ARNNL Education Research Grant

While I had completed a Bachelor of Science degree prior to becoming a nurse, I decided to enter the nursing profession, fostered by my belief that I could make a positive difference to the nursing culture that I saw before me. This ultimately proved to have been the right decision. After graduating with my Bachelor of Nursing, it was my experience as a Registered Nurse in northern, remote areas of Canada where I gained new levels of appreciation for the value and potential of nursing. It was in these autonomous primary care/community health settings that I felt respected, essential, and empowered to improve the health of the populations I served.   

There was an element of care that I found particularly valuable to improving access and quality of care for populations in northern, remote areas – and that was virtual care. While I recognized the equity concerns surrounding virtual care, I saw potential for this innovative mode of healthcare delivery to improve nursing care for these populations and many others. Drawing on my pragmatic lens, I allowed my clinical experiences and current involvement with virtual nursing practice programs to inform and guide my PhD interests. My doctoral work will explore the status and evolution of virtual care for nurses practicing in primary care settings. I anticipate that this work will build a foundation to support the integration and optimization of nurses in virtual care delivery; and will support change in policy and education to ensure nurses are supported and guided through new, digital healthcare initiatives. In particular, I hope my doctoral research and future related projects will improve the quality of care for rural and remote populations of Canada.