Allyship in Nursing Education

About this event

 Allyship is a fundamental aspect of nursing education. Any nurse who works with student nurses has a responsibility to act as an ally for all learners who occupy those spaces. In today’s climate, the ability to disrupt oppressive learning environments through direct challenge, education, reflection and action is an essential skill for nurses involved in education. 

Despite its importance, allyship is often underutilized in practice. When allyship remains theoretical rather than active, nursing education spaces may lack the safety and courage required for students to learn, grow and thrive. This presentation will explore allyship as a practice, emphasizing the importance of mobilizing allyship as a verb rather than a concept. 

The purpose of this session is to provide participants with an overview of current challenges within nursing education through an equity, diversity, inclusivity, Indigenous reconciliation and accessibility lens. Participants will explore how colonized and Eurocentric educational systems continue to shape nursing spaces in Ontario, influencing whose knowledge, identities and experiences are centred. Harmful stereotypes, underrepresentation and White privilege may be woven into learning environments, often without nursing faculty feeling adequately prepared to address them. 

This presentation will focus on allyship as a foundational approach to disrupting harm and supporting student nurses. Key topics include defining allyship in nursing education, understanding the responsibilities of nurses in educational roles, and introducing an allyship toolkit that participants can adapt to their own contexts. Strategies will be shared for creating safe and brave learning spaces, responding to microaggressions, engaging in the "language matters" movement, and demonstrating visual allyship. 

While allyship alone cannot resolve the deeply rooted inequities embedded in nursing education, active allyship fosters accountability and strengthens the ability to challenge harmful narratives. The session is particularly relevant for nurses who work with students who identify as Black, Indigenous, racialized or as members of the 2SLGBTQI+ community. By equipping participants with practical allyship strategies, this session supports the creation of more inclusive, respectful and supportive learning environments for all nursing students. 

Presenter:

Vanessa Cavalieri, RN, BScN, MSc, Assistant Professor , School of Nursing , McMaster University