episode sponsor, healthcareproviders.ca! Attention, hospital employees, retirees and HR in Ontario!   Picture this: a benefit plan designed for casual and part-time hospital employees and ..read more

In this episode, Amie & Sara sit down to talk with Dr. Brian Goldman about his new book, "The Power of Teamwork". We discuss examples of high-functioning teams within other industries, why teamwork in healthcare is crucial and how better teams create better healthcare outcomes. We also touch on toxic environments and how individual behaviour can disrupt teams. Dr. Brian Goldman is an emergency physician, author, public speaker, and radio personality. He practices in the Schwartz Reisman Emergency Centre at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto He has been a regular medical columnist on CBC Radio ..read more

Why aren't Nurse Practitioners (NP) more utilized in Canada? Are NPs the answer to solving the primary care crisis? In this episode, Amie & Sara interview Stella Cruz, a nurse practitioner in Ontario. We discuss what an NP is, their scope of practice and how they might contribute to an overstretched healthcare system.  Stella Cruz has been an RN since 2002 working in neuro critical care, the emergency department, and geriatric psych medicine. She completed her masters at the University of Toronto in 2008 with a focus on nursing and women and horizontal violence. She decided to become ..read more

In this episode, Amie & Sara discuss 2 hot trending topics: Bill 124 has been deemed unconstitutional and the "taboo" subject of talking about pay equity. In nursing, there is a long history of saying that "we are called by god", well some nurses are called by the paper,- and that's just fine too. This thinking as well is PROBLEMATIC. We are not servants, we are not just caregivers, the church does not, nor should influence what we do. Nursing is a job- just like any other jobs, but the price of not bargaining what we are worth can have even steeper consequences. https://www.theglobeandmai ..read more

What more can we as nurses say? We have said it all 6 ways from Sunday. Nurses are working short. Nurses are tired. Nurses are underpaid. Nurses are understaffed. Nurses are taken for granted. Nurses are morally distressed. Nurses are not showing up. Nurses are sick. Nurses are crying out for patient safety. Nurses are asking for safe staffing ratios. Nurses are asking for folks to listen. Now nurses are just plain pissed off. Sorry, mom- there are a few F-bombs in this episode.    Thank you to our Sponsor Gales®! We want to introduce you to a footwear brand changing the game for hea ..read more

In this episode, Amie and Sara do a mental health check-in. We discuss the importance of taking a break, acknowledging that self-care and time to oneself are important. We also discuss a tweet from a Canadian Pop Star, Shawn Mendes and how taking care of ones mental health should not be "commendable" or "brave". It's just the right thing to do. The more we talk about and normalize mental health, the more likely we can make changes in healthcare overall and begin to treat and see mental health as healthcare. Please take care, folks! If you or someone you know is suffering, please reach out to h ..read more