Cardiovascular Nursing Research and Education

Ninety percent of Canadians have at least one risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and it is one of the leading causes of death and hospitalization for Canadians. Preliminary studies have shown that nurses with specialized knowledge and skill in the care of cardiovascular patients have a tremendous impact on patient outcomes across the continuum of care. How much more could we improve the quality of life for all Canadians if we could enhance high standards of practice for cardiovascular nursing, and then ensure all nursing students had access to this education?

This is the goal behind the new UBC and St. Paul’s Hospital partnership around Cardiovascular Nursing. We aim to bring together the educational expertise of the School with the cardiovascular expertise of St. Paul’s to create a position that leads in knowledge development and clinical innovation directed at heart health across a spectrum of care that includes risk factor modification, management of critical illness, and rehabilitation – and then to take these improvements in care, and translate them into leading edge education for today’s nursing students.

“I am very excited about this partnership with St. Paul’s,” says UBC’s School of Nursing Director Suzanne Campbell, who is championing the partnership from within the School. “Nurses at St. Paul’s, many of whom are UBC alumni, have undertaken a great deal of research on cardiovascular nursing over the past several years, which has led to new standards of practice being implemented to the betterment of patient care and patient outcomes. This partnership will help the School and St. Paul’s strengthen the critical link between research, education and practice; the mentorship of our students and leadership on graduate student advanced practice will be vital to improving patient care for all Canadians.”

The School and St. Paul’s Hospital are raising $1,000,000 to support the work of this new partnership. If you would like more information, or are inspired to support this initiative in cardiovascular nursing, please contact Darya Sawycky, Associate Director, Development and Alumni, School of Nursing at 604-827 0081 or darya.sawycky@ubc.ca.