Calling All Nurses

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Approximately 11,171 deaths are attributed to the toxic drug poisoning since the public health emergency was declared in April, 2016. In B.C., the Coroner’s service reports approximately 6 lives lost every day to drug toxicity. These numbers will only continue to climb by day, month, and year as more deaths are investigated. Listen as Shanyn describes her call to action and how she gets the attention of political leaders to create change. Shanyn is the first to admit that never in a million years did she think her nursing career would be linked to political action, adeptly sharing how and where change happens.
Shanyn Simcoe, is a registered nurse of settler and Indigenous ancestry raised in Treaty 13 territory and currently residing on the unceded and traditional territory of the K’omox Nation. Shanyn’s nursing career has been predominantly in direct-care in acute psychiatry, primary care, and community-based Mental Health and Substance Use with a recent shift to a regional quality and safety leadership role following completion of an advanced practice leadership graduate degree. For her, in addition to being an inherent responsibility, political activism is also an act of self-care.
*Correction for the episode: Shanyn was put in touch with the Hedican family in early 2018, not 2017 as stated.
Stop Overdose B.C.: https://www.stopoverdose.gov.bc.ca

British Columbia Centre on Substance Use: https://www.bccsu.ca

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Public health, in general and at all levels, focus on health promotion, disease and injury prevention, primary health care, and population health. Two primary distinguishing factors of public health from other components of the health system are the focus on populations as a whole, and health promotion, prevention, and control of disease and injury rather than treatment of diseases. Listen as Laura describes how public health nurses were able to do what they do best in the most challenging of times, creating change and making history during the worldwide health emergency, called a pandemic.

Laura Hoyseth is a Registered Nurse of mixed settler ancestry living in the traditional and unceded territory of the K’omoks First Nation, where she’s had the privilege to raise her family for 26 years. Laura began her career as a Community Health Nurse for the Wuikinuxv, Dzawada'enuxw and Homalco Nations, providing nursing care and community development support in Indigenous led health care systems. Alongside this work, Laura worked in Community and Acute Care Mental Health and Primary Health Care Nursing with a focus on Chronic Pain Management. These rich community experiences and teachings fed her passion for Health Promotion and Prevention, eventually leading to a focus on Public Health Nursing with a scope including perinatal, infant, school aged and adult health with a specialization in reproductive health certified practice. During the COVID 19 Pandemic, Laura was a front line Public Health Nursing Clinical Coordinator responding to the Pandemic as it unfolded and leading teams to roll out the COVID 19 Immunization program. Laura is currently a Regional Immunization Operations Clinical Coordinator within the Population and Public Health portfolio at Island Health. Laura’s work is focused on translating overarching global, national and provincial health promotion and prevention goals to front line Public Health services within communities across the region. Laura is passionate about the profession and discipline of nursing, and its place in healthcare transformation.

Public Health Agency of Canada: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health.html

BC Centre for Disease Control: http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info

