Research Interns 2005

Penny Cash
Associate Professor, Nursing
Faculty of Health and Social Development, Okanagan University College
pcash@ouc.bc.caDr. Cash completed her doctoral studies in 2000 at Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia. Her work on practice developments with the Nurses Board of Victoria (NBV) saw the most significant changes in practice for over a century with the advent of Nurse Practitioner and changes to practice for enrolled nurses. Penny commenced at Okanagan University College in August 2003, arriving the night before the Okanagan Mountain Park Fire started. She seized the opportunity to participate in several resulting projects, among them: The meaning of home and the Okanagan fires, 2003; Mapping the health issues arising from the Okanagan Mountain Park Fire; and a multidisciplinary study on asthma. Penny’s work at OUC involves teaching, application, and translation. She has been the Scholarship Facilitator for the Nurse Educators Scholarship Project (NESP) since September 2004. Penny is committed to working with others on projects designed to involve people and to engage them as stakeholders in improving their health and well-being. Her interests are in the areas of women’s health (including mental health); working with marginalized groups; community development; environment; nursing and nurses’ work; and curriculum and pedagogical issues.

Catherine Caufield
Assistant Professor
Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta
c.caufield@ualberta.caCatherine completed her PhD in Religious Studies at the University of Toronto in 2000. Dr. Caufield’s current work focuses on immigration and integration through her affiliation with the Prairie Centre for Excellence on Immigration and Integration. Her career goals are to develop expertise in the area of immigrant and refugee child and family health consistent with a population health model. Catherine is particularly interested in how to demonstrate to the community that hiring researchers produces a concrete contribution to improving the appropriateness and the quality of health care services available to them. She is a member of the Canadian Society for International Health; Latin American Studies Association; and the Religious Studies Advisory Council. Catherine is a reviewer for International Journal of Qualitative Methods and for Qualitative Health Research.

Jean Chow
Assistant Professor, Faculty of Nursing
University of Calgary
j.chow@ucalgary.ca

Dr. Chow’s doctoral studies were completed at the School of Nursing, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, Colorado in 1998. Her clinical interests focus on nurse-midwifery (care of women across the life span; maternity care; and newborn care). Jean’s research interests include maternity care; women’s health; and health promotion. Her long-term career goal focuses on building a research career that will provide theory/research-based knowledge to advance the discipline of nursing. Jean is a member of the Alberta Association of Registered Nurses; Hong Kong Nursing Council; American College of Nurse Midwives; and the planning committee for the 17th meeting of the International Association of Forensic Sciences, Hong Kong, August 2005. She is a volunteer with the Galbraith Breakfast/Snack Program evaluation; a volunteer Researcher at Lingnan University, Hong Kong; and the EXIT program, a community project working with street kids and prostitutes.

Tam Truong Donnelly
Assistant Professor, Faculty of Nursing
University of Calgary
tdonnell@ucalgary.ca

Dr. Donnelly received her PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies at the University of British Columbia in 2004. Her research interests are based in cultural and multicultural health care issues; health care policy; women’s health; health promotion and disease prevention; and mental health care. Her career goals include development of a research program to investigate and address immigrants’ health care issues. Tam is a member of the Alberta Association of Registered Nurses. She is the recipient of the University of Calgary URGC Starter Grant (2004) and the National Cancer Institute of Canada PhD Studentship Award (2000-2004). Tam’s article “Contextual analysis of coping: Implications for immigrants’ health care”, Issues in Mental Health Nursing 23(7), 715-732, generated interest in academic and lay populations, and resulted in several media interviews and articles.

Koreen Fahey
Gerontological Nursing Fellow
É lisabeth Bruyère Research Institute
kfahey@scohs.on.ca

Koreen is completing a research fellowship in gerontology at the Élisabeth Bruyère Research Institute, Ottawa. Her interests focus on gerontology and injury prevention and control. Koreen has a broad clinical background resulting in a solid practice base including stints as program facilitator, Carewest, Calgary; health services manager, Grey Nuns Regional Centre, Edmonton; and varied nursing assignments. She is a member of the Canadian Nursing Association; the Alberta/Canadian Gerontological Nursing Association; and the Canadian Association of Advanced Practice Nurses. In her spare time, Koreen is a member of the masters Swim Club.

