An e-Delphi process engaging a diverse group of home health nurses and interdisciplinary team members was employed to revise Canada’s Home Health Nursing Competencies. Up-to-date competencies are a critical resource to align home health nurse training and professional development opportunities with essential skills needed in current practice environments.
Margaret Saari, PhD, SE Research Centre, SE Health
Margaret Saari, RN, PhD, is a dedicated nurse researcher with over a decade of contributions to advancing home and community-based care. As a Clinical Scientist in the SE Research Centre, Dr. Saari leads research on home care workforce stabilization and improving the use of data to inform both clinical and operational decision-making, with a focus on enhancing client and caregiver engagement in care. As an Adjunct Faculty member at the University of Toronto and a Fellow with interRAI Canada, Dr. Saari mentors future health professionals and contributes to national and international committees on standardized assessment tools across various care sectors.
Chelsea Coumoundouros, MScPH, PhD, SE Health
Dr. Chelsea Coumoundouros is a research fellow at the SE Research Centre where she conducts applied health science research focused on creating positive health system change and addressing holistic health needs. Her work at the SE Research Centre includes an e-Delphi study about home health nursing competencies and an evaluation of a new, co-designed initiative that aims to support mental health conversations between clients and providers in home and community care settings. She has a Master of Science in Public Health from McGill University and a PhD in Medical Sciences from Uppsala University in Sweden
Kelly Sylvester, Senior Director Professional Practice, SE Health
Kelly Sylvester is a Senior Clinical Director of Professional Practice at SE Health a not-for-profit social enterprise, where they specialize in home and community care. Kelly is a registered nurse with over 34 years of nursing experience. She has BScN (hons) degree and a Master’s in Education and has spent the last 24 years in Professional Practice and leadership roles. Kelly has dedicated her career to educating and developing health professionals to ensure the delivery of high-quality care. She has worked on various quality improvement and patient safety initiatives to enhance patient outcomes and is passionate about bringing research to practice. Kelly has provided insights for the CHNC home care competencies and most recently the RNAO Nurse Sensitive Indicators for community nursing. Outside of her professional work, Kelly is an executive member of the CVAA local chapter, and enjoys golf, reading, and spending time with her family.
Co-Authors
Chelsea Coumoundouros PhD, Research Fellow, SE Research Centre, SE Health
Kelly Sylvester, Senior Director Professional Practice, SE Health
Barbara Chyzzy RN, PhD, Assistant Professor, Daphne Cockwell School of Nursing, Toronto Metropolitan University
Melissa Northwood RN, PhD, Assistant Professor, Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University
Paul Holyoke PhD, VP Research and Innovation, SE Health
Justine Giosa PhD, Scientific and Executive Director, SE Research Centre, SE Health