Growing practice specialists in mental health: addressing stigma and recruitment with a nursing residency program.

Despite the growing prevalence and healthcare needs of people living with mental illness, the stigma associated with mental health nursing continues to present challenges to recruiting new nurses to this sector. As a key recruitment strategy, five mental health hospitals and three educational institutions collaborated to develop and pilot an innovative nursing residency program. The purpose of the Mental Health Nursing Residency Program was to dispel myths associated with practising in the sector by promoting mental health as a vibrant specialty and offering a unique opportunity to gain specialized competencies.

Case study: reconciling the quality and safety gap through strategic planning.

An essential outcome of professional practice environments is the provision of high-quality, safe nursing care. To mitigate the quality and safety chasm, nursing leadership at St. Michael's Hospital undertook a strategic plan to enhance the nursing professional practice environment.