Victoria Greenslade
Senior Nursing Policy Consultant
Office of Nursing Policy, Health Canada
vicki_greenslade@hc-sc.gc.ca

Dr. Greenslade completed doctoral studies at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto in 2003. Her doctoral thesis, “Faculty Practice as Scholarship in University Schools of Nursing in Ontario”, was a qualitative study that used the unstructured interview as a major means of data collection. Vicki’s research interests are in the areas of chronicity and transition care. Her goal is to influence the next generation of health care providers to provide quality care by promoting nursing research and nursing education at provincial and national levels. She expects the internship to develop her knowledge of various research designs, data collection strategies, and analytical methods. Vicki is a member of: the Association of Registered Nurses of Newfoundland and Labrador; Breast Cancer Coalition; Women’s Health Network, Canadian Association for Nursing Research; and Canadian Association for Nurses in Oncology.

Kathryn Higuchi
Assistant Professor, School of Nursing
University of Ottawa
khiguchi@uottawa.ca

Since completing doctoral studies at McGill University, Montreal, Dr. Higuchi has been involved in several research projects focused on an examination of clinical decision-making by experienced nurses in the context of adult acute care and home care practice, and clinical teaching and learning. Kathryn was recently involved in the Nursing Best Practice Guidelines project (Registered Nurses Association of Ontario). Dr. Higuchi is a reviewer for International Journal of Nursing Education Scholarship. She was a CASN External Reviewer in 2004, appointed as team leader to conduct an external review of the University of Prince Edward Island Baccalaureate nursing program.

Karen Jackson
Research and Evaluation Consultant
Calgary Health Region
karen.jackson@calgaryhealthregion.ca

Karen is a member of a health services research unit within the Calgary Health Region where she contributes to development and implementation of a research agenda for nursing focusing on workforce management and implementation of service delivery models. She is involved with the SEARCH (Swift Efficient Application of Research in Community Health) program offered in partnership between the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research and Alberta Health Regions. Karen’s public health background includes public health nursing in isolated aboriginal communities; at a Calgary long-term care facility; and in rural Saskatchewan. She is Chair of the Calgary Health Region Nursing Research Committee; and a member of the Selections Committee for the Dr. Jean C. Nelson Memorial Foundation.

Eulalia Kahwa
Lecturer, University of the West Indies
eulalia.kahwa02@uwimona.edu.jm

Dr. Kahwa is a lecturer in the Department of Advanced Nursing Education, University of the West Indies at Mona, Jamaica. The Department aims to be a centre of learning which gives academic, scholarly and scientific certitude to the Caribbean’s long and outstanding practice of nursing/midwifery care, administration and education; enhancing the socialization of nurses and midwives in the unique and dynamic qualities of the profession, enabling them to meet the needs of the Caribbean peoples. Eulalia’s research interests are in the areas of nutrition; cardiovascular disease; asthma; and educational research. She will be returning to Jamaica in mid-May and will join regularly scheduled sessions via audio-teleconferencing facilities from UWI.

Donna Kurtz
Assistant Professor, School of Nursing
Okanagan University College
drnkurtz@ouc.bc.ca

Donna’s work as a nurse educator at Okanagan University College includes professional growth (1st year); and community development and health promotion (3rd year). Her clinical background includes rural nursing; acute care nursing; and community health promotion, primary health care and community development. These activities are closely linked to her research interests and nursing practice. Donna has recently applied to the PhD program at Deakin University, Australia. Her research topic is “Health and well-being of indigenous women: The impact of participatory action on alternative public policy and health care service delivery. The projected completion date for her PhD is 2008/09. Donna is a member of the OUC Scholarship committee; and is Faculty Liaison for the Registered Nurses Association of British Columbia (RNABC) Student Representative Program. She is a member of the board of Kelowna Drop-In Centre, a non-profit organization for community service for homeless and those at risk of becoming homeless.

Jo-Anne MacDonald
Youth Health Centre, Truro, NS
timmac@tru.eastlink.ca

Ms. MacDonald has just completed her master’s studies in nursing at Dalhousie University, Halifax. She has a particular interest in working with youth at risk. Jo-Anne’s master’s work involved research to facilitate knowledge regarding contributions of youth health centres to adolescent health and well-being. Her development of a program logic model describing the anticipated contributions of community health nurses’ practice to health outcomes provided the foundation for the development of the unique web-based Population Health Promotion Assessment and Documentation Guide. Jo-Anne’s long-term plans include continued research while teaching Nursing. She is considering commencing doctoral studies in the near future. Jo-Anne is a member of the College of Registered Nurses Association; committee member and past chair of CEC & Community Youth Health and Support Centre; founding committee member and past Chair of the Colchester Working Group for Youth Homelessness; and a member of the Nova Scotia Department of Health Provincial Advisory on Youth. Ms. MacDonald is the recipient of the Margaret Cragg Award (2004) associated with her volunteer and professional work; academic endeavours and research interests with youth at risk.

