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Offered through the Faculty of Nursing, the program is designed for Registered Nurses (RNs), Nurse Practitioners (NPs) and other health-care providers, equipping them with the entrepreneurial skills needed to launch and lead innovative care models.

PhD’17, associate professor and associate dean of graduate programs, is helping lead this vision. An award-winning educator recognized nationally for her contributions to nursing education, Nowell’s work focuses on preparing nurses not only for clinical excellence, but for leadership, innovation and system-level impact.

“We’re empowering skilled health-care professionals with the entrepreneurial tools they need to launch and lead their own practices, expanding access to care and addressing the evolving needs of Albertans and Canadians,” says Nowell.

The certificate responds to growing opportunities for nurse practitioners, particularly as policy changes under the Canada Health Act expand compensation models for medically necessary services. It enables practitioners working in areas such as mental health, addictions and aging to establish clinics that address critical gaps in care.

is an associate professor with the Faculty of Nursing. As program lead Shapkin emphasized the innovative thinking nurses bring to addressing real-world health-care challenges.

“Nurses are faced daily with challenges, and have great ideas,” says Kimberly Shapkin, “The nurses coming into this program have fantastic solutions to improve how care is delivered.”

Delivered online, the program allows students to continue working while they study, with interactive connect days built in to support collaboration and networking.

“We have students from coast to coast across Canada who can access this education,” Nowell mentioned when expanding on the program’s reach. “Many continue working full-time while exploring new ways to advance their careers.”

Inspired to pursue nursing

For Nowell, the path into nursing began close to home. She was inspired by her grandmother a nurse whose career took her around the world, showing her that nursing could be both meaningful and adventurous. At the same time, she recognized it as a practical and stable profession, offering flexibility and a wide range of career possibilities.

“I saw nursing as a path that could provide personal fulfillment, long-term security and endless options for where my career could go,” she says.

That sense of possibility continues to shape her work today, as she encourages students to explore the diverse opportunities within the profession and imagine new ways to contribute to health care.

Claiming a voice in leadership

Despite representing the largest segment of the health-care workforce, nurses are not always equally represented in leadership and decision-making spaces. Addressing that gap is a key priority for the Faculty of Nursing.

“We’re preparing graduates to think differently and lead,” says Nowell. “But there can be a disconnect between what they’re trained to do and what systems allow them to do.”

Through initiatives like the Professional Practice Entrepreneurship certificate, the faculty is helping close that gap, equipping nurses with the skills and confidence to shape the future of health care.

“Nurses have earned a place in the conversations that guide health-care decisions,” Nowell says. “We’re graduating professionals who are ready to claim that place, because the perspective they bring is too valuable to overlook.”

Applications for the Professional Practice Entrepreneurship graduate certificate are open until June 30.