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College of Nursing

Biography

Dr. Petrucka is a proud USask alumna of the College of Nursing, having earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) in 1993 and a Master of Nursing (MN) in 1996. She completed her PhD at the University of Alberta in 2006 and a postdoctoral fellowship at First Nations University of Canada in 2008.

She currently holds a joint appointment with the School of Public Health at USask and is a visiting professor at Aga Khan University in Karachi, Pakistan.

Her research interests focus on health equity issues in both local and global contexts. She has focused on women’s health primarily with topics such as menstrual hygiene, access to health services, and self-care. She has been successfully funded provincially (SHRF), nationally (CIHR, SSHRC, CNA), and internationally (GAC, IDRC) thereby enabling her work to contribute across each of these geographic contexts.

Pammla has remained committed to graduate student supervision and has supervised or co-supervised more than 50 master's and PhD students across four continents. Her students have undertaken studies in areas of health equity including maternal-child, digital, intimate partner violence, nurse-patient communications, community development amongst others. This array of exposures has led to use of a variety of novel/emergent methodologies, health related technologies, and engagement strategies.  

Research Interests

  • Health Equity
  • Global Health
  • Women’s Health
  • Community Empowerment

Methodology

  • Qualitative
  • Mixed methods

Courses

  • NURS 440: Interprofessional Perspectives Health Systems and Policy Development within a Global Context
  • NURS 441: Transitioning to Professional Practice
  • NURS 478: Rural Nursing
  • PUBH 803: Health Promotion
  • PUBH 804: Foundations of Public Health
  • NURS 812: Leadership in Nursing
  • NURS 821: Evidence Informed Practice in Nursing
  • NURS 824: Advanced Integrative Exercise
  • NURS 862: Integrative Review Critical Appraisals of Health Evidence
  • PUBH 850: Applied Research Methods
  • PUBH 854: Advances in Health Promotion Programs Implementation and Evaluation
  • NURS 862: Integrative Review Critical Appraisals of Health Evidence

Publications

Grants

Bigalky, J., Racette, J., Petrucka, P., Mackey, A., McNab & L. (December 2025 - January 2027). Co-Creating Culturally Safe Perinatal Substance Use Care: Engagement with Indigenous Communities. CIHR-NEIHR Centre. Granted: $14,089 (CAD).
Schuster-Wallace, C. Petrucka, P., Bigalky, J., et al. (2025). Developing, testing, and evaluating a maternal well-being measure for Indigenous Communities in Canada and East Africa. $1,377,000 (CAD). Project Grant. Canadian Institutes of Health Research.
Bigalky, J., Mackey, A., & Petrucka, P. (2024). Unveiling menstrual experiences: A collaborative study to  address and advocate for menstrual equity in São Paulo, Brazil. $10,000.(CAD)
Backes, D. S. & Brazilian team & Zanchetta, M. S. (Canadian PI), Petrucka, P. (Canadian Co-PI), Koivisto, B., Sekercioglu, F., Metersky, K., Yoon, R., Chyzzy, B. & Al-Hamad, A. (2024). Socio-cultural specificities in the pregnancy-puerperal cycle of Indigenous women. Brazilian Federal Agency for Support and Evaluation of Graduate Education (CAPES Foundation) for the period of 2024-2027. Granted: R$5,000,000,00 (approximately $ 1,341,500)
Alinea International (PI), UCVM Colleagues, AVC Colleagues, U of S colleagues (Petrucka, P; Epp, T). (2023 - 2028). Gender Responsive One Health (GROH) Initiative. Global Affairs Canada (GAC). $7,000,000 CAD.
Henry, B., Ferguson, L., Foulds, H., Graham, H., Lovo, S., Marks, W., Oosman, S., Petrucka, P., Blbuena, L., Bigalky, J., Epp, T. et al. (2024). Indigenous Futurisms in Indigenous Health and Well-being The natawuhowin and mamawiijiayaahk research training and mentorship networks. $4,000,000, Canadian Institutes of Health Research.
Petrucka, P., Mackey, A., & Bigalky, J. (2024). Access and experiences with sex and gender-based health care services in Saskatchewan: Perspectives of post-conflict newcomers in Canada. $12734.52
Richter, S. Petrucka, P., & Maina, G. (2024). Understanding witchcraft beliefs and practices in transnational spaces; Exploring the case of children in Ghana and among African newcomers in Canada. Insight Development Grant, Social sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.$74,456
Bigalky, J., Namathanga, A., Mackey, A., Petrucka, P., Moyo, M. & Chipungu, E. (2024). Developing an international collaborative research team to address obstetric fistulas in girls and young women in Malawi, Africa. Global Community Service Fund for period February 15, 2024 – February 15, 2026. $17,008
Petrucka, P. (2023). Health Research Training Platform: Digital Mental Health for Families, Parents, Youth, and Children (DIVERT). August 2023-July 2024. $5,000
Richter, S. (PI), Adjorlolo, S. (co-PI), Jarvis, K. (co-PI), Petrucka, P. (co-I), Temkorang, E. (co-I), Chubb, L.A. (co-I), et al. (2023). Unveiling the Silence: Developing and evaluating a feasibility study to improve access and utilization to sexual and reproductive health services for kayayei (head porters) in Ghanaian markets. CIHR – Project Grant . August 1, 2023- July 31, 2028.
Petrucka, P., Mackey, A., Cummings, J., Bigalky, J, & Barbo, G. (2023). Saskatchewan Awareness, Advocacy, and Knowledge Strategies (Sask-A2SKS): Addressing IPV amongst Queer Women in Saskatchewan’s 2SLBGTQ+ Communities. SHRF Align. $9996.
Petrucka, P., Crawford, J., Martin, S., Bigalky, J., & Mackey, A. (2022). Facilitating Ecofriendly Menstrual Hygiene Efforts and Rights Based Development. Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Explore. October 2021 - December 2022. $6,410 CAD.

Honours (Medals, Fellowships, Prizes)

National Health Research Development/Cdn Health Research Fund, PhD Fellow, 1998-2002
Marie Lammer Memorial Scholarship, Saskatchewan Nurses Foundation, 1999
Catherine O’Shaunessy Memorial Scholarship, Saskatchewan Nurses Foundation, 2000
Helen Walker Award for Innovation in Nursing, Saskatchewan Registered Nurses Association, 2005
IPHRC Saskatchewan Centennial Medal, Government of Saskatchewan, 2006
Association of Commonwealth Universities, Jackie McAleer Fellowship, 2006-2008
Effie Feeny Award for Nursing Research, Saskatchewan Registered Nurses Association, 2008
Outstanding New Investigator Award, Canadian Association of Nurse Researchers, 2008
University of Regina Alumni Award for Humanitarian Service, 2009
Global Best – Americas: Community, Business and Education Award, 2010
Global Best – Americas: International Partnership Network Award, 2013
SHRF Achievement Award (nomination) 2015
Elsevier Literati Award, Outstanding Paper, 2022
USask College of Nursing Research Excellence Award for Health Equity Research, 2025