Cynthia Mannion
Assistant Professor, Faculty of Nursing
University of Calgary
cmannion@ucalgary.ca

Dr. Mannion completed doctoral studies at the School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition, McGill University in 2004. Her clinical and research interests concern dietary intake (food and supplements); and dietary practices of populations and associated health outcomes as they pertain to current epidemiological population health trends such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and hypertension. Her doctoral research examined dairy product restriction in pregnant and lactating women; their dietary quality; and the effect of restriction on neonatal growth parameters. She is currently investigating total calcium intake of pregnant women; the contribution of physician recommended calcium-based over-the-counter antacid medications; and the possible effect on maternal gestational hypertensive disorders. Cynthia is a Certified Childbirth Educator, International Childbirth Education Association.

Omaïma Mansi
Associate Professor, Nursing
McGill University
omaima.mansi@staff.mcgill.ca

Ms. Mansi will be a Visiting Scholar at the School of Nursing, University of Ottawa, this summer, as part of her sabbatical leave. Omaïma has extensive teaching and curriculum development experience. Her research interests are in the areas of community health, population health, social ecology and multiple interventions; tobacco control; youth and family systems; and design and measurements. She has acted as faculty advisor to the clinical placement coordinator; student academic advisor; faculty mentor; and program developer, organizer and teacher of the annual “Academic Practice Teaching Learning Evaluation Workshop Series. Omaïma is Quebec Representative on the national task force on public health education (CASN).

Patricia Marck
Assistant Professor
Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta;
Professional Practice Leader - Nursing, Royal Alexandra Hospital;
Assistant Professor, John Dossetor Health Ethics Centre
patricia.marck@ualberta.ca

Dr. Marck completed her Nursing PhD at the University of Alberta in 2000. Patricia’s research program in organizational ethics and patient safety, Safer Systems, is based out of Royal Alexandra Hospital. The program uses knowledge from practice, ethics and ecological restoration to investigate and strengthen the care environment and the delivery of care. The immediate goal is to broaden the applications of the research to all sectors of the health care system. Patricia’s nursing background includes practice, teaching, management and consulting, with clinical experience in emergency, burn, rural, and women’s health, in addition to eleven years of consulting for the Alberta Association of Registered Nurses. Dr. Marck is a member of several committees including: Royal Alexandra Foundation Grant Review; Scientific Integrity Planning, University of Alberta; Royal Alexandra Hospital Professional Practice Council; and Capital Health Advanced Nursing Practice Task Force. She was a visiting faculty member, Health Sciences, University of Hokkaido, Japan, in July 2004--Theory and Principles of Consulting: An Ecological Framework (Master’s course). Patricia is a resource to the RAH Safety & Quality Working Group; and Consultant, Capital Health, North Peace Tribal Council, Kee Tas kee Now Tribal Council, and Portage College proposal: Health Services Access Network for Northern Alberta Aboriginal Communities.

Kristine Martin-McDonald
Associate Professor, Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta
Honorary Associate Professor, University of Southern Queensland, Australia
kris.martinmcdonald@ualberta.ca

Dr. Martin-McDonald received her PhD from the University of Southern Queensland, Australia. Her thesis topic was “Finding meaning in being dialysis-dependent: A constructivist perspective.” Kristine’s research interests focus on the three forms of renal replacement therapies (RRT), peritoneal dialysis, haemodialysis and kidney transplant. Kris is looking to the internship to improve her writing and grantsmanship skills; to identify and develop specific research activities; and to develop sound resource and research team management skills, all while having an enjoyable summer.

