Dr. Kelly Penz is a Registered Nurse (RN) and Associate Professor in the College of Nursing. Her practice background includes surgical acute care and palliative care nursing in numerous areas including general surgery, ophthalmology, orthopedics, and day surgery. In the undergraduate Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program, Dr. Penz teaches courses on Evidence-Informed Practice/Research Methodology, Interpersonal and Professional Communication, and Family Nursing. She also teaches a doctoral course on Advanced Methods in Quantitative Research, and she especially enjoys her role in Supervising graduate students who are conducting research at the Master of Nursing-Thesis and PhD level.

Using qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods approaches, Dr. Penz’s Professional Quality of Life program of research aims to explore the psychosocial wellbeing and nature of practice of nurses who provide palliative and end of life care and nurses in rural and remote practice provincially and nationally. Main research themes within the above populations include job-demands and job-resources, perceived competence, organizational commitment, distressing/traumatic events, workplace violence, and various outcomes related to occupational health and wellbeing (e.g., work engagement, burnout, intent to leave, moral distress, perceived stress). She also has been involved in the development and psychometric evaluation of new instruments/scales measuring the job-demands and job-resources inherent in various areas of nursing practice and primary health care engagement of nurses in rural and remote settings.

Dr. Penz has been involved as a Principal Investigator (Provincially) and Co-Investigator (Nationally) on multidisciplinary research teams, with grant funding from a variety of sources including the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Health Canada, the Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation (SHRF), University of Saskatchewan Provost Funding for Innovative Teaching and Learning, and College of Nursing CIHR Project Seed Grants.

• Rural and Remote Nursing Practice
• Palliative and End of Life Care
• Professional Quality of Life
• Psychosocial Wellness of Health Care Professionals
• Instrument Development in Nursing

• Qualitative
• Quantitative
• Mixed-Methods
• Psychometrics

Sattar, S., Haase, K., Penz, K.L., Effa, C., Nedeljak, J., Chalchal, H., Souied, O., Amir, E., Campbell, D., Pitters, E., Alibhai, S., & McNeely, M.L. (Accepted). Feasibility of a remotely delivered strength and balance training program for older adults with cancer. Current Oncology.

MacLeod, M.L.P., Zimmer, L.V., Kosteniuk, J.G., Penz, K.L., & Stewart, N.J. (Accepted). The meaning of nursing practice for nurses who are retired yet continue to work in a rural and remote community. BMC Nursing.

MacLeod, M.L.P., Penz, K.L., Banner, D., Jahner, S., Koren, I., Thomlinson, A., Moffit, P., & Labrecque, M.E. (2021). Mental health nursing practice in rural and remote Canada: Insights from a national survey. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing. DOI: 10.1111/inm.12943.

Stewart, N.J., MacLeod, M.L.P., Kosteniuk, J.G., Olynick, J., Penz, K.L., Karunanayake, C.P., Kulig, J.C., Labrecque, M.E., & Morgan, D.G. (2020). The Importance of Organizational Commitment in Rural Nurses’ Intent to Leave. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 1-20. DOI: 10/111/jan.14536.

Jahner, S., Penz, K., Stewart, N.J., & MacLeod, M.L.P. (2020). Exploring the Distressing Events and Perceptions of Support Experience by Rural and Remote Nurses: A Thematic Analysis of National Survey Data. Workplace Health and Safety, 68(10), 480-490. DOI: 10.1177/2165079920924685.

Martin-Misener, R, MacLeod, M.L.P., Wilson, E.C., Kosteniuk, J.G., Penz, K.L., Stewart, N.J., Olynick, J., & Karunanayake, C.P. (2020). The Mosaic of Primary Care Nurses in Rural and Remote Canada: Results from a National Survey. Healthcare Policy, 15(3): 63-75. DOI: 10.12927/hcpol.2020.26130.

Campbell, T.D., Penz, K., Vandenberg, H., & Campbell, M. (2019). A Closer Look at the Introduction of the NCLEX-RN in Canada. Nursing Leadership, 32(4), 46-56. DOI: 10.12927/cjnl.2020.26102.

Penz, K. & Tipper, L. (2019). "Who Cares for the Caregiver?": Professional Quality of Life in Palliative Care. In Holtslander L., Peacock S., Bally J. (Ed.), Hospice, Palliative Home Care and Bereavement Support: Nursing Interventions and Supportive Care (pp.1-16). https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-19535-9_1.

