Dr. Michael Scarcello

On behalf of Confederation College, welcome to the Practical Nursing Program. My name is Dr. Michael Scarcello. I have had the pleasure of teaching and leading in the Practical Nursing Program since 2005. I have taught throughout all semesters and years of the program, with a particular interest in acute care nursing.

My Background

My first experience in the health care system was in the Ontario Hospital system and as a Nursing Assistant, caring for those with acute and chronic mental health challenges. At the same time, I worked in the long-term care sector, caring for older adults requiring continued and complex nursing care. Working as a Nursing Assistant provided me with invaluable skills, which I took to my career in nursing -- both at the bedside, advancing the nursing practice agenda, and most importantly in the classroom.

I have been a Registered Nurse for 24 years – particularly in the emergency department, interventional cardiology, acute cardiology, and in aeromedical transport requiring advanced cardiac life support. When I first graduated from nursing school, I worked on various medical nursing units, in neurosurgery, with staff development, on acute and chronic mental health units, in complex chronic care, and in hospice/palliative care. I have also worked on general medical units and in ambulatory care settings. Maintaining a current practice at the bedside and in acute care allows me the opportunity to bring relevant experiences to the classroom and to be on the forefront of current clinical practices.

I graduated from Saint Scholastica (Duluth, MN) with a doctoral degree in nursing (Class of 2018) focusing on quality improvement initiatives as they pertain to older adults and following a surgical experience. Prior to this, I obtained a Master of Nursing degree (Clinical Nurse Specialist) also from Saint Scholastica (Class of 2009), where my thesis focused on the older adult and acute disease. Initially, I graduated from Lakehead University (Thunder Bay, ON.) with an Honours Bachelor of Science in Nursing (Class of 2000) and went on to successfully obtain my Certificate of Competence to practice as a Registered Nurse in Ontario. As a duty to my profession, I have been involved in the publication of articles; invited to speak locally, provincially, nationally, and internationally. Currently I am the Region 12 Board of Director for the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO) and a co-lead for Confederation College’s RNAO best practice spotlight organization program.

For me, nursing and nursing education is a calling – a privilege. I hope you will consider the Practical Nursing Program here at Confederation College.