Heather Nelson, RN, BScN, PhD, MA

Contact Info

Research interests

I am interested in health promotion in a variety of areas including; community dwelling older adults and children in sports.

I have been a Registered Nurse for over 20 years. Clinically I worked in public health and neurosciences. I have taught at Saskatchewan Polytechnic in the Continuing Care Assistant Program and the Practical Nursing Program. I have spent the last three years as a research chair completing patient-oriented health promotion research. This is my first year as a faculty member in the School of Nursing. 

Scholarships

2021: Lucy D. Willis Scholarship $2,750 University of Saskatchewan

2021: Saskatchewan Nurses Foundation $1,500

2020: Wolfe Family Graduate Student Award. $3,000 University of Saskatchewan

2019: Saskatchewan Nurses Foundation Bursary $1,600

2006: Pan American Kumite Champion- Traditional karate

Recent Research Funding

• Nelson, H., Ziefflie, B., Norton, D., Page, S., Jaeger, L., Press, M. (2022) Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation. $119,277.03 Establishment Grant. Examining the impact of a phone intervention on mood and loneliness in older adults living in personal care homes and assisted living facilities: A mixed methods study 

• Nelson, H., Langman, E., Ziefflie, B., Page, S., Hubbard Murdoch, N., Press, M. (2022) Social Sciences and Health Research Council. $30,000 Knowledge Synthesis Grant: An Emerging Asocial Society. Increasing prosocial behaviour in community-dwelling older adults through phone visiting programs: A rapid systematic review 

• Nelson, H., Ziefflie, B., Page, S. Mayer, P. (2022) Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation. $7,500 Connections Grant. Life at 100 - A documentary of the life and hopes of centenarians in Saskatchewan 

• Nelson, H. (2019-2022) Research Chair. $150,000, Saskatchewan Centre for Patient Oriented Research. This grant is in support of patient-oriented research. I am currently involved in two patient-oriented research areas: 1) the benefits and barriers of sport for children from low-income settings, and 2) The impact of phone programs of mood and loneliness in older adults 

• Nelson, H. (2021) Saskatchewan Karate Association $4,000. The social and emotional benefits and barriers of traditional karate for children from low-income settings 

• Nelson, H. & Ziefflie, B. (2021) Saskatchewan Polytechnic Applied Research Program. $6,000 Saskatchewan Polytechnic. The impact of the Canadian Red Cross Friendly Calls Program on mood and loneliness in older adults. 

• Nelson, H. & Ziefflie, B. (2021). School of Nursing Grant. $2,500 Saskatchewan Polytechnic. The impact of the Canadian Red Cross Friendly Calls Program on mood and loneliness in older adults. 

• Nelson, H. (2020-2021), STEP Grant. $2,500, Saskatchewan Centre for Patient Oriented Research 

• Hubbard Murdoch, N., Nelson, H., Boechler, L. Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation. $10,000 Rapid Response Funding. The experience of Covid-19 in Saskatchewan: The knowledge translation plan, Grant

 

Publications 

Refereed Articles, Papers, Books or Chapters

Nelson, H., Ziefflie, B., Page, S., Norton, D. & Mayer, P. (2022). The changing impact of COVID-19 on older adults during 2020. Canadian Journal on Aging. [submitted]

Nelson, H. Spurr, S. & Bally, J. (2022). The benefits and barriers of sport for children from low-income settings: An integrative review. Sage Open. https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440221087272

Mayer, P., Nelson, H. Ziefflie, B., Page, S. & Norton, D. (2022). Phone visiting as a novel clinical experience for healthcare students during COVID-19 and beyond. Journal of Innovation in Polytechnic Education. https://jipe.ca/index.php/jipe/article/view/102/55

Nelson, H., Ziefflie, B., Norton, D., Page, S., Unique, R., & Mayer, P. (2022). The Lived Experience of Seniors Socially Distancing during the Early Stages of the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Phenomenological Study. Canadian Journal on Aging. https://www.doi.org/10.1017/S0714980821000581

Nelson, H., Hubbard Murdoch, N., Norman, K. (2020). The Role of Uncertainty in the Experiences of Nurses During the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Phenomenological Study. Canadian Journal of Nursing Research. DOI: 10.1177/0844562121992202

Cox-White, T., Ziefflie, B., Nelson, H.J. (2019). Promoting Indigenous Nursing Student Success in Post-Secondary Education: A Phenomenological study. Journal of Nursing Education and Practice. 9(10): 1-6. http://dx.doi.org/https://doi.org/10.5430/jnep.v9n10p101

Nelson, H., Cox-White, T., Ziefflie, B. (2019). Indigenous Students Barriers and Success Strategies- A Review of Existing Literature. Journal of Nursing Education and Practice 2019 9(3). http://jnep.scie.dupress.com.

