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Browsing by Author "Estefan, Andrew"

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    The experiences of international students in a Canadian faculty of nursing: a narrative inquiry study
    (2024) Oyelana, Olabisi; Glanfield, Florence; Estefan, Andrew; Caine, Vera
    Background In response to the global need for nursing faculty, and nurses in leadership and advanced clinical practice roles, students from different countries come to Canada for their graduate nursing education. The positive reputation and the perceived advantages of the education system are particularly compelling to applicants from the countries located in the Global South. However, these students come from different social, historical, political, cultural, and educational backgrounds that deeply influence their learning experiences in Canada. Objective and methodology The aim of this narrative inquiry study was to understand the experiences of international graduate nursing students. The focus was to unravel two puzzles of this inquiry: What stories across social, historical, political, cultural, and educational borders shaped students' identities and ways of knowing? How did the experience in Canada impact their identities? Setting and participants Participants were invited from a Master of Nursing program at a research-intensive University in Western Canada. Methods Participants engaged in series of conversations over a period of one year. Results Multiplicity of borders and identity making, border making, and border crossing, were the threads that resonated across the narrative accounts. Conclusion These narrative threads provided insights into the lived experiences of tensions, the shifting of identities, and the day-to-day challenges that international students face while learning in Canada. Being aware of these experiences and acknowledging them could be a significant stride towards addressing the issues of racism, inequity, and exclusion for international students within Canadian graduate nursing education.
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    Relational agency: an evolutionary concept analysis
    (2026) Wadams, Morgan; Kaushik, Mayank; Estefan, Andrew; de Padua, Anthony; Caine, Vera
    Background: Relational agency has emerged across care disciplines to conceptualize agency as a process embedded in relationships. However, the concept remains underdeveloped in nursing and allied health literature—fields where relationship-building is central to care provision. Purpose: We clarify the concept of relational agency and explore its relevance and application to nursing practice. Methods: An evolutionary concept analysis was conducted using Rodgers’ method. Discussion: Relational agency has four attributes: individual growth, collaborative action, relational knowing, and as something that can be cultivated. Antecedents included recognition, respect, and the creation of relational and/or physical spaces of opportunity. Consequences resulted in the development of trust, resilience, empowerment, and the ability to imagine new possibilities. Conclusion: Relational agency offers a framework for relationship-building in nursing and allied health practice. It holds particular promise for addressing health disparities and improving care for populations who experience systemic barriers and distrust in formal health systems.