Meet Our Students

Shannon Moore RN, BSN, MA

Master of Science in Nursing Student

Shannon was kind enough to share her experience as an MSN student at UBCO:

What memories stand out most from your MSN?

The most impactful memories from my MSN are moments where I was able to connect nursing academic concepts and research to real world experiences. It was very validating and empowering to see that my academic colleagues had provided solid evidence of dynamics I was experiencing, sometimes feeling like I was the only one. Through my MSN, I was inspired by the faculty and the course content to improve my skills around how to take evidence and turn it into the change in nursing and healthcare that I had somewhat given up on before starting my graduate studies. Overall, the process of my MSN was very healing and re-ignited my passion for the nursing profession.

What have you been working on since completing your MSN?

I am fortunate to be working in two very interesting roles: working with the UBCO School of Nursing as an Adjunct Professor developing and teaching a new suite of micro-credential programs for Primary Care Nursing and as a Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) with NNPBC’s Nursing Initiatives for Primary Care. I am passionate and want to be involved in all things Primary Care Nursing, and I believe that advancing the role and scope of these nurses is a key to combating the primary care crisis. Completing my MSN has brought career opportunities in that vein that I hadn’t really even considered.

What advice do you have for a nurse considering taking an MSN?

If you’re thinking about it – just do it! The process of completing an MSN can be transformative in ways you don’t realize until you’re doing it. Practically speaking (because I am a nurse!), the UBCO MSN part-time option is very flexible and manageable while still working and having a busy life – it will be worth it!

Casey Hewes RN, BSN, MBA

PhD in Nursing Student

Casey is a proud father who is deeply grateful to raise his children as an uninvited guest on Syilx Territory, also known as Vernon. He is Nehiyaw (Cree) and mixed European from Treaty 6 Territory and a PhD candidate whose research focuses on cardiac health in primary care with Indigenous Peoples. Casey is incredibly grateful to his amazing research team including Dr. Rush, Dr. Hutchinson, Elder Diana and many others including the incredibly supportive team at the School of Nursing.

His academic background includes a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Hawaii. Casey began his clinical career as a cardiac nurse and later moved into nursing leadership, where he supported service lines and various care departments. His doctoral work is to support Indigenous health, with a focus on integrating Indigenous and Western worldviews and care systems. This work is so important as “I want to be a part of the transformational shift that Canadian academics and research is a rewarding journey for Indigenous researchers. I am passionate about working towards a future Canada that is more dynamic with complementary Indigenous and Western knowledge for my children and their children”. If you would like to visit with Casey, please feel free to reach out anytime, Casey.Hewes@ubc.ca.

Lisa Knox RN, BSN, MA

PhD in Nursing Student

Lisa is a UBC Okanagan alumni who completed her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree in 2014. Lisa went on to work as a Registered Nurse and completed her Perinatal Nursing Diploma at BCIT in 2015. She worked on the Women’s and Children’s Service floor at Vernon Jubilee Hospital. Lisa then relocated to Berlin to complete her Master of Arts in Social Work as a Human Rights Profession at Alice Salomon Hochschule. Her thesis focused on how social media movements such as the #MeToo campaign have affected female survivors of sexual assault.

Upon her return to Canada, Lisa became the Program Manager at Maxxine Wright Place in Surrey. Lisa worked there for just under a year, then returned to perinatal nursing. Lisa’s PhD research will focus on enhancing service delivery and resource allocation to support pregnant women and mothers with addictions from a wrap around and trauma informed approach.

Lauren Airth RN, BSN, MSN, phd

PhD in Nursing Alumni

Lauren is a Registered Nurse specialized in Mental Health and Substance Use. She completed her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2014, and her Master of Science in Nursing in 2019, both at UBC Okanagan. During this time, in 2017, she was named by the Canadian Nurses Association as one of 150 nurses in Canada leading innovation in healthcare. Her MSN thesis explored the experiences of older adults with mental health concerns in rural areas using photovoice. For her PhD, Lauren is researching the mental health impacts of climate change events in rural communities.

