this report, this investment has paid off as our members excel in securing research grants and awards. Our members continue to publish in high journals and are highly cited by other researchers. These are certainly exciting times for our centre and all its mem-bers!

In 1985, I was appointed the First Director of the Manitoba Centre for Nursing and Health Research (then known as the Manitoba Nursing Research Institute). Over the years, I have seen tremendous growth in the Centre in its mem-bership, activities, resources and services. The Centre has generat-ed considerable “buzz” across the university campus and the prov-ince and many faculties are quite envious of the rich resources and services that the MCNHR has. It is absolutely exciting to spend my last research and academic year, serving as the Acting Direc-tor of the MCNHR and to be part of the energy and excitement that comes from being part of such a vibrant centre. Over this past year, the MCNHR has continued to flourish in providing a wealth of resources and services to mem-bers largely through the ever dedicated and talented staff at the MCNHR. As shown throughout

Faculty of Nursing,

University of Manitoba

89 Curry Place

Winnipeg, MB R2T 2N2

Tel: 204.474.9080

Fax: 204.474.7683 mcnhr@cc.umanitoba.ca

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I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E :

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U N I V E R S I T Y O F M A N I T O B A

MANITOBA CENTRE FOR NURSING AND HEALTH RESEARCH

M A R C H 2 0 1 2

S P E C I A L

P O I N T S O F

I N T E R E S T :

Briefly highlight your point of

interest here.

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interest here.

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interest here.

In 1985, I was appointed the First Director of the Manitoba Centre for Nursing and Health Research (then known as the Manitoba Nursing Research Insti-tute). Over the years, I have seen tremendous growth in the Centre in its mem-bership, activities, resources and services. The Centre has generated considera-ble “buzz” across the university campus and the province and many faculties are quite envious of the rich resources and services that the MCNHR has. It is absolutely exciting to spend my last research and academic year, serving as the Acting Director of the MCNHR and to be part of the energy and excite-ment that comes from being part of such a vibrant centre. Over this past year, the MCNHR has continued to flourish in providing a wealth of resources and services to members largely through the ever dedicated and talented staff at the MCNHR. As shown throughout this report, this investment has paid off as our members excel in securing research grants and awards. Our members continue to publish in high impact journals and are highly cited by other researchers. These are certainly exciting times for our centre and all its members!

Message from the Director U N I V E R S I T Y O F M A N I T O B A

MANITOBA CENTRE FOR NURSING

AND HEALTH RESEARCH

M A R C H 2 0 1 2 D I R E C T O R ’ S R E P O R T

D R . L E S L E Y

D E G N E R

A C T I N G D I R E C T O R

& A S S O C I A T E

D E A N , R E S E A R C H

Faculty of Nursing,

University of Manitoba

89 Curry Place

Winnipeg, MB

R2T 2N2

Tel: 204.474.9080

Fax: 204.474.7683 mcnhr@cc.umanitoba.ca

P A G E 2

2011 Faculty of Nursing

Research Highlights Some of our faculty’s major research accomplishment over 2011: The Faculty of Nursing has seen a 24% growth in the number of research grants applica-

tions submitted by faculty members as either PI or co-investigators (from 43 in 2010 to 61 in 2011). 

In 2010, the FON had 58% success rate on grant submissions (23 out of 43 grants) and 2011 appears to be as promising with 61 grants submitted of which to date 29 were funded, 12 were not funded and 20 are still under review. 

Between 2004 and 2010, research funding administered by the FON rose from approxi-mately $680,000 to more than $2 million.

7 for 7! Since 2010, researchers in the Faculty of Nursing have submitted seven CIHR Meetings Grant application and all have been successful in receiving funding.

"These are exciting times for our Faculty!” said Dr. Lesley Degner. “The linkage between faculty research efforts and community based initiatives indicate our serious commitment to mounting research agendas informed by local health issues, but ones that are also highly relevant across Canada. We are grateful to CIHR for providing us with the funding required to take this consultative approach as we develop and extend our research programs.”.

