UPEI nurse practitioner graduate excited about new role in health care
Calvin Murray has been interested in the health-care profession since he was a child growing up in Elmsdale, PEI. He graduated from UPEI with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing in 2021 and has worked as a registered nurse at the Western Hospital in Alberton ever since.
He worked briefly in the hospital’s in-patient unit after graduation and then transitioned to the emergency department (ER). For the past year and a half, he has worked as a nurse educator primarily for the ER, doing new staff orientation and managing best practices, which includes interacting with quality assurance teams, ensuring accreditation standards are met, and facilitating and providing education for staff.
During his time in the emergency department, he has seen many people who do not have a primary care provider or have difficulty accessing care. While he loved the work he was doing as a registered nurse, he decided that he wanted to do more, so he came back to UPEI to become a nurse practitioner and complete a Master of Nursing degree.
Murray will graduate on May 12 as one of 11 newly minted nurse practitioners—the largest class to graduate from UPEI to date. Ten of the 11 graduates, including Murray, have been hired by Health PEI. They will join health care teams across the province, starting in May and June. Seven will work in primary care settings in Charlottetown, Summerside, and Montague, helping more patients and families access timely, team-based care closer to home. The other three will serve in specialty nurse practitioner roles, expanding clinical expertise and strengthening support in key areas across the Island, which includes pediatric care, emergency care and a specialty care service.
After he writes his licensing exam in May, he will start his new position as a nurse practitioner at Western Hospital—only the second to work in that facility. To start, he will work with Peggy Buote, the nurse practitioner already in place at the hospital.
Murray is excited about this new chapter in his career in health care. As a nurse practitioner, he will work collaboratively with primary health care providers to give residents in West Prince the care they need.
“I want to be there for people when they are having a hard time,” he said, “You’re not generally going to see anyone in health care in any setting on your best day. There have been times when it’s been difficult for me and my family. It’s even rewarding to be able to support someone else, knowing how much it meant to me then.”
Nurse practitioners are increasingly playing a crucial role in expanding access to primary health care on PEI, said Dr. Gail Macartney, an associate professor in the UPEI Faculty of Nursing and Medicine and a nurse practitioner herself.
“Nurse practitioners can independently assess, diagnose, and manage health conditions for individuals and families across the lifespan,” said Macartney. “They are an integral part of the collaborative health team providing care across a variety of settings.”