She continues to work in mental health and substance use acute care areas and is a Campus Health Specialist at UBCO. Additionally, she is becoming a drug-checking technician through the BC Centre for Substance Use. She is also passionate about staying active in the outdoors.

We asked Dr. Airth a few questions as graduation drew near:

What memories stand out most from your PhD?

It’s hard to pick one memory that stands out, but starting a PhD in September 2020 means that COVID played a significant part in my PhD experience. Starting a PhD at any time is intimidating, but starting one during the most uncertain times in my lifetime felt like a wild ride. The other major standout memory is initiating drug checking services through UBCO’s Harm Reduction Team (HaRT). While the world was shut down, we were building partnerships with community organizations in three different cities, building a new program in collaboration with people who use drugs while adhering to public health restrictions. It’s hard to believe we pulled that all off, and I deeply value all the partnerships and experiences that emerged from that work. It was truly life changing.

What have you been working on since completing your PhD?

I’m in an Aspiration postdoctoral fellowship with the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research at the University of Victoria, where I’m designing and evaluating a framework to better support harm reduction experiential education opportunities for university students. I am also a postdoctoral fellow with UBC’s Hein Lab to coordinate knowledge translation that bridges the gap between chemistry technology innovations and public health crises, including developing a toolkit to support universities in designing their own drug checking programs. I was lucky to also be supported by a fellowship with the BC Centre on Substance Use where I received mentorship in how to succeed as a clinician researcher seeking a faculty position. I think it’s important to give an honest answer too though, as myself and other colleagues have had conversations about this – the burnout after completing a PhD is very real, and it’s taken several months for me to feel productive again. I think this is important to normalize for folks transitioning from a PhD to the next step in their career. I’m grateful for the patience and support of my supervisors.

What advice do you have for a nurse considering taking a PhD?

I could write a book with all the thoughts that come to mind! Pursuing a PhD as a nurse is as challenging as it is fulfilling. I was driven to do my work because I was also studying a program that I was coordinating, where I was in the community daily with the folks partnering in and being impacted by the work I was doing. Being surrounded by people who understand, inspire, and challenge you is critical. Really seeing and feeling the meaning in the work is what kept me going on long days. Having a professional degree and being in a doctoral program puts you in a very different position from many other doctoral students. Transitioning from full-time nursing wages to being a student and exploring career paths in diverse areas often means adjusting your lifestyle expectations temporarily.

Madison smith BA (HONS), MPH, PhD

PhD in Nursing Alumni

Madison is a PhD in Nursing student at UBC Okanagan. She is studying under the supervision of Dr. Barbara Pesut at the Health, Ethics and Diversity Lab. Madison’s PhD work focuses on adapting the Nav-CARE program to address the needs of persons living at home with life-limiting illness and dementia. While completing her PhD, she is also working as a Research Coordinator for the STRS-EOL project. She is a Canadian Frailty Network 2020 Fellow.

Madison has a Master of Public Health degree with a focus on geriatrics and social inequities, Bachelor of Arts Honors degree, and Certificate in Criminology and Addictions. She has experience in various research positions at the Centre for Clinical Epidemiology and Evaluation, Vancouver General Hospital, BC Cancer, and the University of Saskatchewan. Madison is a published author in the Canadian Geriatrics Journal. Her most notable research has focused on examining advance care planning physician documentation and patient decision making in a home-based primary care service, as well as the use of robotic animal assisted interventions in improving the quality of life of patients with dementia in an acute care hospital setting.

Madison also has project development experience with the Lake Country Health Planning Society, a non-profit, focusing on providing community supports to seniors and their caregivers. In her spare time Madison likes to bike ride, snowboard, run, play board games, read, travel and visit with friends and family.

Now, Dr. Smith shares some insight into her PhD experience: