Dr. Kelley Kilpatrick completed a PhD in Nursing at Ï㽶ÊÓƵ in 2010, and received a post-doctoral fellowship at McMaster University in 2011 where she conducted the first pan-Canadian study describing clinical nurse specialists' roles with a team of researchers at the CHSRF/CIHR Chair Program in Advanced Practice Nursing. Dr. Kilpatrick's research focuses on team processes to open the ‘black box’ of how advanced-practice nursing roles support teams and improve care.
Why did you choose to become a nurse?
My first reason was to help people. I have always liked taking care of people, and nursing’s hands-on approach seemed like a good fit with me. I also thought that nursing would help my reach some of my personal goals. I wanted to travel and thought that nursing would allow me to do that.
What is your area of expertise or specialization and why?
As a clinician, I worked for several years in the intensive care unit before returning to graduate school. I loved the pace of work, working in a team, the challenge of working with an unstable patient, working with families in challenging situations, and the knowledge that I gained over time.
As a researcher, I look at:
1) how to implement new roles for nurses and nurses in advanced practice;
2) what effect new nursing roles have on team functioning;
3) how to expand the limits of nurses’ roles to be better meet patient/family needs while continuing to provide quality care; and
4) measuring care outcomes. I also work closely with different groups (nurses, physicians, decision-makers, regulators) to support the development of new roles for nurse practitioners and other nurses in advanced-practice roles.
What motivated you to join the faculty at the Ingram School of Nursing?
I was offered a unique opportunity with the Susan E. French Chair in Nursing Research and Innovative Practice to pursue my research that looks at team functioning and nurses in advanced-practice roles. Roles for nurse practitioners are relatively new in Québec compared to other provinces in Canada. The healthcare landscape continues to change in the province as new laws are passed. These laws determine what nurse practitioners can and cannot do. This changing landscape offers researchers a distinct perspective to better understand how different factors can influence the implementation of new roles, and ultimately affect outcomes for patients and families. The Ingram School of Nursing already has strong ties with the Ï㽶ÊÓƵ-affiliated hospitals and this is a chance for me to develop strong collaborations with all the sites.
What do you love the most about your job?
I love research. It gives me the chance to always learn new things or look at what I think I know with different eyes. It gives me the chance to work with people at different levels in healthcare and government as well as with patients and families, to identify solutions to patient care issues, apply them, and see if we make a difference.
What is something you want people to know about nursing in general?
Nursing is a dynamic profession!
Nurses make a difference for patients, families and our community.
Nursing is about knowledge, skills and competencies and also the people who provide care.