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Hi there!

I have been passionately involved with the profession of nursing in one form or another for my entire professional career. I started working with the Centre of Nursing and Health Studies in 2003 as a sessional instructor and in 2005 became an Assistant Professor and was Program Manager of the Advanced Nursing Practice Program from 2005-2010 & 2019-2021. I am involved on various levels with local, provincial, and national nurse practitioner issues, committees and organizations.

My background prior to working in advanced practice includes community health development and emergency/trauma nursing– two very different disciplines that have combined to assist in my preparation as a primary health care nurse practitioner.

I have a BScN from the University of Ottawa, an Emergency/Critical Care diploma from Red River College, an Advanced Graduate Diploma from Athabasca, and was one of the first students to receive a Masters of Health: Advanced Nursing Practice degree from AU. I completed a Doctorate of Nursing Practice degree with a concentration in Clinical Leadership from Case Western University. I have a firm belief in the scholarship of practice, and to that end maintain a part time NP practice to maintain my clinical competencies.

My research interests include job satisfaction and role transition for PHC NPs, online education methods, mobile technology in practice, resilience in practice, NP specific clinical outcomes and pharmaceutical influences for APNs.

I currently live in Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia and share my life with my paramedic husband Patrick, and two daughters.

I consider it a privilege to continue learning, sharing, and developing professionally with students and staff as we navigate together through the exceptional programs offered in the Faculty of Health Disciplines.

PRACTICE

Scholarship of Practice:
Building, Demonstrating, and Disseminating Clinical Expertise

SERVICE

Scholarship of Application:
Integrative, Mission Critical, and Community Focused

RESEARCH & SCHOLARLY ACTIVITIES

Scholarship of Discovery:
Exemplary Discipline-Specific Knowledge Curation

TEACHING

Scholarship of Teaching:
Pedagogy Driven, Evidence Based Knowledge Translation

Demonstrating Excellence in Clinical Scholarship

Somewhat unique to the nursing academic field is the fundamental requirement to remain connected to clinical practice, while ensuring the more traditional model of research through the scholarship of discovery is fostered. My vision of academic scholarship is aligned with the commitment to lifelong learning, thinking, questioning, and pursuing answers through the demonstration of exemplary nursing practice.

Using the Boyer Model of Scholarship and Paskiewicz’s (2003) Clinical Practice Model as a guide, this professional portfolio will demonstrate my commitment to the university mission, to excellence in administration, to the scholarship of discovery, the scholarship of application demonstrated through service, and the scholarship of integration demonstrated through clinical practice, service and dissemination.

Boyer’s Model of Scholarship integrates four types of scholarship to form the basis of scholarly work, contributing to effective teaching and learning. The four types of scholarship include: discovery, integration, application, and teaching (Wilkes, Mannix & Jackson, 2013).

Wilkes, Lesley & Mannix, Judy & Jackson, Debra. (2013).

Paskiewicz’s (2003) model speaks more specifically to an organizational framework that reflects the strengths of nursing practice in a faculty role and allows for consideration of the contributions of administrative roles.

Paskiewicz, L. S. (2003).