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Yvonne Sam was just 18 years old when she left her parents, 11 siblings and her home in Guyana, South America, to train as a nurse in England. From the age of nine, she knew that nursing was her calling when she witnessed firsthand how tenderly the nurses cared for her six-month-old sister as she lay dying of polio, a scene she describes poignantly in her recently published book, Behind the Scenes in Nursing.
Given that there was only one local hospital in Guyana at the time that offered nursing training with a long waiting list to get in, relatives living in England suggested that she apply to a few schools there. While she was ecstatic to be accepted, her elation dimmed at the realization that she would be separated from her family and that, for practical and financial reasons, trips home would not be feasible. “I was the most miserable person at my going away party,” she recalls with a laugh. “It was my father who convinced me to make the most of the wonderful opportunity I had been given.”
That opportunity was the start of a long and productive career, beginning in England, where she obtained certification as a Registered Nurse, State Certified Midwife, and Registered Mental Health Nurse, and continuing in the United States, where she lived briefly, and Canada, which she has called home for many years.
Part memoir, part manifesto, Behind the Scenes in Nursing is an unvarnished account of what goes on behind the curtains and cubicles, told through stories that reveal the rewards, triumphs, challenges, and darker side of the nursing profession. “I am proud to be a nurse and will die a nurse, but the profession needs an overhaul,” asserts Ms. Sam. Her suggestions for reform include encouraging nurses to treat each other with the same respect they provide to patients, to view every patient encounter as an educational opportunity, and to commit to personal and professional growth through continuing education. As well, she advocates mandating safe staffing ratios, and encouraging more men to join the ranks of nursing.
In her retirement, Ms. Sam has become a tireless and persuasive advocate for improving racial diversity in the medical and nursing professions. After discovering that only seven Black students were admitted to ş«ąúÂăÎč’s Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS) from 2010-2018, and pained by the lack of diversity on its faculty, she wrote a powerful article demanding action, sharing her thoughts directly with the FMHS Dean and the Director of the Ingram School of Nursing. Her timing coincided with the university’s commitment to increase diversity in its student population, and its faculty, and with the establishment of an action plan to combat anti-Black racism. Recognized as a well-respected member of the Black community with valuable expertise in healthcare, Ms. Sam was invited to participate in these efforts as an advisor to the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences Social Accountability and Community Engagement Office (SACE) and the Ingram School of Nursing’s Office of Social Accountability in Nursing (OSAN) Black Community Engagement Initiative.
Wryly referring to herself as a “one-woman demolition crew”, Ms. Sam says dismantling anti-Black racism in nursing education is a must. To that end, an article she wrote outlining the steps to eradicate anti-Black racism from the nursing curriculum has been accepted by the Canadian Nurses Association for publication in September 2025. “It starts with the curriculum,” she says. “We need to tell the history of Black nursing pioneers. Nursing students need to know about how certain conditions manifest differently on Black skin. And we need more Black role models in medicine and better strategies for convincing Black high school students to consider careers in medicine.”
It’s a tall order, but Ms. Sam is up for the challenge. She is pleased to be working with a passionate team at the OSAN. The team includes OSAN Director Josée Lavallée, faculty members Anne-Laurie Beaubrun, Amanda Cervantes, Kimani Daniel, Bruna Fernandes, Irene Sarasua, and Jodi Tuck. While she is satisfied with the work being done thus far, Ms. Sam cautions that putting things into place is only the first step. “Progress will have to be continuously evaluated and monitored.”
Photo caption: Yvonne Sam (second from left) at the book launch with Ingram School of Nursing faculty (left to right) Kimani Daniel,ĚýAmanda Cervantes, Josee Lavallee and Anne-Laurie Beaubrun
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