How long is too long to wait in an emergency room? For 16-year-old Finlay van der Werken, an eight-hour wait for a doctor proved fatal.

In this powerful episode of The Gritty Nurse Podcast, host Amie Archibald-Varley sits down with Hazel van der Werken to share the heartbreaking story of her son, Finlay. After being rushed to an Ontario hospital with what began as a migraine, Finlay was triaged as an CTAS 2 (urgent case) but left in a "constant state of terror" for hours as his oxygen levels plummeted. By the time he was finally seen, he was in septic shock.

Hazel discusses the systemic failures that led to Finlay's preventable death and why she is now channeled her grief into Finlay's Voice—a national movement demanding urgent reform in pediatric emergency care.

In this episode, we dive into:

• Finlay's Story: The harrowing 8-hour wait at Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital.

• Sepsis Awareness: Identifying the "silent killer" that the WHO has named a global health priority.

• The Legislative Push: What is Finlay's Law, and how would it mandate maximum wait times and safe staffing ratios for children?

• Advocacy in Action: How parents and healthcare providers can support Finlay's Petition to ensure "no child dies waiting."

This is a must-listen for nurses, healthcare advocates, and parents. It's time to move from complacency to action to protect our most vulnerable patients.

About the Guest: Hazel van der Werken is the mother of Finlay and the co-founder of Finlay's Voice. She is currently advocating for a coroner's inquest and the passage of Finlay's Law in Ontario.

Connect with The Gritty Nurse:

• Follow Amie Archibald-Varley for more episodes on healthcare reform and nursing advocacy.

• Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts!

Important Links & Resources:

• Sign Finlay's Petition: https://www.finlaysvoice.com/finlay-s-law

• Learn More about Finlay's Law & Voice: https://www.finlaysvoice.com/

Please, like, follow and SUBSCRIBE!!

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https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-gritty-nurse/id1493290782

* Watch on YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@thegrittynursepodcast

Stay Connected:

• Website: grittynurse.com
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• X (Twitter): @GrittyNurse

Collaborations & Inquiries: For sponsorship opportunities or to book Amie for speaking engagements, visit: grittynurse.com/contact

Thank you to Hospital News for being a collaborative partner with the Gritty Nurse!

www.hospitalnews.com

In this critical episode of The Gritty Nurse Podcast, Amie Archibald-Varley hosts Kara Yates, RN (WSNA Union Co-Chair) and Therese Hill, BSN, RN(Membership Officer) to discuss a historic turning point for nursing in Washington.

This conversation goes beyond the headlines, exploring the dire conditions that led nurses to the negotiation table. We expose how stalled contract negotiations have endangered patient safety, fueled critical staffing shortages, and allowed workplace violence to escalate—all while the hospital remains highly profitable. But since the episode, things have changed.

For the first time in its 118-year history, nurses at Seattle Children's Hospital have overwhelmingly authorized a strike.

Yates and Hill detail the nurses' core demands, emphasizing that the potential strike is not about wages alone but is a necessary action to protect the community's children by ensuring safe staffing and a workplace where nurses can heal without losing their PTO after being assaulted. Hear firsthand why this show of unity is a powerful mandate for change, and why community support is now vital to pushing the hospital to prioritize care over corporate profit.

Links for WSNA:

https://www.wsna.org/

https://www.wsna.org/news/2025/seattle-childrens-nurses-vote-overwhelmingly-to-authorize-strike

https://www.wsna.org/news/2025/perspective-seattle-childrens-is-promoting-ableism-with-its-sick-time-policy

* Listen on Apple Podcasts – : The Gritty Nurse Podcast on Apple Apple Podcasts

https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-gritty-nurse/id1493290782

* Like & Subscribe! Watch on YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@thegrittynursepodcast

Stay Connected:

• Website: grittynurse.com
• Instagram: @grittynursepod
• TikTok: @thegrittynursepodcast
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064212216482
• X (Twitter): @GrittyNurse

Collaborations & Inquiries: For sponsorship opportunities or to book Amie for speaking engagements, visit: grittynurse.com/contact

Thank you to Hospital News for being a collaborative partner with the Gritty Nurse!

www.hospitalnews.com

As we kick off 2026, the stakes for Canadian healthcare have never been higher.

In this powerful season premiere (SEASON 7 baby!) of The Gritty Nurse Podcast, host Amie Archibald-Varley sits down with nurse, advocate, and author Cathy MacNeil to discuss her provocative and timely book, Dying to be Seen: The race to save medicare in Canada.

Far from just a collection of anecdotes, Cathy's work is heavily evidence-informed, blending raw frontline experiences with rigorous research into the systemic structures of Canadian healthcare. As Medicare stands at a breaking point, Cathy provides the data-backed reality of why our public system is failing and what must be done to salvage it.

In this episode, we dive deep into:

• The Evidence Behind the Crisis: How Dying to be Seen utilizes research and data to expose the cracks in the system.

• The Erosion of Public Healthcare: A critical, evidence-based look at the current threats to Medicare and the true cost of privatization.

• The Nurse's Burden: Discussing the documented rise of moral injury and systemic neglect.

• A Call to Advocacy: Why everyday people and healthcare workers must use evidence-driven narratives to fight for equitable care.

This episode is a masterclass in combining clinical expertise with fierce advocacy. If you want to understand the actual state of Canadian healthcare—backed by facts—this is the conversation you've been waiting for.

"Public healthcare is not just a policy; it is a promise. And it's a promise backed by decades of evidence that we cannot afford to ignore." — Cathy MacNeil

• Support the Show: Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts to help us keep these critical conversations going!

* Listen on Apple Podcasts – : The Gritty Nurse Podcast on Apple Apple Podcasts

https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-gritty-nurse/id1493290782

* Watch on YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@thegrittynursepodcast

Stay Connected:

• Website: grittynurse.com
• Instagram: @grittynursepod
• TikTok: @thegrittynursepodcast
• X (Twitter): @GrittyNurse

Collaborations & Inquiries: For sponsorship opportunities or to book Amie for speaking engagements, visit: grittynurse.com/contact

Thank you to Hospital News for being a collaborative partner with the Gritty Nurse!

www.hospitalnews.com