The Gritty Nurse Podcast
Co-hosts Amie and Sara are experienced nurses, former co-workers, and friends. Together they tackle hot topics related to nursing and healthcare, with grit!
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Nurses Getting Sh*t DONE: The Wisdom of Nurses is a #1 National Best Selling Book!!!!
05/02/2024
Nurses Getting Sh*t DONE: The Wisdom of Nurses is a #1 National Best Selling Book!!!!
In this episode, Amie and Sara talk about the whirlwind of events that have taken place in the last few months. An exciting national media tour, a book release, hitting #1 National Bestselling status, NurseCon, and more! This is just the beginning. Unstoppable, Unflappaple, Undeniable! Order our Book, The Wisdom Of Nurses! Leave us a review on Amazon! YouTube: Facebook: Instagram: Twitter: LinkedIn: Thank you to our sponsor Healthcare Providers!! 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. Introducing Healthcare Providers Group Insurance Plan – a friendly partner dedicated to your health and wellbeing! With affordable plan premiums and an exceptional support team, Healthcare Providers, also known as HCP, is dedicated to helping you every step of the way. Enrolling is easy, and you’ll have access to a wide range of health and basic dental benefits from day one. Already have coverage through your spouse? HCP still has your back! For less than $32 a month, the Signature Package, which includes Life, Long-Term Disability, Accidental Death, Disease & Dismemberment, provides valuable income protection and peace of mind for the unexpected. Take charge of your health and financial security today. Visit to learn more!
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Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP): There's a New Kind of Nurse in Town!
04/18/2024
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP): There's a New Kind of Nurse in Town!
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 Indigo! YouTube: Facebook: Instagram: Twitter: LinkedIn: Thank you to our episode sponsor, ! 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. Introducing Healthcare Providers Group Insurance Plan – a friendly partner dedicated to your health and wellbeing! With affordable plan premiums and an exceptional support team, Healthcare Providers, also known as HCP, is dedicated to helping you every step of the way. Enrolling is easy, and you’ll have access to a wide range of health and basic dental benefits from day one. Already have coverage through your spouse? HCP still has your back! For less than $32 a month, the Signature Package, which includes Life, Long-Term Disability, Accidental Death, Disease & Dismemberment, provides valuable income protection and peace of mind for the unexpected. Take charge of your health and financial security today. Visit to learn more!
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What is the HARDEST specialty in nursing? Move out of the way ICU....
04/04/2024
What is the HARDEST specialty in nursing? Move out of the way ICU....
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, ! 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. Introducing Healthcare Providers Group Insurance Plan – a friendly partner dedicated to your health and wellbeing! With affordable plan premiums and an exceptional support team, Healthcare Providers, also known as HCP, is dedicated to helping you every step of the way. Enrolling is easy, and you’ll have access to a wide range of health and basic dental benefits from day one. Already have coverage through your spouse? HCP still has your back! For less than $32 a month, the Signature Package, which includes Life, Long-Term Disability, Accidental Death, Disease & Dismemberment, provides valuable income protection and peace of mind for the unexpected. Take charge of your health and financial security today. Visit to learn more! Order our book, The Wisdom Of Nurses! YouTube: Facebook: Instagram: Twitter: LinkedIn:
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A Historic Document For Nursing Retention: Collaboration, Consultation & Connection: For us, by us!
03/21/2024
A Historic Document For Nursing Retention: Collaboration, Consultation & Connection: For us, by us!
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, The Nursing Retention Toolkit, designed to actually KEEP nurses in nursing. This is a huge step in the right direction. Now, which healthcare organizations are going to step up and put their staff first? Thank you to our episode sponsor, ! 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. Introducing Healthcare Providers Group Insurance Plan – a friendly partner dedicated to your health and wellbeing! With affordable plan premiums and an exceptional support team, Healthcare Providers, also known as HCP, is dedicated to helping you every step of the way. Enrolling is easy, and you’ll have access to a wide range of health and basic dental benefits from day one. Already have coverage through your spouse? HCP still has your back! For less than $32 a month, the Signature Package, which includes Life, Long-Term Disability, Accidental Death, Disease & Dismemberment, provides valuable income protection and peace of mind for the unexpected. Take charge of your health and financial security today. Visit to learn more! Resources: Pre-Order our Upcoming Book, The Wisdom Of Nurses! YouTube: Facebook: Instagram: Twitter: LinkedIn:
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Nursing: The most Trusted Profession but the LEAST RESPECTED Profession
03/07/2024
Nursing: The most Trusted Profession but the LEAST RESPECTED Profession
How can for 22 years in a row Nursing as a profession voted the most "trusted" profession but also the LEAST respected and LEAST valued? Nursing has been cited to be the least respected and most stressed, according to experts and national data. In this episode, Amie and Sara discuss this conundrum of a situation. We also discussed how other professions rank with the trust of the public. Thank you to our episode sponsor, ! 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. Introducing Healthcare Providers Group Insurance Plan – a friendly partner dedicated to your health and wellbeing! With affordable plan premiums and an exceptional support team, Healthcare Providers, also known as HCP, is dedicated to helping you every step of the way. Enrolling is easy, and you’ll have access to a wide range of health and basic dental benefits from day one. Already have coverage through your spouse? HCP still has your back! For less than $32 a month, the Signature Package, which includes Life, Long-Term Disability, Accidental Death, Disease & Dismemberment, provides valuable income protection and peace of mind for the unexpected. Take charge of your health and financial security today. Visit to learn more! Episode Resources:
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Lucy Letby: Nurse and Serial Killer of Babies in The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
02/22/2024
Lucy Letby: Nurse and Serial Killer of Babies in The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
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? How can this be prevented from happening again? Why did the media portray her as an "angel of death". They also discuss similar cases of serial killers in the healthcare system and what they have in common with other serial killers. Thank you to our episode sponsor, ! 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. Introducing Healthcare Providers Group Insurance Plan – a friendly partner dedicated to your health and wellbeing! With affordable plan premiums and an exceptional support team, Healthcare Providers, also known as HCP, is dedicated to helping you every step of the way. Enrolling is easy, and you’ll have access to a wide range of health and basic dental benefits from day one. Already have coverage through your spouse? HCP still has your back! For less than $32 a month, the Signature Package, which includes Life, Long-Term Disability, Accidental Death, Disease & Dismemberment, provides valuable income protection and peace of mind for the unexpected. Take charge of your health and financial security today. Visit to learn more! Episode Resources: Bruce Sackman's book, Behind the Murder Curtain: Pre-Order our Upcoming Book, The Wisdom Of Nurses! YouTube: Facebook: Instagram: Twitter: LinkedIn:
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Criminalization of Miscarriage: Brittany Watts and The Black Maternal Health Crisis
02/08/2024
Criminalization of Miscarriage: Brittany Watts and The Black Maternal Health Crisis
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, ! Attention, hospital employees, retirees and HR in Ontario! 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. Introducing Healthcare Providers Group Insurance Plan – a friendly partner dedicated to your health and wellbeing! With affordable plan premiums and an exceptional support team, Healthcare Providers, also known as HCP, is dedicated to helping you every step of the way. Enrolling is easy, and you’ll have access to a wide range of health and basic dental benefits from day one. Already have coverage through your spouse? HCP still has your back! For less than $32 a month, the Signature Package, which includes Life, Long-Term Disability, Accidental Death, Disease & Dismemberment, provides valuable income protection and peace of mind for the unexpected. Take charge of your health and financial security today. Visit to learn more! Episode Resources: Pre-Order our Upcoming Book, The Wisdom Of Nurses! Follow us! YouTube: Facebook: Instagram: Twitter: LinkedIn:
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Quick and Gritty Takes: News Ep. 2
02/02/2024
Quick and Gritty Takes: News Ep. 2
This week on Quick and Gritty Takes, Amie & Sara discuss: Ontario: Parents who waited 11 hours in Ontario ER with a child suffering allergic reaction focus their anger - “Not at the nurses, not at the doctors, not at SickKids, just at our government,” Canada: Justin Trudeau adviser defends use of crude language in online exchange with right-wing group. International: Organs of dead Black incarcerated ppl in Alabama are being removed & used for med school anatomy courses w/o family consent. Grave robbing the bodies of Black people was a commonplace practice to provide cadavers for med schools dating back to the 1700s. Patient Safety Tip: Take the pain meds. Fear of Addiction in Medicine.
