Dr. Nasrin Alostaz, a researcher & faculty member in the Mohawk-McMaster collaborative nursing program, has an educational pathway and career that spans three continents.
A valued member of Mohawk College's Centre for Emerging Research Initiatives (CERI), Nasrin has been honoured as one of four recipients from across Canada with the Internationally Educated Nurse of the Year Award by Partners in Integration and Education of Internationally Educated Nurses Board of Directors.
The award celebrates internationally educated nurses (IEN) who exemplify excellence in their professional domains while advancing the nursing profession and enhancing healthcare delivery for diverse populations in Canada. The award works to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion within the nursing profession and advance public recognition of the vital role IENs play in addressing healthcare workforce challenges.
For Nasrin, the recognition is deeply personal.
As an internationally educated nurse, she experienced firsthand the systemic barriers many IENs face when entering the Canadian healthcare system, from employment challenges to difficult workforce integration processes. Rather than allowing those experiences to define her, she transformed them into a lifelong commitment to advocacy and research.
Today, Nasrin is not only a registered nurse and educator, but also a researcher whose work focuses on creating fair, equitable, and sustainable pathways for internationally educated healthcare professionals. Her academic and professional journey has taken her from Jordan to Ireland and ultimately to Canada, where she earned advanced nursing degrees and completed post-doctoral research focused on supporting IEN integration.
Through her advocacy, volunteer, and collaborative work supporting internationally educated healthcare professionals, and her active engagement in knowledge mobilization activities including research dissemination, policy dialogues, conferences, and scholarly publications Nasrin has become a strong voice for equity and inclusion in healthcare.
Nasrin's achievement reflects not only her personal dedication, but also the important role internationally educated individuals play in strengthening communities, advancing research, and creating more inclusive systems for all.
