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College of Nursing

Biography

Professor Emeritus Cindy Peternelj-Taylor, retired in June 2022, having taught undergraduate and graduate students with the University of Saskatchewan (USask) College of Nursing, for over 30 years. During this time, she supervised a number of master’s students, and served on a number of master’s and doctoral committees.

Much of her career has focused on professional role development for nurses and other healthcare professionals who work with vulnerable populations in mental health, forensic mental health, and correctional settings – clinical areas often steeped in stigma. Since 1989, she has been actively engaged in the College’s successful biennial conference Custody and Caring: International Conference on the Nurse’s Role in the Criminal Justice System. She was a founding member of the USask Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science and Justice Studies, and served on the Executive Committee from 2011-2014, and again from 2018- 2021.

She is an experienced writer, editor, and scholar, who has published extensively in peer reviewed journals and books, and is a much sought-after speaker, nationally and internationally. Professor Emeritus Peternelj-Taylor served as the Associate Editor for the Americas of the Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing from 1996-2006; she was an Editorial Board Member of the Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services from 1998-2005 where she served as Guest Editor of four special issues devoted to forensic nursing. In the fall of 2019, she was invited to serve as Guest Editor for a special issue of the Canadian Journal of Nursing Leadership (2020) focused on Nursing in the Correctional Milieu. Since 2010 she has held the position of Editor-in-Chief, of the Journal of Forensic Nursing. She is a Distinguished Fellow with the International Association of Forensic Nurses.​

Research Interests

  • Forensic mental health and correctional nursing
  • Dementia care and palliative care within the correctional milieu
  • Boundary violations in professional relationships
  • Fostering recovery in forensic mental health
  • Trauma and violence informed care
  • Sexual violence – including supporting transgender and gender diverse survivors
  • Writing for publication

Methodology

  • Qualitative
  • Mixed methods

Courses

Over the years Professor Emeritus Cindy Peternelj-Taylor has taught many classes within the undergraduate and graduate programs. The courses she taught most recently are as follows:

  • NURS 307: Integrating Mental Health and Addiction into Nursing
  • NURS 308: Integrating Mental Health Nursing and Addiction within Nursing Practice
  • NURS 486: Forensic Nursing in Secure Environments
  • NURS 815: Advanced Forensic Mental Health
  • NURS 824: Advanced Integrative Exercise
  • NURS 898: Special Topics – Facilitating Recovery in Forensic Mental Health Nursing
  • NURS 993: Publishable Paper

