Marcie Smigorowsky is passionate about having an impact on healthcare and advancing the role of the nurse practitioner. She started thirty-three years ago as a registered nurse graduating from the University of Alberta Hospital Nursing Program. She then obtained a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Alberta, as well as a Masters in Nursing to become a nurse practitioner. She obtained a PhD in Medicine this past year.

Marcie’s had the opportunity to work in many different areas of cardiology throughout her career, from the Cardiovascular Intensive Care as a staff nurse, educator, cardiac rehabilitation nurse, pacemaker and device nurse, to her current roles as a nurse practitioner in the Cardiac Ease Clinic and the Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute. She has also taken a leadership role as a professional practice leader for the Advanced Practice Nursing (Edmonton Zone). Currently she is on secondment from that role to CARNA as a Nurse Practitioner Policy and Practice Consultant.

Episode Highlights

We start by talking about how the pull to leadership in nursing started with Marcie from the very beginning before diving into:

• Mentorship in nursing and the need for more of it
• The importance of being a lifelong learner
• What informal leadership is and why it’s for everyone
• How modern nurses need to be politically savvy
• The impact and worth of nurse practitioners

 

Key Points

1. Always do your best. Present yourself in a professional manner and maintain a beginner’s mindset that is eager to learn.
2. Treat others the way you would like to be treated because it comes from a place of respect and your personal values.
3. Never ask someone to do something you wouldn’t do yourself.