Beyond the Bedside: Empowering the Modern Nursepreneur

This episode of Leaders, Innovators, and Big Ideas (LIBI), host Rea Hailley sits down with Dawn, a veteran registered nurse turned entrepreneur, to tackle the "big, ugly, audacious goal" of fixing the nursing workforce crisis. With over 18 years of experience spanning critical care to clinical education, Dawn reveals a shocking gap in the healthcare ecosystem: the lack of a standardized, portable way for nurses to track their complex skill sets. They dive deep into the transition from clinician to "nursepreneur," the psychological weight of the profession, and how a collaborative digital platform can reduce fear for new grads while improving patient safety. From the impact of AI on clinical decision-making to the enduring power of professional relationships, this conversation is a masterclass in how nursing expertise is the ultimate foundation for healthcare innovation.

Thank you for listening to the Leaders, Innovators and Big Ideas podcast where we showcase fascinating people who are Leaders, Innovators, and have Big Ideas! Host: Rea Hailley Driven by a deep-seated belief in the power of entrepreneurship, Rea leads New Idea Machine in empowering businesses with innovative digital solutions. Having witnessed the grit and triumph of her parents building a business from scratch, Rea is passionate about enabling significant revenue growth and seamless operations for startups and Small/Medium Businesses, ensuring their dedication translates into tangible success.

Guest: Dawn Leadbetter A registered nurse in Alberta, and a proud alumnus of both the U of A (BScN ’07) as well as the U of C (MN ’24), Dawn has gained extensive knowledge and experience from her clinical RN roles in adult intensive care, teaching clinical courses at MacEwan University in the undergraduate program. Gathering significant system level knowledge in her zone role as a CNE, her passion was focused on utilizing process improvement and change management skills. Since obtaining her MN, with certificates in Healthcare Innovation and Design and Leadership for Health Systems Transformation, Dawn was inspired to take the leap into her own consulting business Nurse Matrix Systems Inc. and began developing a platform aimed at solving one of the most complex workforce and retention problems, understanding and tracking nursing knowledge and skills attainment.

Show Links:

• Nurse Matrix Systems Inc.

Show Quotes:

"If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together. That is really where the healthcare ecosystem lives—we fail more often than not when we’re not collaborative."

"A nurse is not just a nurse. Even moving from one ICU to another, there is a learning curve. We need to understand transferable skills to help people function safely and grow over time."

"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something is more important than that fear."

Credits... This Episode Sponsored By: New Idea Machine Episode Music: Tony Del Degan Creator & Producer: Al Del Degan