Researcher Profile Detail
Kristie Clark
RN, MScN (UWO), BScN (UWO)
RIA Research Chair for Enhanced Seniors Care
BIOGRAPHY
Kristie Clark has a Master of Science Degree in Nursing from the University of Western Ontario. Her graduate studies consisted of a double major in Health Promotion and Prevention as well as Advanced Practice Nursing in Gerontology. She has a passion for gerontology and has spent most of her 20 years of nursing working with older adults in long-term care and in the community. The focus of her graduate thesis was on the impact of social support on self-rated health and self-rated mental health in Canadian Seniors with chronic illness. Her research interests include role clarity in LTC, social support, dementia and care giver relationships, as well as responsive behaviours.
Kristie has worked in LTC as a PSW, registered nurse, and clinical nurse specialist. She has also worked as a clinical nurse specialist on the regional geriatric outreach team working in the areas of community outreach, memory clinics, and mild cognitive impairment. Kristie loves clinical work, research, as well as teaching and was a faculty advisor in Nursing at UWO for three years before returning to clinical practice. She trained in PIECES, Montessori Based Dementia Programming, Space Retrieval Techniques, and Gentle Persuasive Approaches.
In her current position as RIA Research Chair, Enhanced Seniors Care at Conestoga College, she is fortunate enough to be able to continue her passion for clinical work and hands-on interactions with the residents and staff at Schlegel Seniors Villages. Her role consists of identifying training needs, consultation regarding resident care and programs, developing training for frontline staff and village employees, as well as applied research. At Conestoga College she helps bridge the gap between practices and education in geriatrics for the health science programs. There she can be found guest lecturing, developing continuing education in seniors care programs, participating in applied research, consulting regarding seniors content in curriculums, as wells as participating on a number of program advisory committees and leadership projects.
KEY PUBLICATIONS
Clark K, Coatsworth-Puspoky R, Forbes D, Gutmanis I, Jarvie A, Scott D, MacDonald C, Post L, Van Bussel L, Weston-Davies I, Simpson K. (2009) LTC staff perspectives for dealing with responsive behaviours: A study report. Kitchener, ON: Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging.
Forbes D, Montague P, Gibson M, Hirdes J, Clark K. Using interRAI data to examine social support in home care clients. Journal of Applied Gerontology. 2009 (in press).
Forbes D, Ward-Griffen C, Klosek M, Mendelsohn M, St. Amant O, DeForge R, Clark K. Her world gets smaller and smaller with nothing to look forward to. Dimensions of social inclusion and exclusion among rural dementia care networks. Online Journal of Rural Nursing and Health Care. 2009 (in press).
Clark K, Leipert B. (2007) Strengthening and sustaining social supports for rural elders. Online Journal of Rural Nursing and Health. 2007:7(1);13-26.
CONTACT INFORMATION
| Email: | kclark@conestogac.on.ca |
| Phone: | 519.748.5220 ext. 2379 |
| Address: | Faculty of Health Sciences, |