Recent Grad Studies the Use of Technology in Cancer Care
From hospital to home: exploring the use of technology to support cancer caregivers.
Michelle Laliberte (MN’25) recently completed the University of Saskatchewan (USask) Master of Nursing Professional Practice program with a focus on leadership.
As a quality management coordinator and clinical nurse educator at Cancer Care Alberta, Laliberte said she was glad to be able to juggle the online program, alongside her full-time job.
“Everything I learnt has been very applicable in my work,” said Laliberte.
“Every semester throughout my program, I was able to apply something to what I actually do. It’s been really interesting to see the growth in myself as a leader.”
Laliberte also used her time in the program to explore issues that matter.
In her first term, she wrote a paper about buzzwords used in healthcare, focused on exploring the term “just culture.”
As Laliberte explained, “Sometimes we don’t pause to stop and step back and think about what this term means to us, and how we involve that in our individual and collective culture. I really felt like writing about it was important, so we could get a better idea of how we move forward to ensure safe quality care of our patients and safe environments for workers.”
She’s now aiming to publish that paper to spread her knowledge to others.
In a totally different realm, Laliberte worked on a technology-focused paper about how oncology caregivers interact with patient portals and how access to the patient’s electronic health record can help them be better caregivers, while also decreasing the burden on the healthcare system.
“Technology is of growing importance within the field of cancer care,” said Laliberte.
She noted that as cancer treatment becomes more complex and more care is provided in outpatient settings, finding out how nurses and healthcare teams can use technology to support caregivers is very important.
“It’s trying to bring those things together and get a better understanding of what’s out there, and what kind of research could follow in the future to really help those caregivers use patient portals.”
This topic was extremely compatible with her work at Cancer Care Alberta, as she was previously in a position helping the organization move towards a new, provincialized computer system.
“Digital health and nursing informatics are close to my heart,” said Laliberte, who was recently named the 2025 recipient of Canadian Nurses Foundation Dr. Kathryn J Hannah Nursing Informatics Award.
“I’m especially passionate about exploring how digital innovation can enhance the quality and safety of care and ensuring it elevates, rather than complicates, the experience of care for caregivers, people living with cancer, and their healthcare teams.”
Laliberte said she chose the University of Saskatchewan because of its unique approach to equity, diversity, and inclusion; something that’s aligned with her values.
She’s also embraced a passion for oncology that drives all her professional decisions.
“Providing the best possible care for cancer patients and their families and carers, that’s really my passion in life - to impact healthcare culture in a way that improves safety, efficacy, effectiveness, and quality of the care that patients are getting.”
National Digital Health Week is celebrated in Canada November 17 to 23.