Guiding Lights: Laura Martin

Laura Martin (she/her) is the definition of a change-maker. A nurse for 16 years and a full-time steward, she’s guided by the belief that change doesn’t happen from the top down, but from the inside out. 

That belief came into focus when nurses at her worksite began raising concerns about being misgendered and feeling unsafe. Although existing Nurses’ Bargaining Association contract language already requires facilities to have gender-inclusive signage in washrooms and changerooms, Martin noticed that implementation was inconsistent. Rather than waiting for the issue to be addressed elsewhere, she conducted an audit of the hospital herself – finding that more than 40 percent of single-use staff washrooms lacked correct signage. 

“It was less about a sticker or sign on a door,” she says. “It was about effort and accountability in building safer spaces.”  

Martin escalated the issue to Island Health’s director of diversity, equity and inclusion, as well as the worksite Joint Occupational Health and Safety and Union/Management committees. She also spoke with the occupational health and housekeeping departments to help move the work forward. Instead of just identifying the problem, she offered to help implement the solution – coordinating signage distribution, supporting education efforts and ensuring accountability.  

“Our staff should be able to come to work and feel safe and included,” she says. 

Now that the washrooms are being updated, Martin is focused on ensuring the employer maintains the changes.  

She’s also looking ahead, advocating for embedding diversity, equity and inclusion language into the employer’s annual nursing competency requirements and worksite inspections. 

10 Questions with Laura Martin

What is one word you would use to describe yourself?

Adaptable.

How did you decide to become a nurse?

I’ve always wanted to help – fixing equipment, inviting people over at Christmas, rescuing animals. Nursing felt like a natural calling. I started volunteering with Island Health before going back to school.

What do you do in your spare time?

Pilates, glamping and learning Spanish. I also volunteer with isolated seniors and unhoused people. Recently, I started sewing small lavender-filled pillows that I call “sanity sacks” for co-workers to help with rest and stress.

What advice would you give to someone just starting out in nursing?

Be patient and kind to yourself. It takes one to two years to feel steady. Find an experienced nurse you trust and talk things through.

What is one thing about you that people would be surprised to learn?

I worked in finance for 16 years before nursing. 

What was the last good thing you read?

When the Body Says No: The Cost of Hidden Stress by Gabor Maté. I usually avoid health-care related books, but I couldn’t put this down.

What was the best piece of career advice you’ve received?

If you do nothing, nothing will change.

What do you like most about being a nurse?

The ability to make a difference in a patient’s day, even briefly, during a difficult moment. It’s a privilege.

What do you like least about being a nurse?

Bureaucracy – payroll issues, parking and systems that get in the way of patient care.

Name one change you would like to make to the health-care system.

A stronger focus on prevention instead of reaction. Education is key.

UPDATE (Spring 2026)