From left: Dr. Donna Martin, Dr. Lynn Scruby, Ms Diane Cepanec (Research Coordinator, MCNHR), Dr. Elaine Mordoch, & Dr. Lesley Degner (Acting Associate Dean, Research, and Director, MCNHR)

P A G E 3

The EMUD Universe EMÜD (prounced “e-mood”) is a virtual environment and adventure game that offers a platform where children suffering from cancer can safely and privately engage with their peers and express their feelings without con-cern. It provides them with the opportunity to cope with their different ways of feeling in an environment that promotes creativity, control, and a sense of accomplishment. The game is currently being developed by Dr.

Roberta Woodgate, with funding from the Canadian Institute for Health Research. EMUD has brought important recognition to Dr. Woodgate, the Faculty of Nursing and the University of Manitoba as it has been featured in several local and national newspapers as well as Maclean’s magazine.

The EMUD Universe is a virtual world and game that allows young people with cancer to create their own avatars and explore up to seven virtu-al fantasy worlds while at the same time an-swering specially engineered questions about their psychological state. This novel approach with a focus on using an interactive online virtual world and game has the potential to lead to more effective symptom identification and man-agement and improved quality of life thereby having a positive impact on the lives of children suffering from cancer. Furthermore, it holds great promise in application to other clinical child populations.

Using Innovative Technology in Research

Paro Since 2008, MCNHR researchers Dr. Lorna Guse (Faculty of Nursing), Dr. Elaine Mordoch (Faculty of Nursing), and Dr. Kerstin Rogers (Faculty of Human Ecology) have been exploring the benefits of using a social assis-tive robotic seal with residents with cognitive limitations/dementia living in a personal care home as a means to improve communication and social in-teractions. Their work has also looked at both family members and staff members perspectives of the benefits of using the robotic seal with residents. Paro,is a highly sophisticated and realitistic-looking robotic baby-harp seal whose body is covered with more than 100 sensors that can respond to touch, light and sounds. When you stroke or pet Paro, the sensors send information to the computer where it is stored in long-term memory. Paro responds to your touch by becoming animated and interactive.

It moves its head and body, blinks its large soft eyes and coos adoringly at you. The more you touch Paro, the more responsive Paro is because of the memory function. Other in-built sensors allow Paro to respond to sight, sound, posture and even tem-perature. Interest in how robotics can enhance care is growing . More than 1000 units have been sold to nursing home and hospitals across Japan, Europe and the United States and Deer Lodge Centre is the only Canadian facility to have pur-chased 2 units. MCNHR researchers in conjunction with Deer Lodge Centre have begun work that is the first of its kind in this country.

M A N I T O B A C E N T R E F O R N U R S I N G A N D H E A L T H R E S E A R C H

From left: Dr. Guse, Dr. Mordoch, & Dr. Rogers

P A G E 4

Research Chairs

With a MHRC Chair in Care-giver Communication being awarded to Dr. Michelle Lob-chuk in 2011, the Faculty of Nursing now holds three re-search chair awards including Dr. Maureen Heaman’s Chair in Gender and Health and Dr. Roberta Woodgate’s Chair in Child and Youth Health and Illness.

UofM Faculty of Nursing Publish in Top Rated Journals! In an analysis of 2010 faculty publications, 76% of publications

were in journals with an above average impact factor and 52% were in top rated journals.

