Post-Doc Accepts Research Position with the Indigenous Peoples’ Health Research Centre

The College of Nursing would like to congratulate Meridith Burles, postdoctoral scholar in the College of Nursing, on her recent acceptance as a Research Fellow with the Indigenous Peoples’ Health Research Centre (IPHRC). Burles’ application titled, “Exploring the Experiences of Aboriginal Family Caregivers of Children with Life-Threatening and Life-Limiting Illness in Saskatchewan”, earned her the position.

“There is currently no research about Indigenous families’ experiences and understandings of caring for children with life-threating and life-limiting illness,” said Burles. “What research does show is that these illnesses in children bring about many challenges for families that are potentially made worse by barriers to health care. Learning more about families’ perspectives can help to enhance cultural safety in health care and policy.”

Meridith’s acceptance into the IPHRC and the Saskatchewan Centre for Patient-Oriented Research (SCPOR) Research Fellows Program gives her twelve months of funding, with the possibility of a one-year extension, to complete the study. “I am currently developing the research team for this project, and so far the team consists of Dr. Jill Bally (my Supervisor from the College of Nursing) and Dr. Heather Hodgson-Viden (College of Medicine), and soon Indigenous family and patient advocates will be engaged as well,” said Burles. “In short, the study will involve a collaboration between researchers and clinicians with backgrounds in sociology, nursing and medicine, and family advisors and advocates.” Once Burles has the research team assembled, she will begin the study by discussing ideas for data collection with Indigenous family and advocate advisors.  

The Indigenous Peoples’ Health Research Centre is a partnership between the Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy and the First Nations University of Canada.