If hard-hitting poetry is something you’re into, the University of Calgary next Thursday will be the place to be.
For the fourth time, the University of Calgary is set to host their Nursing Story Slam, a healthcare twist on typical slam poetry reading, on May 14.
Associate Dean of Research and Innovation in the Faculty of Nursing, Dr. Tracie Risling, said the evening offers nurses a chance to hear short but extremely impactful stories.
“This is our fourth run of a Story Slam, and essentially it is bringing together nurses to tell their varied and powerful stories in a story slam format,” she told LWC.
“Some folks may be more familiar with poetry slam, it’s a very performative, short, very impactful moment. All of these stories are less than five minutes long, and they come to the stage and perform their stories from their personal careers.”
As it’s hosted by UCalgary, Story Slam often has student participants, Risling said. Having multiple generations of nurses all in one place, away from work, isn’t something that happens often.
“We not only have students who attend from our undergraduate and graduate programs, but we have students who present and that has been just incredible. We’ve had some truly outstanding student presenters,” she said.
“Stories are a way to unite a community, so when we’re talking about nursing students in particular, they may not fully understand what nurses really do. Nurses do so much more than so many people are aware of, even our own students.”
Despite the largely communal and positive atmosphere, the slam does not hide from the difficulties that a life in healthcare can present, Risling, who performed during 2023’s Nursing Story Slam, said.
“As a former slammer myself, the story I shared was from the very first young patient I had who had cancer and how that really shaped me and all of my years of nursing,” she said.
“Who I am as a nurse, I can really trace back much of that to that experience. We don’t shy away from the challenge, but we certainly celebrate the good and all of the diversity that nursing has. Nurses have very unique doses of humour, so when I say it’s a fun night, that’s very true.”
Hours of prep behind the scenes
Throughout the evening, eight nurses will perform their slams in front of the audience and four judges. Participants were asked to submit their stories before the end of February. Those chosen for presentation were notified in mid-March and attended a performance and coaching workshop in mid-April.
“Everyone loves a little bit of competition, right? Nurses are no strangers to that, either,” Risling said.
“It’s a powerful win for everyone just to hear these stories.”
Though performers go through a highly curated process, attendance is open to anyone interested. Risling said that previous years’ events have filled up fast.
“We have reached capacity at Story Slam in previous years, which is one of the reasons we moved to a bigger space last year. We do still have some space available,” she said, adding that potential attendees should register ahead of time.
“That way, there will be enough snacks for you, and there’s a cash bar that evening. Again, it’s a great opportunity to come together in community and hear some fantastic stories.”