Phyllis Montgomery
Associate Professor, School of Nursing
Laurentian University
pmontgomery@laurentian.ca

Dr. Montgomery received her PhD in Clinical Health Sciences from McMaster University in 2003. Her thesis topic was “Mothering amidst serious mental illness and suffering”, a grounded theory study. Phyllis holds a long-standing interest in situations involving people living with serious mental illness, particularly mothers. She is concerned about how to provide tertiary prevention when services for parents “at risk” in the Northeastern community are few, found in different locations, available through different mechanisms, funded by agencies operating from different assumptions. She is interested in how best to create the foundation of evidence-based practice for mothers with serious mental illness in the community. Phyllis expects the multiple interventions course to broaden her understanding of design and evaluation issues, particularly beneficial as she shifts her traditional focus beyond illness care of individuals and/or families towards a solution that integrates resources for women who mother in challenging circumstances. She anticipates having the opportunity to network with others in community health, and to become a member of an established research team. Dr. Montgomery is looking forward to making connections with researchers and policy-makers that will provide an increased understanding of knowledge translation factors.

Joanne Olson
Professor; Assistant Dean, Graduate Services,
Faculty of Nursing
University of Alberta
joanne.olson@ualberta.ca

Dr. Olson received her PhD from Wayne State University College of Nursing, Detroit, in 1993. Joanne’s term as Assistant Dean is at an end and she looks forward to the re-establishment of her research career. Her clinical interests focus on community health nursing. Her research focus has gradually shifted into the spiritual aspects of nursing and health promotion, and research related to nursing education. Joanne has been involved in the development of faith community nursing (also known as parish nursing) in Canada. She has co-developed courses to prepare nurses for the practice and for spiritual assessment in health promotion. Joanne intends to develop a program of research that could illuminate some of the contributions to the health of individuals, families, and communities that have resulted from the establishment of parish nursing ministries in Alberta and across Canada. Dr. Olson is a member of the International Nursing Doctoral Education Network and of Western Region Canadian Association of University Schools of Nursing. She is Chair of the Health Ministry Committee, and a member of the Parish Nurse Search & Selection Committee, Riverbend United Church, Edmonton.

Karen Parsons
Assistant Professor, School of Nursing
Memorial University of Newfoundland
karenp@mun.ca

Karen is in the final stages of her doctoral degree in Nursing from Rush University, Chicago. Her dissertation entitled “The lived experience of memory loss” is a qualitative study of elders in the community who are experiencing early memory loss as a result of Alzheimer’s disease or mild cognitive impairment. Karen’s interest in this area stems from her background as a community health nurse in continuing care in rural Newfoundland. She expects her career to focus on research projects that will help nurses and other health care workers more fully understand the problems elders and their families experience in their struggle to maintain independence; and developing strategic plans to assist in dealing with these problems, locally and nationally. Karen is a member of the Canadian Association of Nursing Research (CANR) and the Association of Registered Nurses of Newfoundland (ARNNL).

Shahirose Premji
Assistant Professor, School of Nursing
University of Calgary
premjis@ucalgary.ca

Dr. Premji completed her doctoral studies in Nursing at McMaster University in 2000. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship with the Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Nursing, University of Calgary in 2002. Over the past year, she has been involved in projects related to prenatal exposure to alcohol. Shahirose is a member of a research team that has developed the ENEMIES (Executive Functioning, Neuromotor, Emotional, Medical, Interpersonal, Environment, and Speech/Language) model. The model provides a new and holistic way of understanding the myriad issues associated with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). Dr. Premji is looking to the internship to help her to gain theoretical knowledge, develop research skills and partnerships to develop a multiple intervention research program for children with FASD. Shahirose is a member of the Alberta Association of Registered Nurses and the National Association of Neonatal Nurses as well as the Ladies Volunteer Corps, an Ismaili volunteer organization. (The Ismaili community in Canada is governed by volunteers under the aegis of His Highness Prince Aga Khan Shia Imami Ismaili Council for Canada, headquartered in Toronto. Local Ismaili Councils are based in BC, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec.)

Pattie Pryma
Faculty of Nursing, Mount Royal College, Calgary
ppryma@mtroyal.ca

Pattie’s varied nursing background includes several years practicing in northern Canadian and urban community health settings (Yellowknife, NT). Her current role at Mount Royal College involves exploring foreign-trained nurses’ prior learning assessments in an education and research project. Pattie wants to pursue further graduate work and research with youth and vulnerable mentally ill populations using photo-voice and photo-novella methods. She is presently establishing links and networks for her research program and is looking to the internship to increase her exposure to projects of more established researchers.

Carolyn Ross
Associate Professor
Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta
carolyn.ross@ualberta.ca

Dr. Ross completed her doctoral studies in educational psychology at the University of Alberta in 1993. The primary focus of her research is in the area of screening, assessing and treating patients with co-existing respiratory conditions and anxiety disorders. She is involved in a pilot project concerning development and evaluation of concurrent group treatment and education programs for adolescents with asthma and generalized anxiety disorder and their parents. Carolyn’s clinical background is largely in adult intensive care. Dr. Ross’s main goal is to increase her ability to participate in designing, conducting and disseminating well funded collaborative, interdisciplinary research.