Grants

DuMont, J. (Project Director), Davies, A., Yakubovich, A., Jakubiec, B., Carter-Snell, C., Thacker, C., Kia, H., Pyne, J., Schuurman, N., Early, S., Macdonald, S., Giwa, S. O. (Co-Appicants), Devor, A., Oakes, A., Wilcox, A., Farahbakhsh. C., Peternelj-Taylor, C., Warren, D., Tomlinson, D., Zimmerman, E., Neary, E., Legault, E., Gilliland, F., Lorello, G., Woodman, J., Buckeridge, J., Baker, J., Manuel, J., Isaac, K., Houlde-McLennan, K., Betker, L., Ham, M., Picher, M., McLeod Frazer, M. J., Turner, M., Cousineau, M. R., Alamyar, N., Tutt, N., Baldwin, N., Massaquoi, N., Crowder, R., van Bruggen, R., Mason, R., McKellar, S., Garcia, S., Sookpaiboon, S., Bucknor, S., Bousquet, S. (Collaborators), ANKORS, Association of Alberta Sexual Assaulty Services, Atira Women’s Resource Society, Canadian Forensic Nurses Association, Children’s Hosptital of Eastern Ontario, Coverdale Courtwork Society, Cowichan Woment Against Violence, Dalhousie University, Egale Canada, Ending Violence Association of Canada, ENSEMBLE Greater-Grand Moncton, Government of Yukon, Grey Bruce Health Services, Municipality of Cambridge Bay, HIV/AIS Resources and Community Health, Howec Sound Women’s Centre Society, Ignite Counselling, Indus Community Services, Klinic Community Health Centre, Lumenus Community Services, Foundation Marie-Vincent, METRAC Action on Violence, Mount Royal University, Moyo Health & Community Services, Nanaimo Family Life Assoction, NL Sexual Assault Crisis and Prevention Centre, Northern Counselling and Therapeutic Services, Northern Mosaic Network, Nova Scotia Health Authority, Ontario Association of Interval and Transition Houses, Ontario Network of Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence Treatment Centres, OUT Saskatoon, P.E.E.R.S. Alliance (Prevent Educate Empower Resepect Support), PEI Rape & Sexual Assault Crisis Centre, Perth & Smiths Falls District Hospital, Planned Parenthood Newfoundland & Labrador Sexual Health Centre, Prince George Sexual Assault Centre, Project 10, Provincial Association of Transition Houses and Services of Saskatchewan, Queer Yukon Society, Robson Valley Community Services, Sexual Assault Centre of Edmonton, Sexual Assault Services of Saskatchewan, Sexual Violence New Brunswick/Violence sexuelle Nouveau-Brunswick, Sherbourne Health Centre, Shuswap Area Family Emergency Society, Simon Fraser University, Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Health Centre, St. Mary's General Hospital, 2Spirit Manitoba Inc., Victoria Sexual Assault Centre, WAVAW Rape Crisis Centre, WellFort Community Health Services, Women and Gender Equality Canada, Women's College Hospital, Youth Project (Partners). The trans-LINK Canada Network: Partnering to Create and Exchange Knowledge on Supporting Transgender and Gender Diverse Survivors of Sexual Assault and Intimate Partner Violence, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, Partnership Grant, $2,500,000. October 2022 Competition (7 years).
Loeb, S. J. (Prinicpal Investigator), Peternelj-Taylor, C. (Advisory Board Member). National Institutes of Health/National Institute on Aging funded study titled: Computer-based Learning to Enhance Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dimentias (ADRD) Care in Prison: Just Care for Dementia [1 R41 AG078103-01]. 2022-06-24 to Present.
Woods, P. (Principal Investigator), Peternelj-Taylor, C. (Co-investigator). Correctional Nursing in Canada's Prairie Provinces: Roles, Responsibilities, and Learning Needs, Centre for Forensic Behavioral Science and Justice Studies, University of Saskatchewan. Total: $7,745.00 for 2016-02-01 to 2019-03-31

Publications

External Committees

Throughout her career Professor Emeritus Cindy Peternelj-Taylor has been involved in numerous provincial, national, and international committees including:

  • Canadian Federation of Mental Health Nurses, Planning Committee Member, National Biennial Conference, November 19th to 22nd, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
  • Mental Health Commission of Canada, Action Plan for Canada on Mental Health and Criminal Justice, Developmental Advisory Committee Member. Member of Working Group #1 Upstream prevention and early intervention group, and member of working group #2 Supporting mental health across the continuum of criminal justice involvement, March 2023 to present.
  • Sigma Theta Tau International Inc., Mu Sigma Chapter, Edmonton, AB (2003 to 2023). Member of the Awards Committee, 2020 to 2023.
  • Correctional Nurses Association Member of the Program Committee, July 2022 to present.
  • International Association of Forensic Mental Health Services, Forensic Mental Health Nurses Special Interest Group, 2019 to present.
  • Canadian Federation of Mental Health Nurses, Saskatchewan Representative, 2019 to 2021; member of the Communications & Membership Performance Team, 2019 to present.
  • Canadian Forensic Nurses Association, Member, 2006 to present. Member of the education development funds committee, 2023 and 2024.

Honours

  • 1984 – Graduate Student Scholarship, University of Saskatchewan
  • 1985 – Graduate Student Scholarship, University of Saskatchewan
  • 1986 – Edith Kemp-Scott Memorial Scholarship for Graduate Studies in Psychiatric Nursing
  • 1993 – Teaching Excellence Award, University of Saskatchewan Student Union
  • 1995 – Nursing Excellence Award Recipient, Canadian Federation of Mental Health Nurses
  • 1998 – Achievement Award, International Association of Forensic Nurses
  • 2003 – Izaak Walton Killam Memorial Scholarship, University of Alberta
  • 2008 – Distinguished Fellow, International Association of Forensic Nurses
  • 2012 – Mentorship Award, Saskatchewan Registered Nurses Association
  • 2012 – Helen Walker Award for Innovation in Nursing, Saskatchewan Registered Nurses Association (Master of Nursing Team Award)