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"Mother knows best?" When your parents health remedies Do Not Match Your Health Science Background
01/25/2024
"Mother knows best?" When your parents health remedies Do Not Match Your Health Science Background
"Cover your head or you'll get a cold"...." Close that window or you will catch a chill"...." Drink this tea...it will clear your sinuses".....Are you in the health field and you hear these remedies from your parents? How do you handle these conversations? Do you ignore your parents, or do you educate them? Or is there a bit of truth to what they say, their teachings or ways of knowing? Listen as Amie & Sara dive into this interesting topic! Pre-Order our Upcoming Book, The Wisdom Of Nurses! YouTube: Facebook: Instagram: Twitter:
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Quick & Gritty Takes: News Ep 1
01/18/2024
Quick & Gritty Takes: News Ep 1
Welcome to “Quick & Gritty Takes” our independent news network where we discuss hot topics in news provincially, nationally and internationally. We will take 4-5 news items and in under 20 minutes discuss our “gritty takes” on the subject matter. We hope that this can be a forum where you take these topics and continue the conversation. We also will add a patient safety tip at the end for all listeners because increasing health literacy and patient safety is always top of mind for us. Today's Topics: Ontario: Health Minister Sylvia Jones announces that starting this spring the government will expand the number of private surgical and diagnosed centres. Will be OHIP covered. Canada- Canada’s Rights and the idea we have none: Kevin Sorbo on Twitter- “You’re Canadian, who cares. You don’t have any rights so you wouldn’t understand why we want to keep ours.” International: Lucy Letby was convicted/found guilty in the deaths of 7 babies but authorities are now looking into the suspicious deaths of around 4000 babies. Patient Safety Tip: You’ve got questions for your doctor, but you always forget to ask them—
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The Rise & Popularity of Ozempic Use: What is the "skinny" truth of this "wonder" Drug
01/11/2024
The Rise & Popularity of Ozempic Use: What is the "skinny" truth of this "wonder" Drug
Happy NEW YEAR 2024! What were the 3 most popular resolutions for 2024? Did you guess fitness, finances and weight loss? You guessed right! There has been A LOT of buzz around the medicine OZEMPIC. What is the "skinny" truth on Ozempic? We hear a lot about celebrities using it for weight loss, but what about the patients who need it? It's time to talk about our society's perceptions related to weight, fitness, well-being and what a health body size is--without being judgy a-holes (we think healthy bodies come in many shapes and sizes). It's time for healthcare providers to take over the conversation and leave the vapidness to the celebs! In this episode, Amie and Sara discuss what Ozempic is and why is it getting so much attention. We discuss Ozempic in the news, potential side effects, the controversy and whether it is a miracle drug. Do we just need better policies to support people to be healthy? Or Do we need to use medicines to support diagnoses such as Obesity? We think truth health lies somewhere in the happy middle. Resources: Pre-Order our Upcoming Book, The Wisdom Of Nurses! YouTube: Facebook: Instagram: Twitter: LinkedIn:
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A Book, A Baby, A Renewed Focus for 2024: Year End in Review
12/14/2023
A Book, A Baby, A Renewed Focus for 2024: Year End in Review
In this episode, Amie & Sara discuss their year-end and how much has changed over 2023. They also discuss the hottest topic this week in healthcare to close the year. Pre-Order our Upcoming Book, The Wisdom Of Nurses! YouTube: Facebook: Instagram: Twitter: LinkedIn:
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What Will it Take to Retain Nurses? Tangible, Measurable, NURSE- LED interventions
12/07/2023
What Will it Take to Retain Nurses? Tangible, Measurable, NURSE- LED interventions
Yes we have talked about nursing retention...and we have to keep talling about it... What will it take to actually retain nurses? Will CEO's and hospital executives listen and adhere to nurse-led interventions? The Gritty Nurses take a deeper dive into the results of Nursing retention toolkit: Improving the working lives of nurses in Canada, of which they were contributing members. Which parts resonated the most with them and why? Take a listen to find out. Resources: Pre-Order our Upcoming Book, The Wisdom Of Nurses! YouTube: Facebook: Instagram: Twitter: LinkedIn:
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Medicine Needs a #MeToo Movement: How can a Doctor be Suspended 3X For Sexual Assault STILL Practice?
11/23/2023
Medicine Needs a #MeToo Movement: How can a Doctor be Suspended 3X For Sexual Assault STILL Practice?