Michell Lobchuk MHRC Chair in Family Caregiver

Communication

Maureen Heaman CIHR Chair in Gender and Health

Roberta Woodgate MHRC Chair in Child Youth

Health and Illness

M A N I T O B A C E N T R E F O R N U R S I N G A N D H E A L T H

As a faculty member and research affiliate of the MCNHR I have benefited over the years by the services offered by the centre. I particu-larly appreciated the opportuntity to have early drafts of a grant reviewed…” Wanda Chernomas, Associate Professor

The MCNHR has been directly instrumental in helping faculty, as well as research and profes-sional affililiates to develop complelling research ideads, effec-tively capture these ideaas in competitive grant proposal, ex-cecute fundend projects and programs, and

UofM Faculty of Nursing Among the Most Highly Cited! In a 2009 analysis of all citations received by Canadian appointed nursing researchers: 3 of U of M nursing faculty are in the top 20 Canadian nursing aca-

demics for number of citations of first authored publications 5 out of 20 most highly cited papers by Canadian nursing academics

were authored by U of M nursing faculty members (Source: Hack, T.F., Crooks, D., Plohman, J., Kepron, E. Research citation analysis of nursing academics in Canada: Identifying success indicators (2010) Journal of Advanced Nursing, 66 (11), pp. 2542-2549)

Chair Awards enable researchers to devote more time to their re-search and help attract talented students to the Faculty of Nursing.

As a faculty member and research affiliate of the MCNHR I have benefited over the years by the ser-vices offered by the centre. I particularly appreciated the opportunity to have early drafts of a grant reviewed…” Wanda Cher-nomas, Associate Profes-sor & Research Affiliate

Personally, I have benefit-ted from attending the research seminar series via Telehealth...The op-portunity to learn about research activities within the province and to learn about the larger initiatives that are taking place is exciting and informative.” Asha Pereria, Professional Affiliate

In completing a graduate degree, the MCNHR of-fered valuable in-services, workshops and individual meeting time. The value of MCNHR support is with SPSS, ethics, budgeting and other research strate-gies that contribute to graduate student suc-cess….” Elsie Duff, PhD Candidate & Research Affiliate

”The MCNHR has been directly instrumental in helping faculty, as well as research and professional affiliates to develop com-pelling research ideas, effectively capture these ideas in competitive grant proposal, execute funded projects and programs, and disseminate our re-search findings. “

Michelle Lobchuk, Asso-ciate Professor & Re-search Affiliate

DID YOU KNOW... In 2011 the MCNHR : *Assisted in preparing over 50 grant applica-tions *Conducted 20 litera-ture searches for mem-bers *Assisted in preparing 9 research poster presen-tations *Ran 20 seminars and 9 professional develop-ment sessions *Managed 42 grants accounts *Assisted in preparing 7 research ethics applica-tions *Provided over 50 re-search and statistical consultations

M A N I T O B A C E N T R E F O R N U R S I N G A N D H E A L T H R E S E A R C H

P A G E 5

Awards & Distinctions by

MCNHR Members in 2011

Dr. Thomas Hack, Professor, Faculty of Nursing received the title of Honorary Professor at the University of Central Lanchashire in the UK for his contributions to cancer nursing and psychosocial oncology.  

 

Faculty of Nursing and MCNHR members, Drs. William Diehl-Jones and Genevieve Thompson were awarded an CRNM Excellence in Professional Nursing Award for their out-standing research work.

Dr. W. Dean Care, Dean & Professor of Health Studies at Brandon University and member of the MCNHR was awarded the College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba (CRNM) Board of Director’s Award of Distinction at the CRNM Awards Dinner and Banquet in May 2011.

  

Dr. Diana Clarke, Associate Dean, Research and Director of the MCNHR received a Association of Commonwealth Uni-versities, Titular Fellowship to support her research adminis-trative leave in the UK, making her one of only three Univer-sity of Manitoba Researchers to have received this prestig-ious award

  

Dr. Roberta Woodgate, Professor, Faculty of Nursing was selected as the winner of the 2011 University of Manitoba Qualitative Research Group (QRG) Award for demonstrating continued excellence in research as well as mentoring of stu-dents and Faculty alike.