Kosteniuk, J., Stewart, N. J., Wilson, E. C., Penz, K. L., Martin-Misener, R., Morgan, D. G., Karunanayake, C., & MacLeod, M. L. P. (2019). Communication tools and sources of education and information: A national survey of rural and remote nurses. Journal of the Medical Library Association, 107(4), 538-554. DOI: dx.doi.org/P10.5195/jmla.2019.632. http://jmla.pitt.edu/ojs/jmla/article/view/632/913

MacLeod, M., Stewart, N., Kosteniuk, J., Penz, K.L., Olynick, J., Karunanayake, C., Kilpatrick, K., Kulig, J., Martin-Misener, R., Koren, I., Zimmer, L., Van Pelt, L., & Garraway, L. (2019). Rural and remote registered nurses’ perceptions of working beyond their legislated scope of practice. Canadian Journal of Nursing Leadership, 32(1), 20-29. DOI: 10.12927/cjnl.2019.25851.
https://www.unbc.ca/sites/default/files/sections/rural-nursing/en/macleodrnsworkingbeyondtheirlegistatedsop2019.pdf

MacLeod, M., Stewart, N., Kosteniuk, J., Penz, K.L., Olynick, J., Kurunanayake, C., Banner, D., Wilson, E., Kulig, J., Labrecque, ME., Moffit, P., Jahner, S., & Garraway, L. (2019). Rural and remote licensed practical nurses’ perceptions of working below their legislated scope of practice. Canadian Journal of Nursing Leadership, 32(1), 8-19. DOI: 10.12927/cjnl.2019.25852.
https://www.unbc.ca/sites/default/files/sections/rural-nursing/en/macleodlpnsworkingbelowtheirlegislatedsop2019.pdf

Jahner, S., Penz, K., Stewart, N. (2019). Impact of traumatic events in rural nursing practice: An integrative review. Journal of Rural Nursing and Health Care, 19(1), 1-31. DOI: 10.14574/ojrnhc.v19i1.523.

Penz, K.L., Stewart, N.J., Karunanayake, C.P., Kosteniuk, J.G., & MacLeod, M.L.P. (2019). Competence and confidence in rural and remote nursing practice: A structural equation modelling analysis of national data. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 2019: 1–16. DOI: 10.1111/jocn.14772.

Penz, K. L., Kosteniuk, J. G., Stewart, N. J., MacLeod, M. L. P., Kulig, J. C., Karunanayake, C. P., & Kilpatrick, K. (2018, November 15). Development and psychometric evaluation of the job demands in nursing scale and job resources in nursing scale: Results from a national study. Nursing Open, 2018, 1-19. DOI: 10.1002/nop2.215.
https://rdcu.be/bbrRg

Campbell, D., Penz, K., Dietrich Leurer, M., Juckes, K., & Rodger, K. (2018, January). Application of Ways of Knowing for Clinical Placements: A Framework for Students. International Journal of Nursing Education Scholarship, 15(1). DOI: 10.1515/ijnes-2017-0043.

Kosteniuk, J., Stewart, N., Karunanayake, C., Wilson, E., Penz, K., Kulig, J., ... MacLeod, M. (2017, September). Exploratory factor analysis and reliability of the Primary Health Care Engagement (PHCE) Scale in rural and remote nurses: Findings from a national survey. Journal of Primary Health Care Research & Development, 1-15. DOI 10.1017/S146342361700038X https://www.unbc.ca/sites/default/files/sections/rural-nursing/en/kosteniuketalexploratoryfactoranalysisandreliabilityofthephcescale20170727.pdf

Campbell, D., & Penz, K. (2017, June). Romantic Song Lyrics Used to Facilitate Nursing Students' Comprehension of Qualitative Data Analysis. Journal of Nursing Education, 56(6), 383-384. DOI 10.3928/01484834-20170518-14 https://www.healio.com/nursing/journals/jne/2017-6-56-6/%7B92ad7f16-c14f-4c7c-9700-becee120d172%7D/romantic-song-lyrics-used-to-facilitate-nursing-students-comprehension-of-qualitative-data-analysis

MacLeod, M., Kulig, J., Stewart, N., Anguish, P., Andrews, M. E., Banner-Lukaris, D., ... Zimmer, L. (2017, May). Who are the nurses that work in rural and remote communities in Canada and why do they stay? Results from a national survey. Human Resources for Health, 2017. DOI 10.1186/s12960-017-0209-0
https://link.springer.com/epdf/10.1186/s12960-017-0209-0?author_access_token=GZHRDX0r7XFfyxu-qjtCGG_BpE1tBhCbnbw3BuzI2RPGb_SUMAeLf 0qcfM0eiDD2LGPUtH271NMoQtww8qQlzzsuIs6 N_V5urtb7S36N5QhyWuu9CbQPpaQpYhGil_4Y 90rVeLtL9uyDdbQNEnA_rg==

