The Nursing Research Advisory Council (NRAC) for the BC Nursing Research Initiative provide recommendations to the MSFHR Board of Directors regarding strategic and funding priorities to develop capacity for and undertake practice-relevant research focused on professional nursing practice environments, nursing education, nursing workforce and related service and program initiatives.

Co-Chairs

David Byres
Vice President, Clinical Programs & Chief Professional Practice and Nursing, Providence Health Care
David Byres was appointed Chief of Professional Practice and Nursing in May 2007 and the Vice President, Clinical Programs in August 2008. David began his career at Providence Health Care as a staff nurse in 1997. He became a Patient Care Leader for Mental Health in 2001 and was then appointed as the Director of the Mental Health Program and then as the Director of Nursing Practice. David brings with him over 17 years of professional experience in the health-care field, including in the areas of mental health and nursing. His portfolio includes responsibility as the Chief Nursing Officer spanning professional practice and education for nursing as well as the senior leader responsible for professional practice in all allied health disciplines. He is also responsible for the Mental Health, Addictions and clinical HIV/AIDS programs as well at PHC's urban health and aboriginal strategies. He is responsible for the implementation of strategic directions for the mental health, addictions and HIV/AIDS programs along with nursing and allied health. He leads the continuing advancement of nursing and allied health practice and ensures the establishment, implementation and evaluation of standards of practice, quality management and academic and research advancement for professionals across Providence Health Care. David is a registered nurse who received his Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Victoria and his Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of British Columbia. He received his Masters of Science in Nursing from the University of British Columbia. He is currently the President of the Xi Eta Chapter of the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing and an executive council member of the Lower Mainland Chapter of the Canadian College of Health Service Executives. He is an Adjunct Professor at the University of British Columbia School of Nursing.

Dr. Mary Ellen Purkis
Dean & Professor, Faculty of Human and Social Development/School of Nursing, University of Victoria
Dr. Mary Ellen Purkis is the current Dean of the Faculty of Human and Social Development and a Professor in the School of Nursing. She joined the School in 1993. She has focused her inquiries on critical and interpretive studies of health care delivery. In her research, she has focused on the impact of organizational efforts to introduce “patient focused care” on the relationship that ensues between care provider and care recipient. Dr. Purkis is working with colleagues from other Schools in the Faculty of Human & Social Development as a member of a New Emerging Team (NET funded by CIHR) where her focus is on understanding the conditions necessary to support high quality inter-professional team work within the context of palliative care. She has recently completed a study investigating practices of capacity building and health care continuity within the population of people diagnosed with cancer. The study raises important questions about the place of bio-medical science in the practice of medicine, nursing and other health disciplines, particularly the ways in which issues of quality of life are set aside in favour of scientific inquiry. Dr. Purkis has written extensively on topics such as how people’s experiences of life quality are impacted by organized systems of health care. Prior to this current study located in the context of cancer care, her areas of research have been focused on in-patient surgical settings, the context of public health nursing, primary health care nurse-run centres and home nursing care. Dr. Purkis has extensive experience in graduate supervision. In total she has served on over 45 graduate committees as supervisor (11), committee member (28) or as external examiner (8).

Dave Bhauruth
Quality & Safety Leader, BC Mental Health & Addiction Services
Dave has worked in health care since 2000, becoming a Registered Psychiatric Nurse in 2005. His career has been focused within the Forensic Psychiatric Services of BC, where he has been a Direct Care Nurse, Nursing Shift Supervisor and Nurse Clinician. Since 2005, Dave has participated in various initiatives at the hospital, including a being member of the Infection Control Committee, being a staff trainer in various programs and working in multiple groups to promote positive changes within the hospital. He is a Team Leader in Code White intervention techniques and the Workplace Representative for the BC Mental Health & Addiction Services to the College of Registered Psychiatric Nurses of BC. Dave was a 2009 recipient of the Outstanding Nurse Award for BC Mental Health & Addictions Services. His dedication to improve practice at the hospital led to him joining (and subsequently volunteering to co-chair) the FPH Nursing Professional Practice Council — a group of nurses from throughout the hospital who work to bring evidence-based practice and other improvements to the care delivered at the hospital. Dave completed a Bachelor of Science in Psychiatric Nursing and is planning his next move into a graduate program to continue his ongoing professional and personal development. His interests include mental illness and the criminal justice system, concurrent disorders and violence prevention.

Jane Boutette
Primary Health Care Developer, Prince Rupert Regional Hospital
Jane has been providing direct care in the area of community health in Northern Health and has recently relocated to a very exciting role in Primary Health Care transformation. She is tasked, along with her teams and NH Leadership, with moving the team in her area to a fully integrated system of care wrapped around the patient and situated in the primary care home. Jane is committed to exploring how NH can use research and evidence to inform practice. Her background in the Academy and in Public Health Nursing will allow her to bring critical perspectives to the topics being addressed by the NRAC.