Trigger warning: this episode discusses topics which may be triggering for some. In this episode, the Gritty Nurses discuss the recent case of a physician who has been suspended 3 times and convicted of sexual assault, but is allowed to continue to practice! Whatever happened to zero tolerance policies or the fact that he is a danger to the public as a REPEAT OFFENDER? They discuss this story and other cases, how the College of Physicians of Ontario handled it, what the law is on sexual assault, and more. This is very concerning given the power of physicians, their role in relation to patients and the trust we put in them. What makes physicians who are serial sexual assault assailants any different than Harvey Weinstein, Jeffery Episen or the Peter Nygard's of this century? Power? Privilege? Staus? ---Nothing. Time's up--This is definitely a highly charged topic and one that needs to be amplified and justice needs to be served. **Pre-order The Wisdom of Nurses: Stories of Grit From the Front Lines Thanks to all that made this possible, especially the many nurses from across North America who generously shared their stories, passion and wisdom. We discuss stories of the challenges, heartbreak and humour of life on the front line. In their first book, (not our last ha!) We take you to the front line of nursing to show the compassion, selflessness and dedication of professionals who not only give it all for their patients, but get up and do it over and over again! Also available in digital and audio book formats! Order Here: Episode Resources: Image from Toronto Star: Follow the Gritty Nurse Podcast! YouTube: Facebook: Instagram: Twitter: LinkedIn:
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Nursing During Times of War: Healthcare Should NEVER be Military Targets
11/08/2023
Nursing During Times of War: Healthcare Should NEVER be Military Targets
Trigger warning: this episode discusses topics which may be triggering for some. Our episode starts with the story of Emily Callahan, an American nurse activity manager with Doctors Without Borders, who shared her experience working with Palestinians in Gaza before returning to the US. 07:49 - Source: CNN In this episode, the Gritty Nurses discuss the role of nursing and war. They discuss nurses' roles during war & conflict, nurses' experiences, international law during war and the fact that hospitals and healthcare should NEVER be militant targets. They discuss how war affects healthcare and nursing and the types of trauma nurses can encounter. More importantly, how nurses can keep themselves safe, how to support nurses during war, and how we can prepare ourselves if ever needed to work during a war or crisis. Please listen, lift your voices, and help us protect those who are vulnerable during times of war. Follow the Gritty Nurse Podcast! YouTube: Facebook: Instagram: Twitter: https://twitter.com/GrittyNurse LinkedIn: Resources: ONA: ICN: UN: WHO: Doctors without Borders: CNN Video:
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Gritty Nurse Halloween Edition: What Makes Hospitals So Scary???
10/26/2023
Gritty Nurse Halloween Edition: What Makes Hospitals So Scary???
The Annual Gritty Nurse Halloween episode is here! Sara, Amie, and Nurse Matt sit down and talk about what makes hospitals so scary! We share our insights, nursing ghost stories and what spooky shows we are watching now! We also discuss how we might make hospitals less scary! So turn down the lights, charge your defibrillators, grab your favourite nurse deadite--you don't miss this episode! New Book Coming Soon "THE WISDOM OF NURSES"- Published By Harper Collins From the hosts of the hit podcast Gritty Nurses, stories of the challenges, heartbreak and humour of life on the front line One of the enduring lessons of the pandemic has been the pivotal role that nursing plays in health care—vital work that isn’t widely understood or, sadly, appreciated. Sara Fung and Amie Archibald-Varley started the wildly popular Gritty Nurses podcast to give voice to nurses all over the world, including more than 400,000 nurses in Canada. The authors have quickly become sought-after speakers and advocates for nurses and are called on regularly by the media to talk about a wide range of issues around the profession. In their first book, they take you to the front line of nursing to show the compassion, selflessness and dedication of professionals who not only give it all for their patients, but get up and do it over and over again. Pre-Order Available Soon! Follow the Gritty Nurse Podcast! YouTube: Facebook: Instagram: Twitter: LinkedIn:
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Learning How to Own our Own Struggles: A Road to Recovery with Minaa B~ Social Worker, Author & WONDERMIND Mental Health Advisor
10/05/2023
Learning How to Own our Own Struggles: A Road to Recovery with Minaa B~ Social Worker, Author & WONDERMIND Mental Health Advisor
In this powerful episode, the Gritty Nurses chat with Minaa B, a licensed mental health professional and therapist specializing in treating depression, anxiety, and trauma. She is also the author of the book "Owning our own struggles- A Path to Healing and Finding Community in a Broken World" and sits on the Mental Health Advisory Committee for Wondermind, a mental fitness company co-founded by Selena Gomez. They chat about why there is still so much stigma around mental health, how we can break the cycle of nurses eating their young, and how we practice self-care when many nurses, healthcare providers and the general public are simply trying to keep their heads above water. Follow the Gritty Nurse Podcast! YouTube: Facebook: Instagram: Twitter: LinkedIn: Follow MinaaB.! https://www.minaab.com/about-minaa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/minaa_b/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MinaaBe
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Privatized Healthcare is no ROYALE with CHEESE
09/21/2023
Privatized Healthcare is no ROYALE with CHEESE
Be warned--this episode is not for your kids, ok? We are MAD---annoyed in fact that we have to have this conversation---but here we are. In this episode, the Gritty Nurses discuss the current state of prviate vs. public healthcare in Canada. Is healthcare still universal, or are we sliding down a slippery slope? They discuss what privatized healthcare looks like, whether we should be concerned, and what they think should be occurring. References: Follow The Gritty Nurse Podcast! YouTube: Facebook: Instagram: Twitter: LinkedIn:
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Are you a Nursing Advocate or a Nursing Influencer? Healthcare Professionals in the Spotlight
09/07/2023
Are you a Nursing Advocate or a Nursing Influencer? Healthcare Professionals in the Spotlight
In this episode, the Gritty Nurses sit down with another fellow nurse, podcaster and entrepreneur, Amanda Guarniere! Amanda is an Ivy-league educated Nurse Practitioner, Keynote Speaker and Career Mentor who helps nursing professionals find and land their dream job. She founded The Résumé Rx in 2018 and since then has grown the community to over 40,000 nursing students and professionals worldwide. They chat about how she pivoted from bedside nursing to becoming a business owner, whether she sees herself as a nurse influencer or an advocate, her friendship with Katie Duke, and what the biggest issues are for nurses today. Oh, and they touch on their mutual love of true crime! Links: Follow Amanda and The Resume Rx! Instagram: Facebook: Youtube: Follow The Gritty Nurse Podcast! YouTube: Facebook: Instagram: Twitter: LinkedIn:
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Healthcare, Gender Expression and Combatting Hate: Trans Rights are Human Rights with Advocate Fae Johnstone!