Linda von Tettenborn
Faculty, Collaborative Nursing Program, Douglas College, BC
vontettenbornl@douglas.bc.ca

Linda’s interests focus on health promotion; primary and secondary prevention in chronic illnesses ranging from cancer to mental health to diabetes and heart disease; and leadership and teaching. She has a broad background in education, administration, and clinical practice. Linda has scripted, directed, and filmed approximately 40 videotapes in her positions in In-service Education. As a result of her participation in the research internship program, Linda expects to establish a working relationship with a mentor; strengthen her dissemination skills; explore innovative approaches for enhanced research uptake; and examine the role and practices of leaders in decision-making. Ms. von Tettenborn is consultant to Alberta Business Education Services, Calgary, assisting BC Resident Care Aide Inc. and Langara College with program and curriculum development and coordination. Linda is a member of the RNABC (Chair of the Provincial Nominations Committee); Canadian Nurses Association; and the Canadian Association of Nurses in Oncology. She is a member of the board of the Registered Nurses Foundation of BC; and the Langley Hospice Society.

Mark Welch
Assistant Professor
Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta
mark.welch@ualberta.ca

Dr. Welch completed his doctoral studies at the University of Western Sydney, Australia. His studies concerned “The representation of madness in Popular Film” and used critical semiotic analysis of texts. Mark’s research activities include development of advanced practitioner skills in psychiatry, the history and aesthetics of mental health, and the ethics of mental health care. He has a particular interest in issues of representation and understanding of Madness and Otherness, and the experience of, sequelae and treatment of torture and dispossession. In collaboration with Twilla Welch, Mark has written a play, “Bearing Witness”, which concerns the experiences and resolution of torture and sexual abuse. Collaboration with a film director to complete a film/multi-media performance of the script is underway. Dr. Welch’s career goals include establishment of a sustainable program of mental health research in primary and community health care settings; development of mental health early identification and intervention services; and contribution to establishment of beset practice care provision and evaluation of the body of knowledge in mental health. Mark is a member of the NSW Transcultural Mental Health Centre Research Committee; NSW Early Intervention in Psychosis Research & Evaluation Committee; NSW Early Intervention in Psychosis Training & Education Committee; and an Editorial Board member of Journal of Mental Health and Culture and Auseinet. He has worked in Australia, Denmark, Palestine, Thailand and the UK.

Marilyn White
Nurse Educator
School of Nursing, Memorial University of Newfoundland
mwhite@swgc.mun.ca

Marilyn received her master’s degree from Memorial University of Newfoundland in 2002. Her thesis was entitled “A correlational study examining the relationships among maternal breastfeeding self-efficacy, problem-solving skills, satisfaction with breastfeeding experience and duration”. She co-developed a resource package for obstetrical staff delivering breastfeeding education to postpartum mothers, entitled “Breastfeeding: First Step to a Healthier Future”. Marilyn’s clinical background includes obstetrics, pediatrics and general surgery. Her career goals include maintaining her nurse educator involvement while becoming more involved with senior community-level courses that have the potential to effect change in population health. She is interested in collaborative research, particularly in the area of women’s health. Marilyn is a member of: the Canadian Nurses Association; Atlantic Region Canadian Association of University Schools of Nursing; Newfoundland and Labrador Nurses Union; ARNNL Education and Research Trust; and the Provincial Joint Research Committee for the BN Collaborative Program.

Beverly Williams
Assistant Professor
Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta
beverly.williams@ualberta.ca

Dr. Williams completed PhD studies at the University of Alberta in 2002 and joined the Faculty of Nursing in spring 2003. Beverly’s major research interests are primary health care (how NPs support self care for individuals experiencing chronic illness) and patient and nursing education (using PBL as a learning strategy). She is the recipient of the Mu Sigma Chapter Recognition Award 2004. Bev will be focusing on developing the skills necessary for competitive grantsmanship at the national level, and on learning how to develop a cohesive program of research. Dr. Williams is a member of the University of Alberta General Faculties Council; the Teaching and Learning Committee; the Collaborative Evaluation Committee (of which she is Chair); Canadian Nurses Foundation; and the American Educational Research Association.