The following students have received JCURA awards for the coming academic year and will be working on the research projects below starting September 2017.
Caregiver Awareness to Support Elders (CARE) Project
Student: Alison White
Family support is essential for frail older adults to remain in their homes and in the community. Family caregivers are the backbone of home care and provide 90% of support needed by older adults. Caregiving is a role that families willingly take on but their support needs often go unnoticed until there is a crisis. Caregivers often become isolated as caregiving needs increase over time and support networks dwindle. Yet caregivers often go unnoticed within our healthcare system. The purpose of this research project is to implement an intervention to raise caregiver awareness and develop caregiver champions in primary healthcare settings and community organizations who can identify caregivers and refer them for support and services. By identifying caregivers earlier, support can be provided to avert crises and allow them to continue caring for their family member.
Students will be involved in:
Developing an ethics application
Implementing educational training with caregiver champions
Assisting with data collection on caregivers
Working with researchers to analyze data
Developing presentations for knowledge dissemination
Faculty/researchers:
Debra Sheets, Ph.D., MSN, RN, FAAN; Melie De Champlain, RN, MN, Director, Community Integration, Island Health- Cowichan; Barb McLean, Executive Director, Family Caregivers of BC; Marilyn Malone, MD, Geriatrician, Island Health
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Nurses’ Experiences with Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD)
Student: Cedar McMechan
The purpose of this study is to understand the range of nurses’ experience of either providing care for a patient who has chosen medical assistance in dying (MAiD), or declining to participate in MAiD. Findings will generate knowledge of how nurses are being impacted personally and professionally, their perceptions of nursing roles and responsibilities, and what gaps in knowledge and skills exist related to MAiD. A qualitative design using narrative inquiry (Riessman, 2008) and thematic analysis (Braun & Clark, 2009) will be used. Participants will include approximately 20-30 licensed nurses (RNs, NPs, LPNs, and RPNs) employed in Island Health who have cared for a patient pursuing MAiD at home or in an institutional care setting or nurses who have made a conscious decision to not participate. Findings will add to the literature, provide direction for nurses and managers in this new clinical and legal reality, and support an application for a larger study of MAiD (interdisciplinary team and family perspective) across BC Health Authorities.
Students may be involved in:
Assisting with a scoping review of nursing students’ perspectives on assisted dying
Developing an ethics application for focus groups with nursing students.
Conducting focus groups with first year and fourth year students exploring perspectives on assisted dying.
Working with researchers to analyze data using thematic analysis
Faculty/researchers:
Anne Bruce RN, PhD; Rosanne Beuthin RN, PhD, Island Health; Margaret Scaia RN, PhD.
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Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes of General Dentists and Dental Hygienists in British Columbia Regarding Oral Health Care During Pregnancy
Student: Rachel Wright
This pilot study is part of a larger program of research looking at oral health during pregnancy and is being conducted in partnership with Island Health. The work for this study is already underway. The instrument has been field tested and ethical approval has been received. We will be starting with recruiting and data collection. Research question: What are the knowledge, skills and attitudes of general dentists and dental hygienists in British Columbia regarding oral health care during pregnancy? Objectives of study. 1) To determine baseline knowledge, attitudes and practices related to oral health care during pregnancy of general dentists and dental hygienists; and 2) To identify the barriers and facilitators to accessing oral health care that are identified by general dentists and dental hygienists. Methodology. The primary form of data collection is an online survey. This survey was developed using validated questions gathered from previously distributed oral health surveys. It has been field tested in Island Health dental clinics. Study sample. This research study will use a non-probability convenience sample. Inclusion criterion for the study participants are that they are currently registered dentists and dental hygienists in British Columbia.
Student activities:
update literature review
analyze data – descriptive statistics
prepare knowledge translation resources – JCURA poster, powerpoint for Island Health team, infographic, final project report, possible peer reviewed publication
meetings with Island Health public health dental team
Faculty/researchers:
Lenora Marcellus, Ph.D., MN
From the 2017 Spring & Summer Communiqué — Research Edition
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