 

Non-Refereed Articles, Papers, Books or Chapters

Boechler, L., Hubbard Murdoch, N., & Nelson, H. (2020). Interprofessional reflections:Pandemic duty to care. Canadian Paramedicine, 44(2), 50-51. https://canadianparamedicine.ca/featured-edition/

Nelson, H., Boechler, L., Hubbard Murdoch, N. (2020). Researching at High-Speed: Recording the Story of the Covid-19 Experience. Antistasis. 10(3)

 

Conference Presentations and Invited Academic Lectures

Nelson, H. (2022 January 26). The social and emotional benefits and barriers of traditional karate for children from low-income settings. NURS 990 Seminar [virtual] University of Saskatchewan

Wickson-Griffiths, A., Hunter, P., Nelson, H., Hubbard Murdoch, N. (2021, November 2-3). We hear you: Saskatchewan Healthcare employees’ experiences of work during a pandemic [Poster presentation]. Summit 2021. Saskatoon, SK.  

Hubbard Murdoch, N., Nelson, H., Hunter, P., Wickson-Griffiths, A. (2021, November 2-3). We hear you: Mobilizing knowledge about the experience of healthcare employees during the COVID-19 pandemic [Poster presentation]. Summit 2021. Saskatoon, SK.

Ziefflie, B. & Nelson, H. (2021, October). Balancing older adults’ physical safety with social and emotional needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Canadian Association of Gerontology Conference, Virtual

Nelson, H. & Hubbard Murdoch, N. (2021, October). The experience of nurses working with older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. In. S. Kaasalainen (Chair). An inside look at Canadian healthcare employees’ experience of the COVID-19 pandemic [Symposium]. Canadian Association of Gerontology Conference 2021, Virtual.

Nelson, H., & Hubbard Murdoch, N. (2021, November 18-19). The experience of nurses working with older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic [Poster presentation]. Saskatchewan Health Research Showcase 2021.  

Ziefflie, B., Norton, D., Mayer, P., Page, S. & Nelson, H. (2021, November 18-19). Balancing older adults’ physical safety with social and emotional needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. [poster presentation]. Saskatchewan Health Research Showcase.

Wickson-Griffiths, A., Hunter, P., Nelson, H., Hubbard Murdoch, N. (2021, November 16 & 18). We hear you: Saskatchewan Healthcare employees’ experiences of work during a pandemic [Poster presentation]. Saskatchewan Health Research Showcase 2021, Virtual. 

Hubbard Murdoch, N., Nelson, H., Hunter, P., Wickson-Griffiths, A. (2021, November 16 & 18). We hear you: Mobilizing knowledge about the experience of healthcare employees during the COVID-19 pandemic [Poster presentation]. Saskatchewan Health Research Showcase 2021, Virtual.

 

Current Research

• The social and emotional benefits and barriers of traditional karate for children from low-income settings
•  The impact of phone visiting programs on loneliness and mood in older adults.

 

In the News ─ Commentary and Columns

• Nelson, H. (2021, September 14). Nurses experience of burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Saskatoon Morning. CBC Radio, Leisha Grebinski
• Nelson, H. (2021, September). Nurses experience of burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic. The morning edition. CBC Regina. Stefani Langenegger
• Nelson, H. (2020, November 10). The experience of senior socially isolating during the COVID19 ;pandemic. Blue Sky. CBC Radio, Garth Materie
• Nelson, H. (2020, October) The lived experience of Seniors socially isolating during the Covid-19  pandemic, News Broadcast, CJWW Radio, Brad Jennings
• Nelson, H. (2020, October) The lived experience of seniors socially isolating during the Covid-19  pandemic., News, 620 CKRM, Mitchell Blair