On September 19, 2025, five recipients of the 2025 Summer Student Research Awards presented their projects at a faculty development workshop. And while each of their projects were different, the students were perfectly aligned in one respect – their profound appreciation for the experience of taking a deep dive into research.
As noted by Sylvie Lambert, Associate Director – Research for the School, the popularity of this donor-funded program grows with each passing year. “The application process is extremely competitive, particularly among undergraduate students, who often do not have the opportunity to engage in research at this stage in their nursing journeys.” The students acquire valuable skills in all aspects of research from literature reviews, data collection and analysis, research methods and academic writing. Judging by the enthusiasm of the students and the quality of the work presented, the program’s goal of increasing interest in nursing research as a possible career option and encouraging future PhD studies has been met.
Anita Gagnon, former Associate Dean and Director of the Ingram School of Nursing, was on hand to congratulate all the students, including Claire Womboldt, winner of the Inaugural Anita Gagnon Summer Student Research Award. An internationally recognized expert in maternal-child health research, Professor Gagnon served as Associate Dean and Director, Ingram School of Nursing, from 2015-2024. Over this nine-year period, Professor Gagnon’s leadership of the School was marked by many milestones including the move from Wilson Hall to modern and spacious quarters at 680 Sherbrooke West, the introduction of the Bachelor of Nursing Integrated Online Program – McGill’s first fully online program – donor support for innovative projects such as the School’s network of community nurse-led clinics, and the establishment of the Office of Social Accountability in Nursing.
Prof. Gagnon was thoroughly impressed by what she saw and heard. “The presentations were excellent - Interesting and varied. The students knew their material and were confident in answering questions.”
Following the presentations, Lynne McVey, Associate Dean and Director of the School, unveiled the portrait of Anita Gagnon, which hangs on the Wall of Honour beside McGill Nursing’s distinguished leaders.
Summary of presentations
When Cancer Meets Self-Employment Challenges and Supports Needed
Bursary Winner: Celina Jiayu Huang, BScN – U3
Supervisor: Professor Christine Maheu
The purpose of this study was to capture cancer survivors’ lived realities and highlight opportunities to reduce financial and employment vulnerability for Canada’s self-employed population. Self-employed cancer survivors face reduced financial well-being, reduction in productivity, loss of professional fulfilment and risk of burnout, and an inability to sustain their business in the long run. The study points to the need for intervention strategies and support for self-employed cancer survivors.
Preserving Academic Integrity in an Online Environment
Bursary winner: William Kallianiotis, BScN - U2
Supervisors: Professors William Archambault, Maria Damian, Oxana Kapoustina, and YiQing Lü
The rapid expansion of online learning, accelerated by COVID and generative AI, has led to concerns about the academic integrity of online assessments. To address this gap, a global environmental scan of published literature on this topic was conducted, and three main categories of proposed solutions were identified. The next step is to conduct further research into the effectiveness of each solution and compare which provides the greatest overall value relative to its cost
Overview of Emerging Trends in Nursing Curricula
Bursary winner: Andrea Lian, BScN – U3
Supervisors: Professors Oxana Kapoustina, Mélanie Gauthier, Lia Sanzone, Maria Damian, Kimani Daniel, Bruna Fernandes, Dr. Samira Feizi and Librarian Ms. Sabine Calleja
The COVID pandemic and post-pandemic period pose fundamental challenges to our overwhelmed health care system as well as opportunities for nurses to become champions in genomics, palliative care and primary care. This study examined emerging trends in nursing curricula in Canada as well as the importance of training students to develop leadership skills and their identities as nurses.
What are the best ways to teach vascular access and infusion nursing (VAIN) to novice nurses in entry to practice programs?
Student: Rawane Soboh, MSc(A) – N (direct entry)
Supervisors: Caroline Marchionni (RN, MScA), Mélanie Gauthier (RN, BScN)
While vascular access – IV and catheter insertions – is a core skill, uneven training and nursing knowledge gaps result in failure rates, safety issues and complications (phlebitis, infiltration). Through a comprehensive review of articles on vascular insertion teaching methods, this study sought to identify the most effective vascular access training program.
Inaugural Anita Gagnon Student Summer Research Award
Student: Claire Womboldt, MScN(A) – N (direct entry) - winner of the
Supervisor: Professor Andraea van Hulst
Co-design of a Service Satisfaction & Impact Evaluation Survey for La Maison Bleue
La Maison Bleue is a community-based perinatal health organization in Montreal serving families in vulnerable circumstances during pregnancy and until the child reaches the age of 5. The organization offers a multidisciplinary model combining medical (MD, RN, and midwife), social, psychoeducational, and legal services. The organization is committed to a parent-partner research model. Low participation in patient satisfaction surveys due to linguistic diversity, low literacy and limited patient involvement in survey design had been identified previously as problematic. The aim of this study was to test the feasibility of a creating a parent-partner co-designed satisfaction survey for users of La Maison Bleue’s services