It’s Time to Nurture the Nurse—Not Just for Others, But for Ourselves

Nurses are healers, caregivers, and the heart of healthcare. We dedicate our time, energy, and compassion to serving others, often at the expense of our own well-being. We are conditioned to put patients first, to push through exhaustion, to prioritize everyone but ourselves. And when self-care is encouraged, it often comes with a caveat:

"Take care of yourself so you can take better care of others."

"Prioritize rest so you don’t burn out and can keep working."

"Manage stress so you remain effective in your role."

While well-intended, this narrative still places nurses’ needs second.

At Nurturing the Nurse: Bedside & Beyond, we are flipping the script. 

This symposium is not about self-care as a productivity tool or a way to extend our ability to serve. Instead, it is about one fundamental truth: 

🩵 Nurses deserve care, not because it makes them better at their jobs, but because they are human beings who matter.

This is not about earning rest.

This is not about justifying our well-being.

This is about reclaiming our right to be nurtured—at the bedside, beyond the bedside, and everywhere in between.

You deserve to be well. You deserve to rest. You deserve this—simply because you exist.

What You Can Expect

At the start of the Symposium, CHNA + TheCIINDE© will providePresentations about their respective organizations, offerings and how YOU can get involved.

Meet the Speakers & Sessions

🗣 Intentional Whole Health Self-Care… The Healthcare Plan is a Self-Care Plan

9:00AM PST / 10:00AM MST / 1:00 PM AST

Explore how self-care is not optional—it is the foundation of health and healing for both nurses and patients.

Shelly Scheideman

Shelly Scheideman RN BN CCHNC-C is a dedicated healthcare professional with a deep commitment to holistic nursing, leadership, and self-care advocacy. With a career spanning acute, long-term, and ambulatory care services. Shelly has extensive experience in medical-surgical nursing, healthcare management, and operational leadership in both rural and urban settings.

Since graduating from the Certified Holistic Nurse Coach & Consultant through the Canadian Institute of Integrative Nursing Development & Education (CIINDE) Shelly has embraced Independent Practice and is the proud owner of The Nurse Coach Collaboratory. Shelly is also a current CIINDE Student Advisor, and serves as the Board Secretary for the Canadian Holistic Nurses Association (CHNA).

Her passion for integrative whole health wellness is reflected in her diverse educational background, including a Bachelor of Nursing from Athabasca University, a Registered Nurse Diploma from Camosun College, and certifications as a Yoga Instructor (CYA RYT 200 hrs), Usui Reiki Practitioner, and ORENDA Method Instructor.

🗣 The Endocannabinoid System: An Integral Part of Human Health

10:00AM PST / 11:00AM MST / 2:00 PM AST

Have you heard of the Endocannabinoid System (ECS)? This crucial system, often overlooked in nursing education, is the body's master homeostatic regulator. Learn how holistic practices, including cannabis and other modalities, can support relaxation, sleep, and protection—making sustainable health possible.

Kala Sanmartin

Kala is an RN with 13 years of practice experience, mostly in the emergency room with some time spent clinical instructing and in community care. Eight years ago, cannabis entered her life bringing her freedom from her debilitating insomnia. A passion was ignited to learn about cannabis and teach others about the potential healing power of this plant. She partnered up with her lifelong friend, Heather Wilkinson, to create The Cannabis Nurses + Co. Their practice is now providing holistic cannabis nursing services and endocannabinoid system support to Western Canada and soon will be coast to coast. Their practice offerings include public speaking, group education and 1:1 holistic cannabis nursing support. Currently The Cannabis Nurses + Co are building a unique interdisciplinary clinic to support the Veteran population. Kala is also passionate about educating other nurses. In collaboration with the Canadian Institute of Integrative Nursing Development and Education (The CIINDE), she created a first of its kind accredited Holistic Cannabis Nurse Program in Canada. This program was designed to empower nurses to hold space, provide holistic care and advocate for individuals who are interested in incorporating cannabis into their lifelong healing journeys.

🗣 Nurses & Trauma: Integrating Somatic Exercises for Self-Care

11:00AM PST / 12:00PM MST / 3:00 PM AST

Nursing can be traumatic. Learn how trauma impacts nurses and discover somatic exercises that help regulate the nervous system, prevent burnout, and create a personalized somatic self-care toolkit.

