The Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing (CASN) stands with nursing organizations, educators, and health care workers around the world as we continue to confront the devastating loss of Minnesota nurse Alex Pretti, RN. Violence against nurses—whether in Canada, the United States, or elsewhere—erodes our shared sense of safety and threatens the social fabric that binds our professional community.
As an organization committed to preparing future nurses, CASN shares the profound grief and anger felt across the profession. Such acts of violence affect not only nurses entering the profession but also those who teach and support them. This violence reminds us that nursing education is inseparable from the broader social and political contexts in which we live. The loss of a colleague underscores the challenges facing students who are stepping into a world marked by division, suffering, and violence. Our social contract must be met with a commitment to safer communities and workplaces.
CASN calls for an end to coercive, xenophobic, dehumanizing practices framed as “safety measures” and urges governments and institutions to invest meaningfully in the public good—policies and social services that advance well-being and social equity for all. This moment demands more than mourning. It requires a renewed commitment to global citizenship—a recognition that safety, equity, and human dignity do not stop at borders. A healthy democracy depends on an informed, compassionate, and empowered population, and nurses play a central role in sustaining those conditions.
CASN joins fellow nursing associations in calling for accountability, transparency, and meaningful action to protect nurses, students, patients, and communities. We remain committed to working with partners across jurisdictions to advance policies that promote safety for all and uphold the human values that unite us.
In solidarity, CASN joins the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions (CFNU) in encouraging nurses, nursing students, and allies to participate in the National Nurses United candlelight vigil on Wednesday, January 28, at 7:30 p.m. CST, whether virtually, in spirit, or by lighting a candle at home. Together, we affirm our grief over the loss of Alex Pretti and our collective resolve to build a safe, more just world.
About the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing
The Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing (CASN) is the national voice for nursing education, research, and scholarship and represents baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs across Canada. CASN’s mission is to lead nursing education and nursing scholarship in the interest of healthier Canadians.
For more information:
Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing
Telephone: (613) 235-3150
Email: press@casn.ca
Website: www.casn.ca