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The Association of Nurses and Nurse Practitioners of British Columbia [NNPBC] is the professional association that represents the voice of all four nursing designations in BC – RNs, LPNs, RPNs and NPs. By bringing all nursing designations under one roof, our association is a first of its kind in Canada, and presents a stronger, united nursing voice to influence health and social policy and advance the nursing profession.
(NNPBC, 2024). Listen as Angela offers an overview of BC's nursing professional association, what their current focus entails, and how policy can be the game changer for nursing. Also, hear about Angela's experience with the Canadian Nurses Association and the International Council of Nurses.
Angela Wignall is a Registered Nurse serving as the Director, Professional Practice & Health Policy with the Nurses and Nurse Practitioners of British Columbia (NNPBC), BC’s unified professional nursing association. Angela is a policy nurse whose practice centres nursing at the intersection of policy and governance. Angela holds a BA from York University, a BSN from the University of Victoria, a Masters in Policy & Practice, and is currently completing her PhD with a research focus on nation state level Chief Nursing Officer leading health policy coalitions. Angela is a member of the Board of Directors for the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) and has recently supported the work of Canada’s Chief Nursing Officer as a member of the CNO Advisory Committee on Nursing Retention. In addition, she supports the International Council of Nurses as chair of the PAHO region Global Nursing Leadership Institute Alumni Network and co-chair of the international GNLI Steering Group. Angela advises and speaks around the world on nurse-led innovation, clinical governance, policy science, nursing leadership in policy contexts, and health-care transformation. She lives with her partner and two sons on the beautiful homelands of the Lekwungen speaking peoples, the Songhees and Esquimalt First Nations, in what is colonially known as Victoria, BC.
The Association of Nurses and Nurse Practitioners of British Columbia-
https://www.nnpbc.com
Notes for the season acronyms:
Allied Health Professions – other health care providers such as physiotherapists, occupational therapists, nutritionists, speech language pathologists, audiologists, respiratory therapists, and so on.
ARNBC - Association of Registered Nurses of BC
BCCNM - BC College of Nurses & Midwives
BCNU – BC Nurses Union
CNA - Canadian Nurses Association
HHR – Health Human Resource
IEN - Internationally Educated Nurses
LPN – Licensed Practical Nurse
NNPBC – Nurses and Nurse Practitioners of BC (formerly ARNBC)
NBA – Nurses’ Bargaining Association
NPS – Nursing Policy Secretariat within the BC Ministry of Health
RNABC - Registered Nurses Association of BC
RPN – Registered Psychiatric Nurse

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Get set to listen as some of our Season Two guests convene and reflect collaboratively on key takeaways from listening and learning from each other at Calling All Nurses and their greatest wish for nurses and nursing right now.

In Episode 6, Adriane Gear compared the current landscape of nursing like a plane just waiting and ready for takeoff. Continuing the metaphor, the outstanding leadership our guests represented this season are packed and ready for a new era of nursing, trying new solutions, and committed to transforming health systems while respecting what needs to stay or change. Season One was aptly summarized as a Love Letter to Nursing. The summary for Season Two that emerged is Nursing as the Heartbeat of Healthcare, fearlessly, boldly, and compassionately moving forward. As Leigh Chapman stated, rethinking the way in which we value nursing is key...seeing it as an investment in society rather than a cost center plugging holes, shifts the power. This episode is brimming with key messages and reflections from all the guests. Don’t miss it!
We can't wait for Season 3 and will be sure to notify you when it's ready!

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The Canadian Association of Nurses for the Environment BC Committee (CANE BC) is a group of actively practicing as well as student and retired nurses. Their work began many years ago throughout the province. They are now joining forces as one provincial committee to have a greater impact given the urgency of the Climate Crisis and the compelling need to protect planetary health (CANE-BC, 2024).

Listen as Aggie discusses the advocacy, action, and awareness which are the cornerstones of the work of CANE-BC as well as the national CANE organization. Aggie tells us about the collaboration, opportunities, and initiatives that underscore creating change for the planet at this crucial time in our history and how to get involved!

Aggie is the Director, Research and Knowledge Translation at Providence Health Care in Vancouver. She supports clinicians in research and knowledge translation projects, including leading the Practice-based Research Challenge and the KT Challenge programs, incorporating planetary health actions into her initiatives. Aggie is the BC representative to the national board of the Canadian Association of Nurses for the Environment. She completed her BSN at the University of Washington, Seattle, and her Master of Public Health at Simon Fraser University. She is an adjunct professor at the UBC School of Nursing and Research Associate, Centre for Advancing Health Outcomes.

Aggie was recently named the recipient of the 2024 Nursing Leadership Award by The Canadian College of Health Leaders, sponsored by the Canadian Nurses Association. The Canadian College of Health Leaders brings together Canadian health leaders from across the country, disciplines, and sectors, creating opportunities and support for members toward high impact leadership in Canadian healthcare. Congratulations Aggie!

Canadian Association of Nurses for the Environment: https://cane-aiie.ca

Canadian Association of Nurses for the Environment BC and the Municipal Elections: A Climate Action Toolkit: https://cane-aiie.ca/bc/

The Canadian College of Health Leaders: https://cchl-ccls.ca

Book recommendation: Taking Care: The Story of Nursing and Its Power to Change Our World by Sarah DiGregorio

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