Project lead: Samantha Horvath

Supervisor: Nancy Carter

Goal: A multi-phase study to identify and describe current Ontario emergency models of care with APNs, followed by an exploration of how these models have been developed and implemented, and to gain an understanding of the involved key stakeholders perceptions

Methods:

1. Scoping review of the literature on ED APN models of care to understand patient, provider and organization outcomes
2. Explanatory sequential mixed methods study:
   • Phase 1 – Cross-sectional study to identify and describe the APN workforce and models of care in EDs across Ontario
   • Phase 2 – Qualitative interviews aimed to describe and explore the development, implementation, facilitators, barriers and perceived outcomes of ED APN models of care in Ontario

Status:

• Scoping review completed and published, International Journal of Nursing Studies https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2023.10460
• Cross-sectional study finalized – in press, Canadian Journal of Nursing Leadership Fall 2025 issue
• Qualitative interviews finalized – mixed methods findings publication in progress

Project lead: Franziska Geese

Supervisor: Denise Bryant-Lukosius, Sabine Hahn, Sandra Zwakhalen 

Goal: To inform decision-makers in policy, health human resources, and management for the effective delivery of cancer services in Switzerland by examining the current state of the advanced practice nurse cancer care workforce

Methods:

1. Systematic Review with narrative synthesis to summarize the latest evidence about advanced practice nurses’ job satisfaction in cancer care.
2. Cross-sectional study to describe structures (e.g., APN role and service characteristics and their utilization), processes (e.g., role activities and interventions), and perceived outcomes (e.g., role contributions, psychosocial well-being, job satisfaction, intent to stay) of the advanced practice nurse cancer care workforce in Switzerland.
3. Qualitative focus group study with advanced practice nurses in cancer care to describe the implementation of their role and the factors experienced that influence their clinical practice, job satisfaction, and psychosocial well-being.
4. Qualitative interview study with healthcare decision-makers to describe their perceptions of advanced practice nurses and how they can be utilized to improve the delivery of cancer services and patient health outcomes in Switzerland.

Status:

• Systematic Review finalized – published.
• Cross-sectional study finalized – results are partly published; second publication in progress.
• Qualitative focus group study finalized – publication in progress.
• Qualitative interview study finalized – publication in progress.

Project lead: Laura Hako

Supervisor: Krista Jokiniemi & Hannele Turunen

Goal: To examine and describe CNS capabilities in the international context

Methods:

1. A mixed method systematic review on advanced practice nurse capabilities to explore the published literature about capabilities in advanced practice nursing roles
2. A qualitative descriptive study to describe and explore the perspective of CNSs about the capabilities and the development of them
3. CNS capability scale construction and content validation

Status:

• Mixed method systematic review completed and published
• Qualitative descriptive study completed, manuscript in progress
• Scale construction and content validation in progress

Project lead: Carole Michalski-Monnerat

Supervisor: Cedric Mabire & Denise Bryant-Lukosius

Goal: To inform the features of a new model of APN-led transitional care to promote workload-capacity balance, improve patient health outcomes, and reduce inappropriate use of healthcare services following discharge from hospital for patients diagnosed with one or more chronic health conditions

Methods:

1. Retrospective quantitative study and qualitative opinion pool to determine the priority patient population which may benefit the most from a new model of transitional care led by an APN from hospital to home
2. Scoping review to understand how advanced practice nurses promote and assess capacity-workload balance for adult patients with multiple chronic conditions
3. Stakeholder consensus on priority goals for improving the transition from hospital to home, by identifying the gaps between the current model of care and the priority unmet needs of patients and health professionals (qualitative study)
4. Stakeholder engagement workshops to define the features of the new model of APN-led transitional care
5. Surveys to examine the advisory group experience in co-designing a new model of care

Status:

• Retrospective study and opinion pool – published
• Scoping review – submitted Sept 2025
• Stakeholder consensus on priority goals – finalized
• Qualitative study – in the process of writing
• Stakeholder engagement workshops – finalized
• Features of the new model of transitional care – in the process of writing
• Survey – finalized

Project lead: Amanda Santos

Supervisor: Ruth Martin-Misener

Goal: To examine models of care with NPs in Alberta’s EDs. This research aims to inform the development of specialized certification programs, alongside policy and practice decisions for NPs working in this setting. Ultimately, the objective is to enhance patient care and optimize resource utilization within EDs across the province

