A first of its kind in Canada, the Nursing and Allied Health Research and Knowledge Translation (NAHRKT) department was launched in January 2021. This team provides expertise and supports nursing and allied health professionals on the development, design, implementation and evaluation of research and knowledge translation (KT) activities at BC Cancer.
The second part of our series highlights how the NAHRKT department has supported Stephanie Townsend, registered nurse at BC Cancer – Kelowna, with the planning and implementation of her research.
Get to know Stephanie and her research in advancing patient care below:
Tell us about your role at BC Cancer.
I am a registered nurse trained in Systemic Therapy at BC Cancer – Kelowna. Recently, I have filled a temporary position as a monitoring nurse for a pilot project that is trialing remote monitoring of patients who are on immunotherapy treatment.
Can you tell us about your research?
We are working on developing an end-of-project report that summarizes the patient, clinician, and operational experiences of using remote patient monitoring (RPM) among patients who are receiving immunotherapy drugs as part of their cancer treatment. We hope that this report can be used to inform the use of RPM in future settings.
How has the NAHRKT department supported you with your research?
The NAHRKT team has been a wonderful resource for me as I navigate the world of health research for the first time. They have been largely involved in supporting me with the planning and implementation of this project. I am always amazed by how knowledgeable the team is and I have a great appreciation for the research lens that they bring to the table.
I've learned so much from getting involved in this process. It's been inspiring to work with a team who are experienced in research. There is so much to learn from nursing and health research – after working with the NAHRKT team, I definitely have ideas for projects that I would like to pursue in the future!
Any advice you'd like to share for those interested in pursuing a similar path?
I was very intimidated by the thought of doing research prior to working with the NAHRKT team. The team was able to break down the process for me, and they made doing research much less daunting. I've always felt supported, and like I could ask questions at any time. I would encourage anyone who is interested in pursuing a similar path to do so, and not let the fear of being inexperienced in research hold them back.
Connect with the NAHRKT department
Questions? Reach out to the team at research.kt@bccancer.bc.ca
Learn more about the NAHRKT department at bccrc.ca/dept/nahr/.