The Gritty Nurse

Amie Archibald-Varley•www.grittynurse.com

The Gritty Nurse is back, and NO TOPIC is off-limits! Launching in September 2025 with host Amie Archibald Varley, this podcast is dedicated to amplifying the voices of nurses and others who work in healthcare to explore the most pressing issues they face. Join Amie as she continues to take a deep dive into powerful and often uncomfortable topics. Though shared experriences, storytelling and the discussions surrounding the intersection of power, we will navigate the challenges facing healthcare nationally and internationally--as of course--challenge the status quo. The show's core belief remains unwavering: that compassion is the through understanding diverse narratives and perspectives is KEY. Amie will continue to explore hot-button issues like mental health, social justice, women's health, and the daily challenges within the nursing profession. The Gritty Nurse is more than just a podcast—it's a community where nurses and healthcare workers can feel heard, empowered, and recognized as the community leaders they truly are. Change is HERE.

Last refreshed: March 2nd, 2026 at 4:31 PM ⓘ

Follow this podcast in the Metacast mobile app to refresh it and see new episodes.

Follow on

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

RSS

Podcasts are better in Metacast mobile app

Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more

Episodes

Destroying the Public Healthcare System to Fund a Private One: The New Wave of Healthcare in Canada

In this episode, nurses and healthcare advocates Amie Archibald-Varley & Sara Fung discuss the new privatization clinics and hospitals proposed by the Ford government in Canada and Ontario. We also discuss strategies for how people can get involved in making changes and protecting our current system. "That's the standard technique of privatization: Defund, make sure things don't work, people get angry, you hand it over to private capital"~ Noam Chomsky. #privatization #healthcare #health #ca...

Jan 26, 2023•31 min•Season 4Ep. 2

As a Nurse, We Have a Nursing Ick: It's Nurses Doing Ick Videos About Patients

Welcome Back to Season 4 of The Gritty Nurse Podcast! Our first episode back is about nursing icks. What in the hell got into these nurses why they thought this was ok? We discuss our takes as Maternal Child nurses/OB nurses, give other options for "venting" and discuss how social media can be used by nurses in a more productive way. Forgive our crazy video setup! We are just getting started using videos and video editing! Next episode we will have 3 cameras....please pray for us. Your Gritty Nu...

Jan 12, 2023•24 min•Season 4Ep. 1

Over 1700+ Minutes, Listened to in 27 Countries and Top 5% of Podcasts: The Gritty Nurses Say Goodbye to 2022!

In this episode, the Gritty Nurses say goodbye to 2022! We discuss our Spotify Wrapped Stats, our favourite episodes of 2022 and what to expect from us in 2023. The only place to go is up! We will be moving to a bi-weekly schedule (episodes will still be released on Thursdays) but we will also be going visual! You will still be able to find us on all of your favourite listening platforms and now watch us on our youtube channel. We also are planning to do more in-person engagements (A Gritty Nurs...

Dec 22, 2022•37 min•Season 3Ep. 47

Does Teamwork Actually Make the Dream Work? Discussing The Power of Teamwork with Dr. Brian Goldman

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 Em...

Dec 15, 2022•50 min•Season 3Ep. 46

Can the Role of a Nurse Practitioner Save Primary Healthcare?

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 Tor...

Dec 08, 2022•39 min•Season 3Ep. 45

Pay Me What You Owe Me: Bill 124 and Women Talking About MONEY

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 pric...

Dec 01, 2022•38 min•Season 3Ep. 44

Fined, Bullied and Silenced over a Facebook Post? Carolyn Brost Strom's Story and Victory for Patient Safety and Patient Care

Nurses are nurses' worst enemies. Our job is to ensure that patient safety and patient outcomes are our primary concerns. But what happens when self-interest or pride, or greed takes over and patients care is not important? This is exactly what happened in Carolyn Brost Strom's Story. There was no professional misconduct, only a nurse who was brave enough to speak out to protect her family which extended to protecting other patients and families. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/sask-...

Nov 22, 2022•35 min•Season 3Ep. 43

Hiding The Harm in Hospitals: Sounding the Alarm in Healthcare with Tracy Zambory- President of The Saskatchewan Union of Nurses

Could you imagine working in a climate where the government is not being transparent about how dire the healthcare crisis is? Or even worse, working in conditions that you know can cause patient harm and are NOT ALLOWED to speak up because of severe punishment? Yes- this is real. And it is happening right here in Canada, specifically in Saskatchewan. Nurses CAN NOT SPEAK OUT without fear or reprisal or intimidation from their employers--but Tracey Zambory and the Saskatchewan Nursing Union is br...

Nov 10, 2022•38 min•Season 3Ep. 42

They Don't Give a F*ck About Nurses or They Would Protect Us: Nursing Homicides

In this podcast episode, Amie & Sara discuss the deaths of two nurses that happened less than weeks apart. On Oct 18, 2022 June Onkundi, a wife, mother, and psychiatric nurse practitioner was stabbed to death by one of her patients , James Gomes, while at work. On Oct 20th, 2022, Jacqueline Pokuaa (social worker), 45, and Katie Flowers (nurse), 63, were shot and killed by Nestor Hernandez, 30, who was on parole following an aggravated assault conviction. How does this continue to happen? Are...

Nov 03, 2022•36 min•Season 3Ep. 41

Haunted Hospitals: A re-release of our own scariest stories

Have you seen our Haunted Hospitals Episode yet? This creepy podcast that we released in Oct 2020 is now on a TV show!! Amie & Sara are both featured Season 4 of Haunted Hospitals premieres within our Creep Week programming event on Wednesday, October 12 at 10pm ET/PT. Links attached! Our podcast episode gets into Halloween spirit by discussing personal encounters with the paranormal! Spooky stories that happened in the hospital and at home. Listen to this one curled up in the comfort of you...

Oct 27, 2022•43 min•Season 3Ep. 40

← Prev

Hosted on Libsyn

For the best experience, listen in Metacast app for iOS or Android