Once again, we are being released from the grip of a very cold and snowy winter and beginning to inch our way toward the season of growth, new life and hope – spring. This issue feels a little similar to that to me. In Canada, we are in the grip of some serious challenges to the safety and stability of many of the structures and systems we often take for granted, healthcare systems being one of them. And yet, as I read the articles in this issue, I feel hope. Why? Because within these pages, there are research articles, evidence reviews and commentaries authored by people who are tackling some very complex challenges with bold, innovative ideas and actions for change. Collaboration and partnership are essential to doing the work, along with a courageous generosity of spirit that takes my breath away.

In this issue, we continue to have a focus on internationally educated nurses and their implementation in Canada as well as our leadership and research foci. We are also pleased to offer a range of papers looking at nurses' mental health and wellness. It is an area of concern for many leaders who are increasingly monitoring the well-being of their nursing workforce. Much work is being done in this area, and we are pleased to be able to share it with you.

Intersection of Canadian and Global Nursing Challenges

Grdisa and LeBlanc's (2026) article begins the issue by highlighting how findings from recent Canadian nursing workforce data converge with nursing priorities on a global scale. Their article reinforces the need for global nursing leadership to transform systems to improve health for all, including nurses.

Supporting Internationally Educated Nurses

Lee et al. (2026) report on the results of a rapid evaluation of a program that received one-time funding from the Ontario government to prepare healthcare employers and internationally educated nurses (IENs) for integration into the Canadian healthcare workforce. The rapid review focuses on trauma-informed organizational and leadership practices to support mental health and psychological safety for the IEN workforce.

A second article in the theme of support for IENs traces the history and development of the Integrated Filipino Canadian Nurses Association (IFCNA), which was established in 2019 to support Filipino nurses. Written by two leaders of IFCNA, this article describes a comprehensive set of programs that aim to address the challenges IENs immigrating to Canada encounter (Gaqui et al. 2026). The authors candidly identify and discuss the challenges faced by the organization to achieve sustainability. The Filipino cultural values of community support and working together for a common goal were used to transform and support the growth and sustainability of the organization.

Leadership Perspective

In a thoughtful Leadership Perspective, Weiler and Strudwick (2026), from the Centre for Mental Health and Addiction in Toronto, discuss the potential for nurse practitioners (NPs) to enhance mental healthcare. The authors advocate for improved integration, strengthened educational opportunities and updates to policy and practice that would enable all NPs to participate fully.

Nursing Research

This issue has four research articles. First, an article by Ardenghi et al. (2026) examines the relationship between empowering leadership, healthy work environments and moral injury in an Italian public healthcare organization. The authors hypothesize that nurses' empowering leadership would be positively perceived and associated with a perceived healthy work environment and negatively correlated with moral injury. Their online survey using three validated scales found a relationship between the perception of a healthy work environment and moral injury among nursing professionals. The authors identify priorities for leadership development programs.

Next, still on the theme of organizational leadership, Yoon et al. (2026) report on a rapid review that reinforces the importance of leadership practices and organizational culture in implementing trauma-informed approaches to assist and protect the psychological safety of nursing and other healthcare staff. Their review highlights the importance of leadership practices that are relational, collaborative and provide practical support that is responsive to the needs of staff.

The third article is a scoping review conducted by Maunder et al. (2026) that highlights the relevance of pre-pandemic evidence to inform protection of healthcare workers' well-being in day-to-day work, now and in future crises. A key finding is the need for more interdisciplinary collaboration in studying work-related stress, particularly the importance of aligning metrics that assess distress across professions. They emphasize the importance of harmonized measurement approaches and the role of nurse leaders in championing this vitally important and strategic work.

Finally, the theme of healthcare workers' well-being and satisfaction is continued in an article by Harwood et al. (2026), who use grounded theory in research to understand the work of NPs in acute care settings and how these NPs manage their work, particularly in relation to job satisfaction, burnout and resilience. Their findings reflect a complex mix of experiences that include job satisfaction, resilience and burnout. These experiences are captured in three themes: (1) making a difference … keeps me going; (2) finding the sweet spot; and (3) being the safety net.

We hope that you will find the ideas and strategies presented in this issue helpful. We intend to publish articles that support your practice and highlight the issues that nurse leaders are facing. We welcome your feedback and suggestions for themes in future issues.

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