Leadership and mentorship at heart of National Nursing Week discussion
“Conversation is more than just words, it is about connections.” — Dr. Erica (Samms) Hurley
As part of National Nursing Week 2026, a Memorial University nursing professor and her former student are helping lead a coast-to-coast dialogue on mentorship, reconciliation and the future of health-care in Canada.
Hosted by the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA), The Leadership of Indigenous Nurses: Uplifting the Next 7 Generations – featuring Dr. Erica (Samms) Hurley, RN, PhD, MN, BN, CCNE, and facilitated by Hilary Fry, RN, BN, MN – takes place virtually on Monday, May 11 at 1:30 p.m. NDT.
The discussion reflects Memorial's growing presence in nursing leadership, Indigenous health, and culturally safer systems of care.
Dr. Hurley, a Mi’kmaq scholar, registered nurse and assistant professor with Memorial's Faculty of Nursing, first taught and mentored Ms. Fry during her undergraduate studies.
Now CNA’s first Indigenous Policy Analyst, Ms. Fry says helping bring Dr. Hurley’s perspective to a national audience carries special meaning.
“Erica is leading very impactful work and trailblazing initiatives,” said Ms. Fry. “She demonstrates Indigenous leadership at its finest, and to me, her work and relationship with non-Indigenous institutions is showcasing what reconciliation in action truly looks like.”
Dr. Erica (Samms) Hurley (left) and Hilary Fry will take part in a national Canadian Nurses Association discussion during National Nursing Week
Raised in Mount Moriah in Western Newfoundland, Dr. Hurley has emerged as one of Canada’s leading voices in Indigenous nursing and health research.
She says she hopes the May 11 discussion creates space for openness, encouragement and shared learning.
“When Hilary first invited me to present and be part of the discussion during National Nursing Week, I really wanted to engage in a conversation around mentorship, support and of course issues specifically surrounding Indigenous nurses,” she said.
“I want to share about challenges but focus really on the positives, how to support and uplift others.”
The webinar, she adds, will include “a bit about my positionality, experiences and background,” while reflecting on her journey from “being an Indigenous mentee and now mentor.”
Strengthening care close to home
An Inuk nurse from Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador, Ms. Fry has spent more than a decade working in emergency nursing, mental health, Indigenous wellness and cultural safety.
She completed both her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Master of Nursing degrees at Memorial.
This spring marks the first graduating classes from Memorial’s satellite nursing sites in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Gander and Grand Falls–Windsor, with nearly all graduates securing positions in the same regions where they trained — a milestone Ms. Fry says reflects the importance of strengthening health-care in Newfoundland and Labrador.
“Investing in our own is an investment in the well-being of our people and communities,” she said, adding that creating opportunities for students to learn and grow in their home communities is especially important for Labrador and rural health-care.
Reconciliation, wellness and community
“As a society, we need to continue bridging two worlds together and move forward for the same purpose.” — Hilary Fry
The webinar arrives at a moment when many nurses and communities across Canada are reflecting on wellness, reconciliation and the growing pressures facing health-care systems.
“We just surpassed the 10-year anniversary for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Calls to Action, and 0 of the 7 health-related calls are fully implemented,” Ms. Fry said. “As a society, we need to continue bridging two worlds together and move forward for the same purpose.”
Dr. Hurley says meaningful progress depends on moving beyond fragmented approaches to care and community well-being.
“We have to move away from bandage approaches when thinking about healthy communities," she said.
Both speakers say relationships, dialogue and culturally grounded leadership are especially important in rural, northern and Indigenous communities.
“I think conversation is so important,” Dr. Hurley said. “Conversation is more than just words, it is about connections.”
Meanwhile, Ms. Fry says Indigenous perspectives on wellness have long recognized the importance of collective care.
“There are interconnections between all aspects of life and the environment," she emphasized. "By integrating Indigenous and Western knowledge together, we can co-create healthier systems to support all communities and Peoples."
Looking toward the next generation
For Dr. Hurley, that work also extends into the newly established WATERR Lab (Wellness And Transformative Engagement in Research Relationships).
“We will be hosting an Indigenous health event in the fall, which is really exciting,” she said. “We hope to create a place for dialogue around bridging alternate knowledges around science and practice on various topics such as health and wellness.”
From CNA’s perspective, Ms. Fry says the May 11 discussion reflects broader work underway nationally, including the organization’s first Reconciliation Framework.
“This action-oriented framework, launching on June 19, will mark a critical step toward advancing culturally safer care and addressing anti-Indigenous racism in nursing,” she said.
Event details
The Leadership of Indigenous Nurses: Uplifting the Next 7 Generations
Monday, May 11, 2026
1:30-2:30 p.m. NDT
Hosted virtually by the Canadian Nurses Association
Register:
https://www.cna-aiic.ca/en/news-events/national-nursing-week/events
Speaker bios
About Dr. Erica (Samms) Hurley
Assistant Professor, Memorial University
Founder and Director, WATERR Lab
Dr. Erica (Samms) Hurley is a Mi’kmaq scholar, registered nurse and assistant professor at Memorial University’s Faculty of Nursing, with a cross-appointment in Interdisciplinary Humanities at Grenfell Campus. She is also an affiliate of the Grenfell Campus Environmental Policy Institute.
Her professional career is defined by a deep commitment to decolonizing health-care and advancing Indigenous health through academic leadership, research and community advocacy. Through WATERR Lab (Wellness And Transformative Engagement in Research Relationships), Dr. Hurley leads research focused on reciprocal and ethical engagement with Indigenous communities and culturally safe health-care practices.
Her doctoral research explored heart health among Mi’kmaw women in western Newfoundland and examined how health interventions can be shaped through Indigenous knowledge and community engagement. She has also contributed to national health discussions through advisory work with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and leadership roles with the Native Women’s Association of Canada.
Dr. Hurley’s work has been recognized nationally through honours including the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal and the Governor General’s Award in Commemoration of the Persons Case.
About Hilary Fry
Indigenous Policy Analyst, Canadian Nurses Association
Hilary Fry is a registered nurse with more than 10 years of experience in emergency nursing, mental health and community care, nursing education and policy analysis.
Born and raised in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, she is a beneficiary of the Labrador Inuit Land Claim Agreement with both Inuit and settler roots and has spent much of her nursing career serving Inuit and Innu communities in central and northern Labrador.
Her work focuses on anti-racism, cultural safety and reconciliation, particularly in nursing education and health system policy. Most recently, she joined the Canadian Nurses Association as Indigenous Policy Analyst and also co-teaches an Indigenous health, healing and wellness course at Memorial University.
Outside of work, Fry enjoys spending time with her family at the cabin and on the land, hunting and fishing.
Check back for additional reflections, highlights and continued conversation following the May 11 discussion.
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