Being Part of the Solution with Marcie Smigorowsky

Feb 10, 2020

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.