Research Interns 2002

Megan Aston
Dr. Aston completed her PhD at the University of Toronto in 1996 and is currently teaching the Family Nursing course, N3270, at Dalhousie University, Halifax. As well as additional teaching experience, Megan has clinical nursing experience including stints as a prenatal teacher, visiting public health nurse, and staff nurse in hospital settings. She is involved as principal investigator in a pilot study with the Capital District Health Authority studying the effectiveness of the teaching-learning relationship between public health nurses and families with a focus on empowerment. Megan is also involved as a co-investigator on several proposals under preparation for submission to granting agencies.

Claudette Dumont-Smith
Claudette has been employed since 1974 in the aboriginal health field at the community and national levels. Her goal is to change the status quo of health of aboriginal people as compared to the mainstream Canadian population. Ms. Dumont-Smith has acted in various executive capacities with the Aboriginal Nurses Association of Canada, Centre for Aboriginal Education, Research and Culture and National Aboriginal Child Care Commission. She has participated in many conferences and has collaborated on papers and manuals on various aspects of aboriginal health care programs. She recently completed her Master's in Public Administration at Queen's University.

Sheila Edwards
Ms. Edwards has been a full time instructor in the Nursing Program at University College of the Fraser Valley, Chilliwack, B.C., since 1990, most recently in the BSN program - Generic and RN Access. She completed her MSN at UBC. Sheila's clinical experience has been mainly in pediatric acute care nursing. In an effort to broaden her clinical practice base and take on a community health focus, Sheila spent two months shadowing public health nurses at a local Health Unit. In addition, she researched community health theory and education while in the process of developing the Community Health course offered in the seventh semester of the nursing program. Ms. Edwards is pursuing the Research Internship as part of her sabbatical activities. Sheila's overall goal is to expand the scope of practice within nursing education including a focus on nursing research, interdisciplinary education and international education.

Roberta Ellingsen
Roberta is an instructor in the Faculty of Nursing, University of New Brunswick (Bathurst site). Her nursing background includes management experience in an acute care hospital and affiliated health centers, and community health nursing with federal and provincial governments. Ms. Ellingsen completed her MN at Dalhousie University in 1989 and has completed course work for an MSA (Health Administration) at Central Michigan University. She has completed one course in the doctoral program, McGill University. Roberta would like to develop her research capacity and develop networks to foster continuing research. As well as being fluent in English, Ms. Ellingsen is functional in French and Norwegian, and has some ability in Mi'kmaq and Swedish.

Odette Griscti
Odette completed her MScH in Nursing and Midwifery Education in Malta in 1999. Prior to that time, she was a staff nurse in intensive therapy and lecturer at the Institute of Health Care, Malta. In addition, Odette was coordinator of the BSc Nursing Program, Institute of Health Care, Malta. Ms. Griscti has been an assistant professor in the St. Francis Xavier - University College of Cape Breton Nursing Program in Antigonish, NS, since 2001. She hopes to forge links with other researchers and develop her grantsmanship skills. Odette intends to share her knowledge with colleagues and students alike.

Bonnie Hall
Ms. Hall is currently an advanced practice resource nurse with SCO Health Service in Ottawa where she coordinates nursing fellowships and participates in program development and evaluation for nursing and patient care projects. Bonnie completed her MScN at the University of Western Ontario in 1991. She has been a clinical nurse specialist in geriatrics at two local hospitals and lecturer in the Post RN program, University of Ottawa. Ms. Hall would like to advance the level of geriatric care within the community and acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to be a valued member of a research team. Bonnie anticipates developing grantsmanship skills, learning more about program evaluation research and increasing her data analysis skills. She would like to network with senior level researchers to address clinical and program questions.

Sonya Jakubec
Ms. Jakubec completed her MN at the University of Victoria in the Multidisciplinary Masters Program in Policy and Practice. She was a Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholar at the Auckland Institute of Technology, School of Nursing and Midwifery, New Zealand in 1993-94. Sonya is an Assistant Professor, School of Nursing, Okanagan University College. Her nursing background includes assignments in mental health services in Canada and The Gambia, West Africa. She plans to prepare manuscripts for publication, develop a grant application and assist in data analysis with a project she is associated with through the University of Victoria. Ms. Jakubec completed a teaching assignment in Ghana, West Africa in April, 2002.