Brenda Canitz
Chief Nurse Executive and Executive Director Corporate Clinical Care and Professional Practice, BC Ministry of Health Services
Brenda's clinical experience in nursing covers med/surgery, ICU and Emergency care, primary health care in an isolated arctic community and public health nursing. She has carried out research both in the community and in universities, and taught at the baccalaureate level. She has held a series of government policy and program managerial positions in community health and paediatric community care. Most recently she worked with Health Canada as the Associate Executive Director in the Office of Nursing Policy and the Office of Nursing Services in aboriginal health in Ottawa. Her academic preparation includes psychology, nursing and a diploma as a Nurse Practitioner. Her Master’s research explored recruitment and retention issues for nurses in rural and isolated practices. Her primary areas of interest in  health care are health care service planning, health care policy, aboriginal health and palliative care.

Rhonda Croft
Long Term Care Case Manager, Interior Health Authority
Rhonda was a stay at home mother in her thirties when she decided to become a Registered Nurse. After graduating with a diploma from Okanagan College in 1992 she worked for the next several years in both acute and residential care, specializing in dementia care. Rhonda achieved her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Okanagan College in 2005 while continuing to work fulltime as a Long Term Care Case Manager in the Penticton Health Center. In 2007 she began her Master of Science in Nursing at the University of British Columbia – Okanagan where she is presently completing her Major Paper focusing on bullying  in nursing. This work will examine the main theories behind bullying in the nursing workplace and will include a plain language document summarizing a recent British Columbia Nurses Union (BCNU) survey and focus group work around the issue of bullying. Rhonda hopes to augment this document with  a series of video vignettes depicting bullying behaviors in the workplace to stimulate conversation and insight into how normalized or invisible bullying can become and to encourage dialogue leading to more respectful behavior in the workplace. Rhonda has held a Leadership position within the BCNU and continues to be a Regional and worksite representative. She is interested in nursing research especially around issues that relate to ensuring quality practice environments for all nurses.

Laurie Dokis, RN, MN (ANP)
Manager, Aboriginal Health, Vancouver Island Health Authority
Laurie began her journey in the health care sector as a clerk typist with the Faculty of Laboratory Science at the University of Alberta. Her mentor, Sister Dorothy Ryan, provided Laurie with the encouragement and skills to navigate the university environment, which saw her move into the position of Administrative Assistant with the Faculty of Medicine. She continued in her studies to obtain her Bachelors of Art in Psychology. Laurie enrolled in the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Alberta, where her interest in Aboriginal Health was fuelled by her participation on the Northern Alberta Aboriginal TB Advisory Council from 1995 to 1998. Laurie also had the honour of being the Aboriginal Nurse Liaison for two research projects conducted out of the University of Alberta — by principle investigators Dr. Anne Fanning and Dr. Nancy Gibson, respectively. Most recently, her position as Manager for Aboriginal Health with Vancouver Island Health Authority, has allowed Laurie to forward the role of advanced nursing practice — specifically the role of nurse practitioners in First Nations.  In conjunction with her Masters in Nursing, she completed a diploma in Advanced Nursing Practice in Alberta. 

Gillian Harwood
Executive Director of Professional Practice and Chief Nursing Officer, Fraser Health Authority
Gillian Harwood was appointed to the position of Executive Director, Professional Practice and Integration and Chief Nursing Officer for the Fraser Health Authority in September 2009. Gillian has held a variety of leadership roles as Executive Director for the Royal Columbian Hospital, Health Service Administrator for Burnaby Hospital and Community and Director of Patient Care at Lions Gate Hospital. Gillian started her Vancouver nursing career at St. Paul’s Hospital in Emergency and Intensive Care. She was a member of the nursing faculty at Langara College and is currently an Adjunct Professor at the University of British Columbia’s School of Nursing. Her current role in Fraser Health spans professional practice for nursing and allied health, patient and staff education, ethics, policy and research initiatives. Gillian completed her CHE designation in 2006 and is a member of the Canadian College of Health Care Leaders. Gillian received the CRNBC Award of Excellence in Nursing Administration in 2010.

Laurianne Jodouin
Director, Nursing Directorate, BC Ministry of Health Services
Laurianne Jodouin holds a Master of Science in Nursing from the University of British Columbia and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Laurentian University. She brings with her a wealth of experience in health and nursing services program planning, policy analysis and development, implementation, and evaluation. Laurianne has had a primary leadership role with several projects that introduced new programs and innovative service delivery in BC, for example, the BC Palliative Care Benefits Program, the palliative telenursing project which won the 2006 Tommy Douglas Celebration of Medicare Award, and development of the Provincial Framework for End of Life Care. She has held leadership roles in the Ministry of Health since 1988. Prior to joining the Nursing Directorate she held the position of Manager, Service Redesign, Home and Community Care Branch with the Health Authorities Division. Before joining the Ministry of Health, Laurianne was a Program Consultant and Case Manager in Long Term Care with the Vancouver Health Department. Her experience also includes being a Long Term Care Instructor and Head Nurse at Shaughnessy Hospital and clinical practice as a staff nurse at UBC Extended Care Unit, Vancouver General Hospital and Montreal General Hospital.