M. Evelyne Tshinyama

I am a Registered Practical Nurse with the College of Nurses of Ontario and an Internationally Educated Nurse (IEN) with Congo-Kinshasa College of Nurses. My Nursing Journey started since 1996 in Congo as a Registered Practical Nurse and Registered Nurse with a focus in Neuro-Psychiatry nursing. I currently practice as a Registered Practical Nurse, and a Holistic Nurse Coach and consultant in Ontario. My interest in Mental Health, Chronic Stress, trauma, and the brain had led me to get certifications in Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP), Traumatic stress cares, compassion inquiry, and Somatic Experiencing Practitioner training. Over years, I provided care to patients with physical and mental disabilities, complex cares, maternal and infants illnesses, infectious diseases, Chronic health and women issues, mental health and neurological conditions from a variety of healthcare services, such as communities, agencies, hospitals, and rehabilitation settings. In addition, I worked in leadership positions with staff, local communities, organizations, and patients for primary care providing education to promote healthy life style and prevent diseases. Education and coaching being a vehicle of empowering others with knowledge, experiences, and expertise to take care of their well-being, I currently work as an Advisor at The Canadian Institute of Integrative Nursing Development & Education (CIINDE) where I journey with nurses who would like to learn and implement holistic nursing care for themselves and in their practices.

As a nurse, Holistic Nurse coach, certified trauma informed care, and passionate in Chronic Stress, and trauma, I founded “The Symphony of Wellness/ La Symphonie du bien-être”, a space that provides holistic care to patients and healthcare providers to harmonise the somatic, emotional, cognitive, spiritual, and physical healing.

Providing cares to others with less space for my own cares, had created unbalanced energy that led me to exhaustion and burnout. This burnout became a call for a shift in my life style with an emphasis on holistic self-care and self-nurturing as priority. As it is said, “put your oxygen mask on first". My commitment is to promote holistic nursing care to dearest nurse colleagues first, then to our patients to create balance and equilibrium for all.

🗣 Unlocking Emotional Power: Attuning to Your Emotions for Effective Regulation

12:00PM PST / 1:00PM MST / 4:00 PM AST

Emotions are powerful signals that guide our well-being. Learn how to recognize, regulate, and harness emotions to improve both personal resilience and patient care. 

Danielle Smith

Danielle "Dani" Smith, a highly experienced registered nurse with over 15 years of experience, has transitioned from the traditional acute care hospital setting and is now paving a new path as a Functional & Lifestyle Nurse and Transformational Health & Wellness Coach. Dani is focused on creating lasting and generational health on the Treaty 6, 7, and 8 lands of Alberta, Canada.

Having worked extensively in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, both on the frontline and within a leadership role, Dani has gained valuable insights into the healthcare landscape. She has witnessed firsthand the growing health challenges patients face and the limitations of reactive healthcare approaches. These experiences led her to become disconnected from her purpose as a nurse and healer, ultimately resulting in burnout and associated health struggles. This pivotal moment reignited her ambition for preventive care and health promotion, prompting her to pursue certifications as a Holistic Health & Wellness Nurse Coach.

Dani founded Elle Holistic Coaching Inc. where she has developed a coaching and consultation framework that works upstream to support couples who are trying to conceive, women facing challenges with their pregnancies and overwhelmed parents. In addition to her business, Dani supports and mentors like-minded nurses and is involved in advocating for system change.

Grounded in values of heart-centered care, truth, boldness, and alignment, Dani pursues holistic well-being and root cause solutions. Her mission is clear: to empower families with the knowledge and skills to create lasting health and wellness by embracing health promoting lifestyle habits. Through her compassionate guidance and commitment to breaking generational patterns, she is working to cultivate a healthier future for generations to come.

By integrating creativity and problem-solving into her practice, Dani offers a proactive, personalized approach to health. Her body- mind-spirit approach to health is supported by her training in functional and lifestyle medicine, HeartMath, Somatic Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and as a Reiki Master Practitioner. Her empathic nature allows her foster environments where individuals feel truly seen, heard and valued allowing them to cultivate capacity to make and sustain lifestyle changes.

Her self-care wish for all nurses is that they learn to cultivate a deeper connection to their emotions, allowing them to recognize, process, and express them in a healthy way. Specifically, build a daily emotional check in, where you spend a few minutes each day assessing and naming your emotions out loud or in a journal, and then play with what activities will help you release that emotional energy from your body.

🗣 Sustaining the Nursing Workforce: Systemic and Holistic Strategies to Address Burnout, Compassion Fatigue, and Moral Distress

1:00PM PST / 2:00PM MST / 5:00 PM AST

Discover evidence-based approaches to creating healthier work environments that reduce burnout and enhance retention in nursing. Learn how leadership, workplace wellness programs, and integrative self-care can transform the nursing profession. 