Frances Legault
Dr. Legault completed her PhD in Nursing at the University of British Columbia in May, 2001. She is an Assistant Professor, School of Nursing, University of Ottawa. Frances has been a professional practice director and nursing practice consultant at Vancouver Hospital and Health Sciences Centre. She has been a lecturer at the Universities of Victoria and British Columbia and at Ryerson Polytechnic University School of Nursing. Her research projects include studies of patient-centered nursing practice, the role of home care nurses, and the integration of palliative care services for mainstream and marginalized populations. Frances wants to acquire proficiency in grantsmanship and connect with other community health researchers.

Donna Meagher-Stewart
Donna completed her PhD at the University of Toronto in 2001. Her thesis addressed the community development practice of public health nurses. She is an Associate Professor and Associate Director of the Graduate Program, School of Nursing, Dalhousie University and teaches community health nursing courses in the MN program. Dr. Meagher-Stewart's nursing experience focused in cardiovascular and community health, with experience as a staff nurse and district supervisor. Her research projects include public health nursing and community development practice; cardiovascular health and social support; women and heart disease; ethical practice in the caring professions; and poverty and health. She is a principal investigator on a current submission on public health nurses' primary health care practice. Donna is a member of the Community Health Nursing Association of Canada National Standard Committee.

Charmaine Mrazek
Ms. Mrazek is an Assistant Professor, Department of Nursing, St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish. She has been Director of the Network for Children & Youth, Sydney, NS and Regional Coordinator of the Eastern Region Child & Youth Service Project, Sydney. Charmaine has been a staff nurse on multi-treatment psychiatric and acute observation/crisis intervention units, outpatient therapist and clinic administrator at Cape Breton Healthcare Complex and pilot project coordinator, Emergency Mental Health Services CBHC. She is looking forward to the opportunity to make contact with experts in the field of population health. Charmaine is enrolled in a PhD program through the University of South Australia and envisions the internship providing her an opportunity to build in some tangible experiences with identifiable outcomes that would support population health research skill development.

Tracy Prinzen
Ms. Prinzen completed a Master of Public Health Sciences in the Health Promotion Program, University of Toronto. She has been a public health nurse with the Durham Region Health Department since 1999, and with Kwakiutl District Council, Port Hardy from 1996-98. Her experience includes planning, implementing and evaluating health programs aimed at youth and communities. Tracy is involved in the development of the Brock Youth Centre, a grass roots community mobilization initiative; this initiative has grown into a Regional Youth Vision initiative. Tracy expects the internship to enhance growth and development in the area of nursing research, and connect her with funders and decision-makers.

Chantal Saint-Pierre
Mme Saint-Pierre est candidate de doctorat en sciences infirmières, Université de Montréal. Elle est professeure en sciences infirmières, Université du Québec à Hull depuis 1990. Chantal était professeure adjointe (clinique), Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, 1986-1990. Ses domaines et intérêts de recherche sont santé des femmes (conciliation travail-famille) et formation des infirmiers et infirmières. L'internat se permettra de faciliter la transition entre les études doctorales et la fonction de chercheure en émergence, élargir ses connaissances du monde de la recherche subventionnée, favoriser les contacts avec un réseau des chercheures aux intérêts communs, et créer l'opportunité de développer une relation avec une personne agissant comme mentor.

Helen Stokes
Dr. Stokes is a visiting professor, School of Nursing, University of Ottawa. She has been a lecturer/researcher in the Department of Health Studies, University of York (England), researcher at the Royal College of Nursing Institute, Oxford and cardiac rehabilitation coordinator at Horton General Hospital NHS Trust, Banbury, England. Helen's nursing background includes staff nursing at various hospitals throughout England as well as private nursing. She is a Nurse Fellow, European Society of Cardiology and Fellow, American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation. Since arriving in Canada, Dr. Stokes has become a member of the Invitational Workshop & Network, Building Capacity for Cardiovascular Nursing Research in Canada, and a member of the CIHR Standing Committee on the Oversight of Grants and Awards and Competitions. Helen expects the internship to provide her with skills in preparing peer-reviewed publications, and expanded research skills including methodology and grantsmanship.