Congratulations to Dr. Annette Schultz, Assis-tant Professor, Faculty of Nursing for receiving an 2011 Rh Award for “Outstanding Contribu-tions to Scholarship and Research in the Health Sciences Category.” Dr. Schultz is the forth faculty member RH recip-ient in last 8 years (Roberta Woodgate 2004, Maureen Heaman 2006, Michelle Lobchuk 2009) In addition, Dr. Lesley Degner (2005) is a recipi-ent of the prestigious Dr. John M. Bowman Winni-peg Rh Institute Founda-tion Medal for Excellence in Research

Congratulations!

2012 Researcher in Residence P A G E 6

 

Dr. Nancy Edwards of the Universi-ty of Ottawa will be here from May 7, 2012 until May 10 as the 2012 Researcher in Residence. In addi-tion to the public lectures and work-shops as advertised, there are a number of spots in the schedule in which appointments to consult with Dr. Edwards regarding research

projects or ideas are available. Please contact the MCNHR to book an appointment. 

Third Annual Graduate

3rd Annual Graduate Student Poster Competition The 3rd Annual MCNHR Graduate Student Research Poster Competition will be held in conjunction with events of the Dr. Helen Glass 2012 Researcher in Residence. Poster judging will occur on May 9, 2012 from 8:30-10:30. There are book store gift certificates for the three top posters : Gold winner $500 gift certifi-cate, Silver winner $300 gift certificate and Bronze winner $200 gift certificate

Date: May 8, 2012, Time: 4:30 hours, Loca-tion: Fort Garry Hotel, 222 Broadway Avenue (prior to Dr. Nancy Ed-wards Reception and Pub-lic Presentation)

What Makes Community Health Interventions Work? Date: May 8, 2012 Time: 5pm Reception, 6-7pm Presentation Location: The Fort Garry Hotel, 222 Broadway

A Health Equity Agenda for Multiple Intervention Research: Challenges and Opportunities Date: May 9, 2012 Time: 10:30 am - 11:30 am Location: 370 Helen Glass Centre

Workshop: Developing Programs of Research Date: May 7, 2012 Time: 10:30am - 12:00pm Location: 202 Helen Glass Centre for Nursing

Presentations by Dr. Nancy Edwards

MCNHR Members Meeting

MCNHR members at 2011

Annual Members Meeting

Intervention Research Date: May 9, 2012 Time: 1 pm - 4pm Location: 210 Helen Glass Centre for Nursing

M A N I T O B A C E N T R E F O R N U R S I N G A N D H E A L T H R E S E A R C H

Summer Research Internships Between May and August, the MCNHR ran its Summer Internship Program for a second year. The MCNHR would like to extend its thanks to all faculty that participated in the summer internship program through requests for research support. Special thanks to our dedicated faculty mentors (Donna Martin, Marie Edwards, Elaine Mordoch and Bev Temple) for making this year’s Summer Internship Program a huge success! Finally, a big thank-you to our summer interns, Angela Miller, Denae Warkentin and Alison Kirk for all their outstanding work.

Graduate Student Research Poster Competition

The MCNHR Graduate Student Research Poster Competition provides a forum to showcase graduate student research recently completed or in progress. The 2nd Annual Graduate Student Poster Competition was held in conjunction with events of the 2011 Dr. Helen Glass Researcher-in-Residence, Dr. Mary Canales.

Judges: Bev Temple, Jo-Ann Lapointe-McKenzie and Lindsey Hoogsteen.

2011 Winners Hamideh Bayrampour and Maureen Heaman, MCNHR Graduate Student Research Poster Competition Gold Award ($400) “Comparison of percep-tion of pregnancy risk of nulliparous women in advanced maternal age and younger age” Karen Throndson and Jo-AnnSawatzky, MCNHR Graduate Student Re-search Poster Competition Gold Award ($400) “Exploring the health behav-iors practices of elective ad-hoc percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) pa-tients”

Patricia Gregory and Maureen Heaman, MCNHR Graduate Student Re-search Poster Competition Bronze Award ($200) “A comparison of health practices in pregnant women with and without complications of pregnancy”

Engaging Students in Research