Methods:

1. Mixed-methods, exploratory sequential research design

Status:

• Successfully completed the comprehensive exam and currently developing the research proposal 

Project lead: Consuelo Cerón

Supervisor: Denise Bryant-Lukosius

Goal: To provide evidence-based recommendations to inform health decision-making and policies for optimal APN role implementation to improve Chilean PHC by exploring the perspectives and challenges identified by relevant stakeholders

Methods:

1. Conduct an Interpretive Critical Synthesis of the existing literature to develop an explanatory framework on the conditions under which the PEPPA framework has been used or described in health policies and decision-making related to APN roles
2. Conduct a descriptive qualitative study to describe and understand Chilean stakeholders’ perceptions of the role that advanced practice nurses could play in PHC, identifying facilitators, barriers and challenges related to health policy and labor market issues
3. Through the Consensus Method, reach consensus on recommendations and action plan to overcome the main obstacles and challenges for the implementation of APN role in PHC identified from the interviews, prioritizing strategies to advance in the formulation of policies that support APN role implementation

Project lead: Rini Dass

Supervisor: Denise Bryant-Lukosius

Goal: The aim of this study is to identify and examine how reporting structures impact NP role implementation, job satisfaction, and intention-to-stay in hospital-based settings in Canada

Methods:

An explanatory sequential mixed-methods study design will be used to examine reporting structures and NPs’ experiences within these reporting structures.

1. Cross-sectional survey across Canada to identify the types and characteristics of NP reporting structures in varied practice contexts and to examine their relationship to job satisfaction, intent-to-stay as a proxy measure for retention, and NP role implementation
2. A qualitative descriptive study to examine NPs’ experiences of working within a reporting structure in a hospital-based setting

Status:

• Phase 1, cross sectional survey completed and currently undergoing data analysis.

Project lead: Salma Almukhaini

Supervisor: Ruth Martin-Misener, Lori Weeks

Goal: Role development and utilization of Master’s-prepared Omani nurses working in clinical settings in Oman governmental health care system: a multiple case study

Methods:

1. Multiple Case studies involved two hospitals.
   • Scoping review aimed to map available evidence about advanced practice nursing role in Arab countries in the Eastern Mediterranean  region: Published in evidence synthesis 
   • Online survey targeting master’s-prepared Omani nurses (Manuscript submitted to  Nurse Education Today, April 2024)
   • Semi-structured individual interviews with Master’s-prepared Omani nurses, their policymakers/managers/ and co-workers and nurse educators.
   • Document review (e.g., nursing career pathway and job descriptions)

Status:

• PhD thesis completed and submitted to Dalhousie university on November 2023; currently in embargo state 

Outputs:

• The scoping review is published
• A manuscript title ” role development and utilization of master’s-prepared Omani nurses working in clinical settings : a multiple case study” accepted for publication in Journal of Nursing Education and Practice April 2024
• A manuscript title: “factors impacting the role development and utilization of master’s prepared Omani nurses: a multiple case study” submitted for publication in Nursing Forum January 2024
• A manuscript title ” utilization of master’s prepared Omani nurses: a national survey”  submitted for publication in Nurse Education Today”

Project lead: Isabelle Savard

Supervisor: Kelley Kilpatrick

Goal: This study aims to understand how PHCNPs add value to the care provided to people in vulnerable situations. The objectives are to: 1) explore the perceptions of different stakeholders regarding what value PHCNPs add when providing care to people in vulnerable situations; 2) understand how individual and organizational characteristics influence stakeholder perceptions of the value of PHCNP care to people in vulnerable situations; and 3) empirically test a proposed conceptual framework of how PHCNPs add value to care to people in vulnerable situations.

Methods: A descriptive multiple case study was conducted involving two clinics where PHCNPs work with people in vulnerable situations, following a pilot study. Data collection tools, informed by a conceptual framework, were tested and adapted during the pilot. Each case included institutional document reviews, 20-30 hours of non-participant observations, and 20 individual semi-structured interviews with patients, clinical staff, and decision-makers. Thematic analysis was conducted for each case and compared across cases to identify similarities and differences, ensuring rigor through a detailed study protocol, multiple data sources, and an audit trail.

Status:

• Data collection is completed
• Analysis and thesis writing are in progress