On September 18, 2026, students who had been awarded summer research grants presented their projects to an appreciative audience of their peers, supervisors and other faculty at the Ingram School of Nursing (ISoN) faculty. This donor-funded program is notable for being open to both graduate and undergraduate students, offering undergraduates a rare opportunity to immerse themselves in a research project while receiving one-on-one guidance and mentorship from faculty. In the process, the students developed skills such as literature reviews, data collection and analysis, research methods and academic writing.
Noting that this was the first research experience for several of the awardees, Sylvie Lambert, Associate Director – Research, said, “These annual financial awards reflect the Ingram School of Nursing’s commitment to training the next generation of researchers. Bravo to all of them and to their supervisors.”
Presentations to Faculty Development session September 18th
Nadia Di Ioia, BScN student (supervisor: Céline Gélinas)
Iatrogenic Withdrawal Syndrome (IWS) from Opioid and Sedation Therapy in Critically Ill Adults: Tool Development with Experts
Opioids and sedatives are commonly used in adult ICUs to manage pain, agitation and mechanical ventilation. It is estimated that 15-40% of ICU patients develop withdrawal syndrome, highlighting the need for proper assessment and management. Since opioid/sedative weaning and IWS protocols are not routinely available or consistently implemented in the ICU, there is a need for a feasible and valid IWS assessment tool for critically ill adults. The primary objective of this study was to describe the relevance and specificity of IWS signs and symptoms related to opioid and sedative therapy in critically ill adults, from expert perspectives, with a secondary aim of achieving clarity/agreement of proposed item definitions and identifying preferred scoring methods for possible assessment items. An interesting finding was that nurses and other healthcare professionals rated items differently, demonstrating the importance of including experts from diverse professional backgrounds in the IWS assessment process.
Yen Lee Siah, MSc(A) - Primary Care Nurse Practitioner student (supervisors: Amanda Cervantes, Argerie Tsimicalis, Alexandra Black, Annik Otis)
Civility Saves Lives
Incivility is associated with poorer team functioning, worse patient care outcomes, and has negative impacts on staff well-being. The aim of this study was to identify, translate, and synthesize evidence supporting the co-design of a sustainable, interprofessional care-culture program at the Montreal Children's Hospital of the McGill University Health Centre. Specifically, the research team’s literature review examined which program components, leadership behaviours, and educational strategies have been shown to promote civility, concluding that civility programs appear most promising when they are active, repeated, locally relevant, and visibly supported by leaders.
Marie-Soleil Belony, MSc(A) – N student (supervisors: Christine Maheu, YiQing Lü, Sheena Heeslip, Helen Martin)
Supportive Care Needs and Supportive Care Approaches for Individuals and Families Living with Li-Fraumeni Syndrome: A Rapid Review
Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS) is a rare hereditary disorder that increases cancer risk, with affected individuals having a 90% chance of developing one or more types of cancer by age 60. The burden of LFS includes psychological distress, frequent diagnostic testing leading to anxiety, difficulties participating in school and at work, and decisions around reproduction. This rapid review examined what is known about the supportive care needs of individuals with LFS and their families, and what supportive care approaches have been described to address those needs, broadening the lens beyond psychosocial outcomes to multidimensional, coordinated care that is responsive to the family system across the lifespan.
Melanie Xie, BScN student (supervisors: Irene Sarasua, Alayne Adams)
Assessing and Addressing Social Needs of Equity Deserving Populations in Primary Care
Assessing and documenting social needs is the essential first step in the social prescribing pathway, making it vital to understand how primary care providers currently assess and manage these needs. Building on earlier research with family physicians and nurse practitioners, this project expanded the scope of interviewees by including registered nurses (RNs) and social workers. The study showed that social needs assessments clash with primary care clinical realities due to time constraints and understaffing. As well, underfunded community resources limit the ability to effectively address those identified needs. More investment in community resources and in targeted structural support is needed.
Additional awardees (who were unable to present due to scheduling conflicts)
Brandianne Kelso, MSc(A) - AN student (supervisors: Annie Chevrier and Guillaume Fontaine)
Preparing and Supporting Undergraduate Nursing Students for Distressing Clinical Experiences: A Systematized Review
Steffie Chan – winner of the Anita Gagnon Summer Research Award* (supervisors: John Kayser and Sylvie Lambert)
Transforming Work Cultures Using a Strengths-Based and Healthcare Approach (SBNH@Work).
*Established in 2025 by the ISoN in recognition of the outstanding contributions of Anita Gagnon who served as Associate Dean and Director from 2015-2024, this award goes to a graduate student enrolled at the School with a high level of academic achievement who exhibits a keen interest in research and has been selected to participate in the School’s annual Summer Research Award program.