What happens when a nurse picks up a pen and refuses to stay quiet? She becomes Tilda Shalof — ICU nurse, bestselling author, patient advocate, and one of Canada's most powerful voices for the nursing profession.
In this episode of The Gritty Nurse Podcast, host Amie Archibald-Varley sits down with Tilda Shalof, RN, BScN, CNCC(C), a veteran nurse from Toronto General Hospital's Medical-Surgical ICU and the author of six books — including the acclaimed A Nurse's Story, The Making of a Nurse, Camp Nurse, Opening My Heart, Lives in the Balance, and Bringing It Home. Her work has been translated into French, Chinese, Japanese, and Vietnamese, reaching nurses and patients across the globe.
Tilda has spent decades doing what nurses do best — caring for the critically ill, advocating for patients, and working in the most demanding environments in healthcare. But she's also done something radical: she wrote it all down and made the world pay attention.
In this conversation, Amie and Tilda dig into:
- Why nursing stories matter more now than ever — and how storytelling is a form of advocacy
- What Tilda learned about the healthcare system when she became a patient herself after open-heart surgery
- The moral courage it takes to be a nurse — and why the profession is "the opposite of despair"
- How nurses can combat burnout by finding community, voice, and purpose through their stories
- The hidden world of home care, ICU nursing, and everything in between
- What it means to be a nurse-first, author-second — and why that distinction matters
Whether you're a nurse on the front lines, a nursing student wondering if you have what it takes, or a healthcare advocate who believes the system needs to change — this episode will remind you why nurses' voices are essential, urgent, and worth amplifying.
📚 Find Tilda Shalof:
* 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:
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!
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