AbstractAs the development of nursing education becomes increasingly internationalized, it is tempting to focus on universal aspects of the discipline rather than explicitly emphasizing the distinct national cultures and contexts within which our profession and its educational styles and approaches have evolved. Capitalizing on an opportunity for comparative critical reflection on the relevant political, economic and social histories that have underpinned the development of nursing education in China, Brazil and Canada – three countries united by shared values about equity and access to health services – we sought to deconstruct the manner in which these forces have shaped the national differences in the way we conceptualize and deliver nursing education. On this basis, we examined the implications for the advancement of nursing education within each national context, recognizing the fundamental relevance of indepth critical reflection for optimizing nursing’s advocacy capacity within each of our national health care and policy systems.