08/25/2023
Healthcare, Gender Expression and Combatting Hate: Trans Rights are Human Rights with Advocate Fae Johnstone!
Thank you to HMA Benefits for sponsoring this episode! Picture this: a benefit plan designed for casual and part-time hospital employees and retirees in Ontario who aren’t covered by their hospital’s group health plan. Introducing Healthcare Providers Group Insurance Plan – a friendly partner dedicated to your health and wellbeing! With affordable plan premiums and an exceptional support team, Healthcare Providers is dedicated to helping you every step of the way. Enrolling is easy, and you’ll have access to a wide range of health and basic dental benefits from day one. Already have coverage through your spouse? Healthcare Providers still has your back! For less than $32 a month, the Signature Package, which includes Life, Long-Term Disability, Accidental Death, Disease & Dismemberment, provides valuable income protection and peace of mind for the unexpected. Take charge of your health and financial security today. Visit healthcareproviders.ca to learn more! In celebration of Ottawa Pride Week 2023, the Gritty Nurses chat with 2SLGBTQIA+ advocate Fae Johnstone. They discuss how healthcare providers can protect trans folks, rising hate and the safety of those in the 2SLGBTQIA+ Community. Fae Johnstone (she/they) is the Executive Director of Wisdom2Action, a 2SLGBTQIA+-owned and operated consulting firm, and President of the Society of Queer Momentum - a 2SLGBTQIA+ advocacy Nonprofit. She is a leading voice on 2SLGBTQIA+ issues in Canada, a prominent advocate for queer and trans rights, a recurring voice in Canadian news on 2SLGBTQIA+ issues. Over the past ten years, she has trained thousands of people and hundreds of workplaces on 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusion. She’s also on a chocolate bar! Foillow Wisdom2Action! Website: Twitter: Facebook: Instagram: Youtube: LinkedIn: Follow Fae Johnstone! Twitter: Instagram: Follow the Gritty Nurse Podcast! Website: YouTube: Facebook: Instagram: Twitter: LinkedIn:
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A Nursing Retention Strategy FOR US, BY US: Discussions with Chief Nursing Officer of Canada Dr. Leigh Chapman
08/10/2023
A Nursing Retention Strategy FOR US, BY US: Discussions with Chief Nursing Officer of Canada Dr. Leigh Chapman
Thanks to the Healthcare Providers Group Insurance Plan for sponsoring this episode! ! Picture this: a benefit plan designed for casual and part-time hospital employees and retirees in Ontario who aren’t covered by their hospital’s group health plan. Introducing Healthcare Providers Group Insurance Plan – a friendly partner dedicated to your health and wellbeing! Enrolling is easy, and you’ll have access to a wide range of health and basic dental benefits from day one. With affordable plan premiums and an exceptional support team, Healthcare Providers is dedicated to helping you every step of the way. Already have coverage through your spouse? Healthcare Providers still has your back! For less than $32 a month, the Signature Package, which includes Life, Long-Term Disability, Accidental Death, Disease & Dismemberment, provides valuable income protection and peace of mind for the unexpected. Take charge of your health and financial security today. Visit healthcareproviders.ca to learn more! Have your heard the saying, "Faith without works is dead"---well conversations pertaining to nursing recruitment without conversations on nursing retention dead! In this episode, Amie and Sara sit down with Dr. Leigh Chapman, the Chief Nursing Officer of Canada to discuss how to KEEP nurses at the bedside. They chat about important issues such federal initatives on nursing retention, nursing regulatory bodies, and the road that lies ahead for nursing on a national level. What is your Chief Nursing Officers in other around the world doing to help support nurses to remain at the bedside? On June 14th, 2023, the Government of Canada hosted a Nursing Retention Forum, led by Canada's Chief Nursing Officer, Dr. Leigh Chapman, bringing together the nursing community, employers, and frontline workers from across the country to discuss the current health workforce crisis including strategies to address and improve nursing retention. The Forum's participants met earlier today to co-develop a toolkit with evidence-informed practical strategies, such as mental health and wellness supports, that employers and health authorities can implement to support nursing retention within their organizations. The Forum provided a unique opportunity for experts, decision makers, and key members of the nursing community to come together in support of the nursing workforce and discuss targeted strategies aimed at optimizing the work environment. This episode was filmed at the International Council of Nurses Congress 2023 in Montreal, Canada. It was such an honour to meet and chat with Dr. Chapman in person! Dr. Chapman was announced as the new Chief Nursing Officer of Canada on August 23, 2022. In this role, she will provide strategic advice from a nursing perspective to Health Canada on priority policy and program areas, including health workforce planning and stability, long-term care, home care, palliative care, mental health, alcohol and drug use, models of care, scope of practice and