Martha Mackay
Clinical Nurse Specialist, St. Paul’s Hospital Heart Centre, 
Providence Health Care
Martha is a Clinical Nurse Specialist in the Heart Centre at St. Paul’s Hospital, Providence Health Care where her work encompasses all elements of advanced nursing practice including: consultation for health care professionals regarding complex nursing care; design of staff and patient education; program planning and evaluation; conduct of research (focus on behaviour change, cardiac risk factors and assessment of ischemia); formalized quality improvement; and leadership in advancement of the profession of nursing. Martha’s initial nursing education was at George Brown College in Toronto (at St. Michael’s Hospital); she has subsequently received a BSN and an MSN (1984, 1997) and is currently completing her PhD at the University of British Columbia. She is the recipient of a CIHR Clinical Research Fellowship, as well as scholarship awards from Heart & Stroke, the Canadian Nurses’ Foundation, and UBC School of Nursing. In addition to CNS activities, Martha has been a member of the UBC/Providence Health Care Research Ethics Board for nine years, twice chaired the St. Paul’s Heart Centre Accreditation Team, and is a current member of the Dynamics of Critical Care Editorial Review Board, and the Canadian Nurses’ Association Cardiovascular Exam Writing Committee. Her research interests include sex and gender differences in cardiac ischemia and cardiac risk factor modification, and she has several publications in these areas.

Dr. Barbara Pesut
Assistant Professor, Nursing, University of British Columbia Okanagan
Dr. Barb Pesut is an Assistant Professor of Nursing at the University of British Columbia, Okanagan Campus and a Canada Research Chair in Health, Ethics and Diversity. Her research focuses on ethical healthcare delivery in the context of socio-cultural diversity. Barb’s primary program of research seeks to improve end-of-life care for individuals residing in rural and remote settings. Current research projects include healthcare ethics in rural palliative care; the negotiation of spiritual and religious plurality in home health settings; and supporting family care providers in rural areas. Her research is funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. She also has interests in nursing curricular development and evaluation, having served as a Director of Nursing for six years prior to her appointment at UBC. Barb earned a BSN from the University of Victoria (1992), and an MSN (1997) and PhD (2005) from the University of British Columbia. She completed a critical care nursing certificate in 1985 and worked in the Intensive Care Unit and Post-Anaesthetic Care Unit from 1985 to 1992 and as a Clinical Nurse Educator from 1993 to 1996.

Dr. Denise Tarlier
Assistant Professor, School of Nursing, Thompson Rivers University
Dr. Denise Tarlier is an Assistant Professor in the School of Nursing at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, and a member of the Nurse Practitioner Leadership Team in the Family Nurse Practitioner program at the University of Northern British Columbia. She has a broad clinical background as a nurse and family nurse practitioner, ranging from acute care specialty practice as a perioperative nurse to primary care NP practice in northern, remote, and predominantly Aboriginal communities. Denise continues to maintain an active clinical practice as a nurse practitioner, providing locum coverage in Interior Health Authority, and through her involvement in international humanitarian health care missions. Her academic, teaching and research interests are informed by practice and include primary care nurse practitioner practice and health outcomes, especially as these relate to access and health in underserved and vulnerable populations, and social justice issues in nursing and health care. Recent publications include nursing practice and health outcomes in a remote Aboriginal community, and social justice issues in nurse practitioner practice.

Patricia Wejr
Senior Policy Analyst, BC Nurses' Union
Patricia Wejr works as a Policy Analyst for the BC Nurses’ Union (BCNU). In this role, she builds links between the union, employers, Health Authorities and government, sitting on numerous stakeholder committees and taking part in joint projects. Current initiatives include the Provincial Nursing Advisory Committee, Provincial Nursing Workload Committee, Frontline Leadership Review Committee, Residential Care Policy Committee, Care Aide Competency Project, VCH/FHA Nursing Educator Career Pathway Project Advisory Committee, and VCH Internationally Educated Nurse RN Post Licensure Advisory Committee. Previous collaborative work includes being the union representative on the research team formed by the Ministerial Committee on the Recruitment and Retention of RNs and RPNs, which resulted in the 2000 report Assess and Intervene, as well as on the Joint Advisory Committee to the Associate Deputy Minister of Health (1996 – 2000) and the Health Human Resource Advisory Committee. Prior to joining BCNU, Patricia worked as a Registered Nurse in a variety of settings including medical, surgical units, and Critical Care float pool at Vancouver General Hospital; in labor/delivery/ post-partum (Midwifery program, London, England) and at a women’s health advocacy and information centre (London, England).

Nancy Mathias
Vice-President, Programs & Business Planning, Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research

 

 

Last updated February 3, 2012