Charlene Thompson - College of Nursing | University of Saskatchewan

Biography

Dr. Thompson joined the College of Nursing in June 2023 as an Assistant Professor. She completed her PhD at the University of Saskatchewan (USask), School of Public Health in 2021. She attended the USask School of Public Health for a Master of Public Health (MPH 2016) and Nursing Education Program of Saskatchewan for her undergraduate nursing education (BSN 2001).

Dr. Thompson has twenty years of public health nursing experience working in multiple programs that included building health equity, child health clinics, maternal-child health, and sexual/street health. She has worked as a practicing public health nurse, nurse clinician, and nursing supervisor.

Dr. Thompson’s research interest in Indigenous people’s health and health equity grew through her work in public health and was a catalyst to her graduate studies. Dr. Thompson’s PhD research included a partnership with KidsFirst North in Northern Saskatchewan, applying a community-based participatory approach to examine factors that promoted program success and areas for improvement for Indigenous families. In addition, Dr. Thompson is interested in the roles of frontline workers, i.e., nurses, community health workers, community program builders, and their contributions to public health programs. Her recent research continues with a maternal-child focus in public health that includes the voices of families and frontline workers. For Dr. Thompson, the best part of nursing practice and research is the privilege to serve children and their families to foster positive health outcomes.

Research Interests

Public Health
Maternal-Child Health
Indigenous Health
Health Equity
Rural Health
Frontline Worker Roles and Contributions in Public Health Programs
Immunization

Methodology

Qualitative
Mixed Methods
Community-Based Participatory Research

Courses

NURS 200: Nursing Foundations Perspectives and Influences
NURS 201: Perspectives on Health Wellness and Diversity in a Global Context
NURS 430: Community Health Nursing Building Partnerships

Publications

Grants

Thompson, C. (July 2025 - August 2025). Patient-Oriented Lab Reports and Best Practices: A Scoping Review/Environmental Scan, $6600.00 (CAD). College of Nursing.

Thompson, C. (Co-PI), Alhassan, J. (Co-PI), Huel, C. (Co-I), Martin, W. (Co-I), & Kirychuk, S. (Co-I). (March 2025 - February 2026). Innovative Rural-Driven Solutions to Improve Immunization Programs in South West Saskatchewan, $49998.00 (CAD). Innovation Grant, Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation.

Thompson, C. (Co-PI), Alhassan, J. (Co-PI), Huel, C. (Co-I), Martin, W. (Co-I), & Kirychuk, S. (Co-I). (2025-2027). Innovative Rural-Driven Solutions to Improve Immunization Programs in South West Saskatchewan, $10,000 (CAD). College of Nursing Global Engagement Fund.

Kinloch, M. (PI), & Thompson, C. (Co-I). (2025-2027). Implementation of patient-oriented Folate Receptor Alpha reporting to provide treatment options for Homologous Recombinant Proficient High-grade Serous Carcinoma Patients, $82,998 (CAD). Ovarian Cancer Canada (OCC) Open Funding Call for Ovarian Cancer Research in Saskatchewan. (Thompson will hold $76,168 in the College of Nursing).

Thompson, C. (PI), Cushon, J. (Co-I), Harmon-Atkinson, M. (Co-I), Nickel, D. (Co-I), Antonopoulos, C. (Co-I), Stead, L. (Co-I), Seth, N. (Co-I), Munroe, L. (Co-I), Rennie, D. (Co-I), & Martin, W. (Co-I). (2024-2027). Improving Immunization Services and Health Outcomes for Children and Families in the Saskatchewan Health Authority: A Community-Based Participatory Research Project, $149,999 (CAD). Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation (SHRF) Establishment Grant.

Henry, B. (PI), Ferguson, L (Co-PI)., Foulds, H. (Co-PI), Graham, H. (Co-PI), Lovo, S. (Co-PI), Marks, W. (Co-PI), Oosman, S. (Co-PI), Opikokew Wajuntah, C. (Co-PI), Petrucka, P. (Co-I), Balbuena, L. (Co-I), Bigalky, J. (Co-I), Epp, T. (Co-I), Fornssler, B. (Co-I), Kelvin, A. (Co-I), Kirychuk, S. (Co-I), Martin, W. (Co-I),, McIlduff, C. (Co-I), Patrick, B. (Co-I), Rasmussen, A. (Co-I), Sarty, G. (Co-I),, Skinner, S(Co-I),., Stempien, J. (Co-I),, Stevenson, A. (Co-I), Thompson, C. (Co-I),, Vatanparast, H. (Co-I), & Woodsworth, J. (Co-I). (October 2024 - September 2029). Indigenous Futurisms in Indigenous Health andWellbeing: The natawihowin and mamawiikikayaahk Research, Training and Mentorship Networks- SK- NEIHR, $400,000 (CAD). Operating Grant : Network Environments for Indigenous Health Research - Renewal, Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

Martin, W. (Co-PI), Thompson, C. (Co-PI), & Kirychuk, S. (Co-I). (2024-2025). Pikisowin: Home Maintenace for Health, $15,000 (CAD). College of Nursing/Office of the Provost and Vice-President Academic.

Thompson, C. CIHR Travel Award – Travel Awards Institute Community Support - Other, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), RN529735-510818, $2,685 (CAD), Jan-April, 2024.

Kirychuk, S. (PI), McPhedran, K. (Co-PI), Bradford, L. (Co-PI), Martin, W. (Co-PI), Dosman, J. (Co-I), Pahwa, P. (Co-I), Ramsden, V. (Co-I), & Thompson, C. (Co-I). (2024-2025). miyo waskahikan (Beautiful Homes) Compendiums, $10,000 (CAD). Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation (SHRF) Mobilize Grant.

Dosman, J. (PI), Pahwa, P. (Co-PI); Abonyi, S. (Co-PI); King, M. (Co-PI). Kirychuk, S. (Co-I), Karunanayake, C. (Co-I), Fenton, M. (Co-I), Koehncke, N. (Co-I), Lawson, J. (Co-I), Rennie, D. (Co-I), Skomro, R. (Co-I)., & Thompson, C. (Co-I). (2018-2023;extension from 2023-2025). Assess, Redress, Re-assess: Addressing Disparities in Sleep Health among First Nations People, $60,000 for children’s study (CAD). Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Grant # 156149.

Thompson, C. (PI), Saskatchewan Health Authority (Research Partner), Martin, W. (Sub-Investigator), & Rennie, D. (Sub-Investigator). (2023-2026). Maternal-Child Program in Public Health: Community-Based Research to Improve Programs and Health Outcomes. $40,000 (CAD). New Faculty Start-Up Funding, College of Nursing and College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. $40,000 to C. Thompson.

Martin, W. (PI), Bradford, L. E. (Co-I), Kirychuk, S. (Co-I), McPhedran, K. (Co-I), Sanz, P. C. (Co-I), & Thompson, C. (Co-I). (2023-2024). First Nations Built Environment Climate Action. $125,000 (CAD). Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Catalyst Grant Supporting Research on Priorities Outlined in Canada’s CPHO Report.

Honours

Doctoral Research Award, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Priority Announcement: Aboriginal Research Methodologies CIHR 201610DAR-383834-283432, $108,000 (CAD), 2017 to 2020
Dean’s Scholarship, University of Saskatchewan, $66,000 (CAD), 2016 to 2017
Silver MPH Scholarship, University of Saskatchewan, School of Public Health $2000 (CAD), 2014

External Committees

Board Member, Saskatchewan Prevention Institute, March 2024 to present