Sarah Scahill

Sarah Scahill is a Registered Nurse (RN) and Certified Disability Management Professional (CDMP) specializing in workplace well-being, disability management, and compassionate leadership. She holds a Master of Health Studies in Health Research and Leadership and a Bachelor of Nursing from Athabasca University. With over 15 years of frontline nursing experience and a decade in public-sector human resources, Sarah provides expert guidance on reintegration strategies, burnout prevention, and organizational wellness.

As the founder of ExecRN Integrative Health Solutions, Sarah offers corporate health and wellness consulting, disability management, and holistic nursing services. She supports executives and professionals facing work-related mental health challenges, helping organizations navigate medical-legal complexities, return-to-work processes, and employee well-being strategies. She is certified in disability management, legal nurse consulting, psychological health and safety, and compassionate leadership. Additionally, she is pursuing the CIINDE© Certified Holistic Nurse & Nurse Coach (CCHNC) certification, set for completion in October 2025, which will expand her expertise in evidence-informed holistic health solutions.

Sarah serves as a Councillor with the College of Registered Nurses of Alberta (CRNA) and formerly chaired the Medicine Hat Police Commission. She is committed to systemic change through evidence-informed leadership, holistic wellness approaches, and sustainable workforce strategies. Her experience in labour law, human rights legislation, accommodation law, and privacy and health information management allows her to provide specialized consulting for organizations managing complex disability cases, return-to-work transitions, and employee wellness initiatives.

Through ExecRN, Sarah empowers organizations and individuals to foster resilience, mental health recovery, and long-term well-being in high-stress environments. Her holistic nursing services support executives, leaders, and caring professionals in overcoming compassion fatigue, moral distress, and workplace burnout. By integrating her research and knowledge of Western medicine with holistic approaches, she helps clients cultivate well-being and sustainability in both personal and professional domains.

Sarah is dedicated to advancing the future of workplace wellness and disability management through innovative, integrative health solutions that bridge healthcare, business, and public service.

🗣The Nurse Comes First – A Self-Coaching Approach to Everyday Self-Care: Nurses are whole human beings who deserve care—Period. End of Sentence.

Challenge the outdated belief that self-care is a trade-off for better patient care. Explore how self-coaching and intentional internal dialogue can help nurses implement self-care in real-time, even on the busiest days. Learn practical strategies to integrate micro-moments of self-care, reframe negative thoughts, and set boundaries without guilt. Through this shift in mindset, nurses can prioritize themselves—not as an afterthought, but as a non-negotiable foundation for well-being. Let’s reclaim self-care as a right, not a reward. 

Janessa DeCoste + Sherry Hole

Janessa DeCoste

Janessa is the Co-Founder, Lead Instructor & Lead Advocate for Holistic Nurse Coaching and Independent Practice at TheCIINDE©. Janessa is a trailblazer in Nurse Coaching and independent nursing practice, dedicated to transforming healthcare and nursing entrepreneurship.

Sherry Hole

Sherry is the Founder & CEO of The Canadian Institute of Integrative Nursing Development & Education Ltd. (TheCIINDE©) Sherry is a visionary leader, educator, and a passionate advocate for holistic nursing, nurse coaching and guiding others in their path to greater self-awareness.

A Symposium Dedicated to the Well-Being of Nurses – Because YOU Matter.

Nurses are healers, advocates, and the backbone of healthcare. We show up—day in and day out—caring for patients, supporting families, and holding space for those in their most vulnerable moments. We are trained to put others first, to sacrifice, to persevere through exhaustion, and to push beyond our own needs for the sake of our patients.

But at what cost? 

For too long, self-care in nursing has been framed as a means to an end:

"Take care of yourself so you can take better care of others."

"Prioritize rest so you don’t burn out and can keep working."

"Manage stress so you remain effective in your role."

This narrative, while well-intended, still centers everyone but the nurse. 

The Shift: We Care for Ourselves Because WE MATTER.

At Nurturing the Nurse: Bedside & Beyond, we are flipping the script. This symposium is not about self-care as a productivity tool or a way to extend our capacity to serve. Instead, it is about one fundamental truth: 

You deserve care, not because it makes you a better nurse, but because YOU are a human being who matters. 

This is not about earning rest.

It is not about justifying our own well-being. 

It is about reclaiming our right to be nurtured—at the bedside, beyond the bedside, and everywhere in between.