competencies. She will play a convening role with provincial/territorial governments along with federal health populations, the broad range of nursing stakeholders, regulatory bodies/colleges and educators on key nursing issues and will represent the Government of Canada at public forums, both within and outside of Canada. Dr. Chapman's nursing career has spanned almost 20 years, and in that time, she has gained a deep understanding of nursing through a variety of clinical leadership positions in home and community care, research, academic, regulatory, and professional practice environments. Her background in direct service provision includes critical care (i.e., intensive care unit, emergency department), community care (i.e., home care, harm reduction, and camp nursing), as well as education in professional associations. Follow The Gritty Nurse Podcast! YouTube: Facebook: Instagram: Twitter: LinkedIn:
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A Historic Wage Increase for Nurses...But not ALL Nurses...
07/27/2023
A Historic Wage Increase for Nurses...But not ALL Nurses...
In this episode, the Gritty Nurses discuss a recent arbitration decision that will increase wages of nurses part of the Ontario Nurses Association (ONA) by 11% over the next 2 years. They discuss their thoughts and opinions of this wage increase that was so badly needed and well-deserved by nurses! Although this win was historic for nurses in Ontario--not all nurses get this pay bump. Listen to hear the positives, and what is still needed after a step in the right direction. Bill 124: In 2019, the Ford government introduced and passed Bill 124, wage-suppression legislation negatively impacting registered nurses, nurse practitioners, health-care professionals and other public-sector workers. This bill limits wage increases to a maximum of one per cent total compensation for each of three years. Bill 124 Reopener: This is on top of the previous that allocated additional wage increases of 0.75 per cent and 1.0 per cent, effective April 1 of 2020 and 2021, respectively. Hospital members also received unlimited mental health coverage in this decision. ONA members working in the will receive an additional 0.75 per cent in each of three years, effective July 1 of 2021, 2022 and 2023. ONA arbitration decision July 20, 2023: The provides average wage increases of 11 per cent over two years. When added to two additional recent arbitration decisions stemming from the overturn of Bill 124 – wage suppression legislation passed by the Ford government – Ontario hospital RNs and health-care professionals will receive wage increases that average 16 per cent from March 31, 2023 to April 1, 2024. This amounts to an average hourly wage increase of approximately $5 to $7. References
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More than "Just a Nurse" with Nurse Blake: Advocate, Entrepreneur and Comedian
07/13/2023
More than "Just a Nurse" with Nurse Blake: Advocate, Entrepreneur and Comedian
In this exciting episode, the Gritty Nurses interview the one and only Nurse Blake! If you haven't seen his hilarious, heartwarming and HONEST videos, you have been missing out! Blake Lynch (aka Nurse Blake) is a nurse, creator, internationally touring comedian, healthcare advocate, and keynote speaker. Earning viral video status via his light takes on his experience as a nurse, he now takes his comedy to stages around the world bringing nurses together through his humor and inspiration. Nurse Blake's sold out 2022 PTO Comedy Tour began as a 14 show run and grew to 55 shows due to demand. He is the creator of NurseCon at Sea, one of the largest and most popular nursing conferences, and the NurseCon App which provides free continuing nursing education courses. Nurse Blake is also the author of the best-selling children's book "I Want To Be A Nurse When I Grow Up" available online and at bookstores everywhere. Blake is the creator of , one of the largest and most popular nursing conferences, and the NurseCon App which provides the free continuing nursing education courses. He will host the next NurseCon cruise & conference in April 2024. Blake started Banned4Life to end the FDA gay blood ban, which ultimately contributed to the lifetime ban being lifted in 2015. It recently surfaced in the news again with . He also leads the drive for safer nurse staffing at hospitals. Chicago Tribune story: Nurse Blake talks about how he advocates for underpaid healthcare workers through his online content and comedy shows: Follow The Gritty Nurse Podcast! Website: YouTube: Facebook: Instagram: Twitter: LinkedIn:
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Is the Florence App Uber for Nurses? The intersection of Health & Tech with Shelly-Ann Rampersad
06/29/2023
Is the Florence App Uber for Nurses? The intersection of Health & Tech with Shelly-Ann Rampersad