Kulig, J., Penz, K., Karunanayake, C., MacLeod, M., Jahner, S., & Andrews, M. E. (2017, May). Experiences of Rural and Remote Nurses Assisting with Disasters. Australasian Emergency Nursing Journal, 20(2), 98-106. doi: 10.1016/j.aenj.2017.04.003 http://www.aenj.com.au/article/S1574-6267(17)30022-8/pdf

Kosteniuk, J., Wilson, E., Penz, K., MacLeod, M., Stewart, N., Kulig, J., ... Kilpatrick, K. (2015, March). Development and psychometric evaluation of the Primary Health Care Engagement (PHCE) Scale: A pilot survey of rural and remote nurses. Primary Health Care Research & Development, 2016(17), 72-86.
http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=10079394&fileId=S14 63423615000158

Grants, Awarded (Peer-Reviewed)

Jansen S (Principal Investigator), Bassendowski S (Co­principal Investigator), Campbell T (Co-investigator), Dietrich Leurer M (Co-investigator), Malloy P (Co-investigator), Penz K (Co-investigator), Vandenberg H (Co-investigator), Rodger K (Co-investigator), Petrucka P (Co-investigator), Juckes K (Co-investigator), Bigalky J (Co-investigator), Lasiuk G (Co-investigator). BSN Nursing Students Perceptions of Distributed Synchronous Learning at the Yorkton and Regina, SK Campuses, The Provost's Project Grant for Innovative Practice in Collaborative Teaching and Learning University of Saskatchewan. Total: $10,000.00 for 2017-03 to 2019-03

MacLeod M (Co-principal Investigator), Stewart N (Co­principal Investigator), Kulig J (Co-principal Investigator), Banner D (Co-investigator), Andrews ME (Co-investigator), Hanlon N (Co-investigator), Karunanayake C (Co-investigator), Kilpatrick K (Co-investigator), Koren I (Co-investigator), Kosteniuk J (Co-investigator), Martin-Misener R (Co-investigator), Moffitt P (Co-investigator), Penz K (Co-investigator), Van Pelt L (Co-investigator), Wilson E (Co-investigator), Zimmer L (Co-investigator). Nursing Practice in Rural and Remote Canada II, To support the implementation of a nation-wide work-life survey to be conducted with licensed practical nurses (LPNs), registered nurses (RNs), registered psychiatric nurses (RPNs) and nurse practitioners (NPs) in rural and remote Canadian communities in all provinces and territories. Application for $810,550 for 3 years. October 1, 2013 to September 30, 2016. Canadian Institute for Health Research (CIHR), Open Operating Grant Competition. Total: $611,967.00 for 2013-09 to 2016-09

Penz K (Principal Investigator), Goodridge D (Co-investigator), Hellsten-Bzovey L (Co-investigator). Healthy health care workforces: Testing a model of work engagement and burnout among palliative care nurses in rural and urban practice settings, To test a Job Demands-Resources Personal Resources (JD-R PR) model of work engagement and burnout as potential mediators of professional quality of life among nurses who provide P/EOL care in Saskatchewan Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation (SHRF) Establishment Grant Competition. Total: $119,859.00 for 2013-09 to 2016-08

MacLeod M (Co-principal Investigator), Stewart N (Co­principal Investigator), Kulig J (Co-principal Investigator), Pitblado R (Co-principal Investigator), Andrews ME (Co-investigator), Banner D (Co-investigator), Kilpatrick K (Co-investigator), Koren I (Co-investigator), Kosteniuk J (Co-investigator), Martin-Misener R (Co-investigator), Moffitt P (Co-investigator), Penz K (Co-investigator), Van Pelt L (Co-investigator), Wilson E (Co-investigator), Zimmer L (Co-investigator). Nursing Practice in Rural and Remote Canada II. (RRN2) Health Care Policy Contribution Program, Health Canada., Funding is for the development of a national cross-sectional survey to explore issues related to health human resources specific to nursing in Canada. Includes the pilot-testing of the National survey, analysis of the Nursing Data Base and integrated Knowledge Translation. Health Care Policy Contribution Program, Health Canada.. Total: $467,385.00 for 2011-04-01 to 2014-03-31

Grants, Awarded (Non-Peer-Reviewed)

Penz K (Principal Investigator). An Exploration of the Perceived Work Related Demands/Resources and Personal Resources of Palliative Care Nurses in Saskatchewan, New Faculty Start-up Operating Funds Provost Office, University of Saskatchewan. Total: $5,000.00 for 2012-02 to 2015-02