Pediatric Emergency Nursing Faculty

Sandra Johnson is a registered nurse and educator with a strong foundation in critical care and a deep commitment to equity in health care. A proud graduate of Cape Breton University, she began her nursing career as one of the first entry-level hires in the Emergency Department. Her passion for complex patient care led her to transition into Intensive Care, where she spent several years as a bedside nurse at Cape Breton Regional Hospital. During this time, she also served as a valued preceptor for both the Critical Care and Emergency Nursing Programs.

Sandra later became the hospital’s first Clinical Resource Nurse for the Intensive Care and Coronary Care Units, a role that allowed her to mentor clinicians and facilitate simulation-based education in partnership with the Critical Care Nursing Program. In 2019, she joined the Learning Institute as a permanent faculty member with the Emergency Nursing team, while continuing to support labs and simulations for critical care learners.

Sandra recently completed her Master’s in Education from the University of New Brunswick, with a concentration in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. She is now pursuing her Doctorate in Education at Western University, specializing in Human Rights, Equity, and Diversity. Her academic and professional work reflects a strong commitment to reconciliation with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities and to eliminating stigma and bias in health care systems.

Sandra is passionate about helping novice nurses transition confidently into critical care settings and believes that compassion and cultural humility are as vital as clinical skill.  Sandra and her work partner Rene are also involved in simulation with Dalhousie University-Faculty of Medicine Residency program, where they have fostered a great love of interprofessional learning.

She lives in Glace Bay with her husband of 25 years, Scott, and is the proud mother of two amazing adult children, Kennedy and Xavier. Sandra shares her home with her two beloved dogs, Marnie and Willie, and is also a doting "grandpawrent" to Kirby and Lulu. When she isn’t busy working or studying, she’s likely planning her next trip, snapping photos of unexpected beauty, or trying to finish a cup of coffee before it goes cold.

902-574-1015 | SandraD.Johnson@nshealth.ca

Rene graduated from nursing in 2007 from CBU/StFX, then moved to Alberta to work at the Royal Alex in Edmonton, where she gained experience in vascular thoracic and neuro-trauma units. Rene moved back to Cape Breton to work in surgery, where she gained valuable skills to shape her critical care career and learned from the nurses how to be safe, competent, and advocate for her patients. Those nurses molded Rene into the nurse she is today.

Rene accepted a position at the Emergency Department at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital, where she found her place in nursing. Starting in the acute zone in the ED, Rene learned how to care for the quite sick, building her competence and confidence in practice. After 3 years in the ED, Rene accepted a clinical nurse leader position at Victoria County hospital in Baddeck. She learned the importance of rural nursing and gained appreciation for the “jack of all trades” nursing they bring to the table. Missing the chaos in Sydney, Rene went back to the CBRH and accepted the CNL position in the ED. Rene has made many lifelong connections to patients, co-workers, and the interdisciplinary team.

Rene is currently working towards her Master’s in nursing. She works as an instructor with the Emergency Nursing Program and the Critical Care Nursing Programs at the Learning Institute, and she works with the Sim IPE team to support Dalhousie medical residents. On top of that, she and her work partner (Sandra) are designing an emergency nursing elective for CBU, StFX, and Dalhousie.

In her personal life, Rene is a mom of a little fashionista 11-year-old girl. Her partner, Ev, keeps her on her toes with continuous pranks and laughs. They have 3 dogs and a busy, chaotic, life… just like the ED.

902-574-3573 | Rene.Boyd@nshealth.ca