In this episode, Amie and Sara speak with Shelly-Ann Rampersad, the Managing Director of Florence in Canada, a global tech start-up on a mission to tackle the healthcare staffing gap. We discuss needed innovations in healthcare and tech, why this app was created and the pro's and cons of creating a healthcare app such as Florence. Bio: Shelly-Ann Rampersad is Managing Director of Florence in Canada, a global tech start-up on a mission to tackle the healthcare staffing gap. She is the former Vice President of Clinical Operations at Maple, where she built and led the company’s health systems partnerships function and ran the company’s clinical operations including clinical strategy and care delivery operations. Prior to Maple, she was a management consultant within KPMG’s healthcare practice and has an MBA from the Rotman School of Management. Shelly-Ann is deeply committed to amplifying the voices of equity-deserving groups and tackling issues around accessible healthcare. She is a CivicAction DiverseCity Fellow, representing rising leaders shaping their communities, recent Arbor Award Recipient for her long-standing volunteer work with the University of Toronto, and was honoured as one of WXN’s Top 100 Canada’s Most Powerful Women in 2022. Links: Follow The Gritty Nurse Podcast! YouTube: Facebook: Instagram: Twitter: LinkedIn:
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In Between Life and Death: Chat with Hospice Nurse Hadley!
06/15/2023
In Between Life and Death: Chat with Hospice Nurse Hadley!
In this episode, Sara and Amie chat with Nurse Hadley, and what it's like looking after patients at the end of life. They caht about what drew her into hospice nursing, what kinds of things patients think about and what their biggest regrets are. They talk about how her work has shaped her thoughts about her own end of life plans and her upcoming book called The In-Between! Hadley Vlahos, RN, is a hospice registered nurse, mother, and wife. Her husband also works in the medical field as a doctor of physical therapy. Vlahos started her career as a registered nurse at twenty-two. As a hospice nurse, she now visits people at their home while also educating and sharing stories about hospice care on social media, where she has more than a million followers. Follow Nurse Hadley: Here’s Nurse Hadley talking about THE IN-BETWEEN in her own words: Follow The Gritty Nurse Podcast! YouTube: Facebook: Instagram: Twitter: LinkedIn:
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The Controversial Use of Agency Nurses: Don't Hate the Player, Hate the Game!
05/31/2023
The Controversial Use of Agency Nurses: Don't Hate the Player, Hate the Game!
In this episode, Sara and Amie dicuss a hot topic! The controversial use of agency nurses and Internationally Educated Nurses. Using both were supposed to solve the problem of short staffing, but has it helped? They discuss price gouging, short staffing, costs to healthcare organizations, and holding agencies accountable. Little public information about how much is being spent on agency staff, and most of it is anecdotal. Don't hate the player-hate the game! Links:
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As You Get Older Will We Care For You?: Interview with the Minister of Seniors of Canada
05/18/2023
As You Get Older Will We Care For You?: Interview with the Minister of Seniors of Canada
In this eye-opening episode, Sara and Amie interview nurse, politician and Minister of Seniors of Canada, Kamal Khera. They discuss the national standards for seniors, the top priorities for seniors, concerns related to oversight in long-term care, access to treatment and how nursing and others in healthcare be a part of the solution. The Honourable Kamal Khera was first elected as the Member of Parliament for Brampton West in 2015. Minister Khera is one of the youngest women ever elected to Parliament. A registered nurse, community volunteer, and political activist, she is passionate about improving the lives of those around her. Links: Follow The Gritty Nurse Podcast! YouTube: Facebook: Instagram: Twitter: LinkedIn:
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Notorious Nurses: Fraud, Scandal and Murder
05/04/2023
Notorious Nurses: Fraud, Scandal and Murder
In this episode, Sara and Amie interview guest Bruce Sackman, a former Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), Office of Inspector General, Criminal Investigations about the Florida Nursing License Scandal. We also discuss Netfilx’s The Good Nurse, a true story based Charles Edmund Cullen an American serial killer. Cullen, a nurse, murdered dozens – possibly hundreds – of patients during a 16-year career spanning several New Jersey medical centers, until being arrested in 2003. Bruce Sackman served as the Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), Office of Inspector General, Criminal Investigations Division, Northeast Field Office until May 2005 when he retired after 32 years’ service. In this capacity, he was responsible for all major criminal investigations involving VA from West Virginia to Maine. During his tenure he was involved in hundreds of investigations involving allegations of fraud, corruption, false claims, thefts, patient assaults, pharmaceutical drug diversions and suspicious hospital deaths. Bruce is a former self-employed licensed private investigator in New York City specializing in healthcare related matters. Under contract he had directed major investigations for a large New York metropolitan regional healthcare system. He is the co-author of the book “Behind the Murder Curtain, Special Agent Bruce Sackman Hunts Doctors and Nurses Who Kill Our Veterans”. Find Bruce at:
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The Intersection of Healthcare and Comedy: Two Gritty Nurses, a Doctor and a Comedian!
