Indigenous 
Submitted by Dr. Andrea Rochon & Julie Dyke, Professors, School of Nursing
As we recognize Nurses Week and celebrate the dedication, compassion, and expertise of nurses across our communities, we are pleased to share an important milestone in our ongoing research: Shaping Positive Perceptions of Long-Term Care: Linking Educational Innovations with Social Media Strategies to Inspire Future Nurses.
With the support of a three-year grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) through the College and Community Social Innovation Fund (CCSIF), our team is leading a province-wide initiative to address the critical shortage of nurses in Canada’s long-term care (LTC) sector. At its heart, this project is about elevating LTC as a meaningful, rewarding, and essential area of nursing practice.
We recently had the opportunity to present our initial findings to our valued community project partners, marking the completion of the first phase of this work. To date, we have gathered important insights from Practical Nursing (PN) and Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) students at St. Lawrence College. Through surveys, students shared their experiences with LTC clinical placements and their perceptions of nursing roles in this setting, alongside their social media use and engagement.
“These early findings are critical,” notes Julie Dyke. “This project is about changing the narrative around long-term care. By improving clinical placement experiences and using peer-driven social media strategies, we hope to inspire the next generation of nurses to see LTC as a rewarding and vital career path.”
Our work is expanding. We are currently distributing surveys to additional schools of nursing and long-term care homes across Ontario to deepen our understanding of how LTC placements are experienced and perceived. Our collaborative approach to the project means we have included not only nursing students but also marketing students from SLC and partner colleges as research assistants who are contributing to research activities, campaign development, and knowledge mobilization.
Looking ahead, we are excited to share our progress at upcoming conferences, including the 10th Annual Synapse Nursing Symposium on May 28 at SLC’s Brockville campus and the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing (CASN) conference on June 1–2. These venues provide opportunities to highlight innovation in nursing education and to contribute to national conversations about preparing the future nursing workforce.
In parallel, we are partnering with a marketing firm to develop a bold and engaging social media strategy. Our newly launched project brand—“Inspiring Tomorrow’s LTC Nurses”—will soon connect with audiences across platforms, amplifying student voices and showcasing the possibilities within LTC nursing.
During Nurses Week, we are especially mindful of the profound impact nurses have in long-term care settings—supporting individuals, families, and communities with skill and compassion. We hope this work contributes to strengthening that workforce and inspiring more students to consider LTC as a career where they can truly make a difference.