Robert Fraser

Recent BScN graduate Robert Fraser, 23, is just beginning his nursing career. But when it comes to making connections—whether by video, Twitter, LinkedIn or other media—he’s no novice.

Fraser’s desire to create connections for others led to one of his current projects: posting video interviews with nurse leaders on his Web site, http://www.nursingideas.ca/. His active involvement with student government at Ryerson University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO) brought him into contact with a number of prominent nurse researchers, educators and clinicians. Fraser decided to post video interviews on his Web site, so that other students and nurses could also learn from these leaders.

“I wanted to share things that were making me passionate about nursing that some of my classmates or other nurses weren’t exposed to, because they weren’t able to attend meetings or talk to the researchers writing the papers,” Fraser says. “I thought if I could make that connection for them, they could see the passion behind those projects or papers that doesn’t always come across in academic, formalized writing.”

Fraser, right, interviews Tjitze S. Hoekstra, an honor society member from the Netherlands.

Fraser interviews nurses with a wide variety of expertise and backgrounds. He has interviewed Lianne Jeffs, director of nursing and clinical research at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto; Cathy Crowe, a Toronto street nurse who works with the homeless; Tilda Shalof, an ICU nurse at Toronto General Hospital as well as a bestselling author; and Judy Boychuck Duchscher, executive director of Nursing the Future (http://www.nursingthefuture.ca/).

His other interviews include Tjitze S. Hoekstra, care innovator from the Netherlands, and Suzanne Gordon, a U.S. author and journalist who addresses nursing issues and has also co-authored books with nurses. In addition to video links, Fraser’s site offers a short biography of the person being interviewed, along with research citations, related links, a comments section, and questions posed to readers. With his busy schedule of schoolwork and extracurricular activities, Fraser didn’t have time to edit the videos, but he wasn’t aiming for slick productions.

Fraser and mentor Dianne Martin, executive director of the Registered Practical Nurses Association of Ontario
Fraser with mentors Janice Waddell, left, associate dean, Faculty of Community Services, Ryerson University; and Linda Cooper, professor, Daphne Cockwell School of Nursing, Ryerson University

“I was always more interested in very candid, intimate conversations,” he says. “The interviews are done with a laptop computer—my MacBook—and one take, for the most part. I don’t try to have questions too set in stone before the interview, because I really want to focus and listen to what they’re saying, and try to pull it in directions they’re passionate about.”

For Fraser, making connections began long before his video interviews. A mentor he met at summer camp in high school provided opportunities for him to perform community service in other countries. That volunteer work ultimately led to his decision to pursue a nursing career.

The mentor, David Ramjattan, invited Fraser, then 16 years old, to spend two months on the Caribbean islands of Trinidad and Tobago, volunteering his time as a camp counselor for underprivileged children in an orphanage. The following year, he and other high school ambassadors flew to Germany for a month to participate in an exchange program between Zweibrücken and Barrie, Ontario, his hometown. When he was 18, he worked for a month in India as a Missionaries of Charity volunteer, providing personal care for abused and disabled children and palliative care for adult males.

Like many high school students, Fraser wasn’t sure what to study in college. Knowing that he had enjoyed his international community service, Dianne Martin, a nurse and the mother of one of his friends, suggested that nursing would be a good career option.

“I like science but also wanted the practical aspect,” Fraser says, “so nursing was a perfect fit—a good opportunity to go to grad school and get a job and travel afterwards.”

He continued his global community service in college. Two years ago, he returned to India, this time for two months. Last year, his international travel was for a different purpose. “I went to Ireland for a nursing education conference last summer,” he says, “which was my first ‘pleasure’ international nursing trip. It was a lot of fun.”

From left: Fraser, founder of Nursing Ideas Web resource; Wendy Fucile, president of RNAO; Ella Ferris, chief nursing executive, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto; Mary McAllistar, director of professional practice-nursing at Bridgepoint Health, Toronto; Sue Matthews, vice president of patient services and chief nursing executive, Niagra Health System

Fraser’s schedule allows little time to celebrate graduation from college. He recently won an Isuma Fellowship at Health Strategy Innovation Cell, based at Massey College, University of Toronto. The group supports use of a variety of research tools, including social networking tools on the Web, to promote a user-friendly care experience.

At the 21-23 May Health Professions Education Conference in Toronto, he will present a paper titled “Social media: Collaborative tools for health professionals.” Fraser and Assistant Professor Adam Dubrowski of the University of Toronto’s Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing will also facilitate an “unconference” on building simulation-based educational programs.

An unconference, Fraser says, is a form of participant-driven inquiry. “When you show up at a conference, there’s a set agenda and set speakers. The unconference takes that kind of model and flips it to participant-driven, to open the agenda. It’s the idea of getting involved—not just sitting and listening and taking a few notes.” As facilitators, Fraser and Dubrowski will encourage participation and guide questions and discussion. They hope to tap into the knowledge and experiences of the international audience.

Fraser will begin work toward a master’s degree in nursing in September at the University of Toronto. After a year of graduate work, he hopes to transition to a fast-track PhD.

Fraser was active in global community service in high school and college. Photos above and below: Fraser serving in India as a volunteer for New Light, an organization that provides child care, education, and legal and health services for women and children.

In November, he will travel to Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, to present “Nursing ideas: An innovative social media approach to sharing ideas of leaders and researchers in health care” at the 40th Biennial Convention of the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International. The topic of Fraser’s presentation is especially appropriate, since social networking brought his work to the honor society’s attention. Elliott Pesut, son of former President Dan Pesut, connected with Fraser on Twitter. Elliott encouraged Fraser to submit an abstract for the biennial convention and put him in contact with his dad. Dan Pesut offered support for Fraser’s efforts, and the two plan to finally meet in person at convention.

Like many nurses of the millennial generation, Fraser is comfortable with technology. He defines technology as anything that makes life simpler, and he encourages nurses to experiment with new programs.

“There is a little fear and apprehension around technology,” he says. “Just tinker with it until it does what you want. There’s usually an undo button.”

Fraser credits several mentors for giving him opportunities and keeping him grounded. “My friend’s mother was definitely instrumental in me joining the nursing profession, and a lot of professors and professional mentors have been really key in pushing me to grow,” he says.

Fraser’s interests on the business-networking site LinkedIn include continual growth and increasing his abilities to learn, manage, organize, write, critically analyze, network, play guitar and talk with others. His nursing interests include client care, research, education and international community development.

Whatever nursing career Robert Fraser chooses, his technology and social networking skills will facilitate making connections with others. RNL

  —by Jane Palmer, assistant editor, Reflections on Nursing Leadership