04/20/2023
The Intersection of Healthcare and Comedy: Two Gritty Nurses, a Doctor and a Comedian!
Thanks to WeRPN for sponsoring this episode! We want to share an amazing opportunity for RPNs & PSWs in Ontario! Designed in partnership with the Government of Ontario, WeRPNs Bridging Educational Grant in Nursing program (aka BEGIN) is a tuition reimbursement program for eligible students enrolled in bridging programs. To learn more, go to or email The Gritty Nurses decided to team up with another Canadian medical podcast duo, Doctor vs. Comedian, for this episode! Get ready for some lighthearted comedy! Dr Asif Doja is a pediatric neurologist and Ali Hassan is a stand up comedian and actor (CBC‘s Laugh Out Loud, Designated Survivor, Goon) who are each fascinated by what the other one does. In each episode, Asif picks a topic for Ali from comedy and entertainment and questions Ali about it. Then Ali picks a topic from medicine and health and grills Asif on that subject. We discuss the hilarious story of how Asif and Ali met in smalltown East Coast Canada and created the podcast. How do they come up with their topics compared to Amie and Sara? They discuss stories of being people of colour in mainstream media, celebrities who are vocal about their health issues, their favourite episodes and the hottest topics in healthcare right now! Follow Doctor vs. Comedian: Twitter: https://twitter.com/DoctorVComedian Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctorvcomedian/ Contact Doctor vs. Comedian: [email protected] https://www.doctorvscomedian.com/ Follow the Gritty Nurse Podcast: Website: https://www.grittynurse.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@grittynursepodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/grittynurse Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gritty.nurse.podcast/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/GrittyNurse LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/grittynurse
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Nurses Murdered by their Partners: The Prevalence of Intimate Partner Violence
04/06/2023
Nurses Murdered by their Partners: The Prevalence of Intimate Partner Violence
Thanks to WeRPN for sponsoring this episode! We want to share an amazing opportunity for RPNs & PSWs in Ontario! Designed in partnership with the Government of Ontario, WeRPNs Bridging Educational Grant in Nursing program (aka BEGIN) is a tuition reimbursement program for eligible students enrolled in bridging programs. To learn more, go to or email Trigger warning (intimate partner violence and sexual assault): the stories discussed in this episode may be triggering for some. In this episode, Amie and Sara talk about two very shocking stories about nurses who were brutally murdered by their partners, and the common themes between both of them. Story 1: Susan Chen, a nurse at Sick Kids Hospital and mother of 5, subjected to years of physical, verbal and sexual abuse, was found dead in 2019 on her bathroom floor from a gastrointestinal hemorrhage. Surprisingly, her killer was also a nurse. Story 2: Rebecca Bliefnick, a registered nurse who was going to become a nurse practitioner and mother of 3, whose husband is accused of her murder. She had a restraining order against her husband when was shot to death in her home. He was known for being a contestant on Family Feud, where he made misogynistic comments on the show. They discuss the need for stronger policies, support and protection for women who are abused by their partners. They talk about the cycle of abuse and toxic masculinity. If you or something you know is a victim of intimate partner violence, please reach out by talking to someone you trust. Related links: MANDEL: Mom of five speaks from the grave at husband's murder trial A Scarborough man is on trial for the murder of his wife Susan Chen, a nurse SickKids nurse was killed in sex assault by husband, judge rules, dismissing defence’s ‘fantastic claims’ Illinois Nurse Allegedly Killed by Estranged Husband with Bizarre History Rebecca Bliefnick obituary Rebecca Bliefnick Gofundme Resources: Government of Canada family violence resources CASW Domestic Violence Resources CDC Intimate Partner Violence
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