A virtual success for MUNFON's newest PhD graduates
Thirty years after her first convocation as a bachelor of nursing student from Memorial University’s School of Nursing (now the Faculty of Nursing), Dr. Jill Bruneau took part in another celebration this past June, 2020. Completely different from the first more formal affair, with its academic dress and walk across the stage, it was exciting nonetheless!
“I joined MUN’s celebration (Hat’s Off) online, with an overwhelming sense of accomplishment that was similar in many ways to my first convocation,” said Dr. Bruneau, who along with her colleague, friend and fellow School of Nursing alumna Dr. Kathleen Stevens, are among the first graduates of the PhD in Nursing program launched back in 2013.
For both women, completing their PhD program in the midst of a pandemic was not what they expected.
Dr. Stevens returned from England in mid-March 2020 to uncertainly, and a rapidly changing situation. And discussion that she wouldn’t be able to defend her dissertation in person.
“I actually completed my virtual defense while still self-isolating,” she said. “It was certainly not how I pictured it would happen.”
With her husband also in self-isolation, Dr. Steven’s two children surprised their mom following her defense, presenting a bright bouquet of flowers and ingredients for a celebratory supper.
“They were very happy for me.”
It was the a similar scene for Dr. Bruneau, who found comfort in doing her virtual defense from her dining room, with her family tucked away in different corners of the house.
“Picture three lively teenagers and a husband being silent for hours waiting,” she said. “I think they were happier than I was to finally be finished. We all cried tears of joy and relief as my children presented me with a poster, “Congratulations Dr. Bruneau.”
Drs. Bruneau and Stevens, who teach in the faculty’s undergraduate and graduate nursing programs, are grateful that their PhD defense went ahead despite the lockdown and pandemic. They commend Memorial’s School of Graduate Studies, along with faculty in Memorial’s PhD in Nursing program, for setting up a timely and effective virtual defense.
“I feel pleased for the faculty members who developed and taught in the PhD program,” said Dr. Stevens. “It’s an important accomplishment for them to have students graduating from their inaugural class.”
Dr. Stevens’ dissertation focused on patients with diabetes at risk for diabetic foot ulcers. In a three-phase patient-oriented research study, she investigated the effectiveness of a self-management intervention that used low-cost hardware-store infrared thermometers.
The thermometer helps to identify foot inflammation that occurs prior to skin breakdown and could lead to a foot ulcer. The study concluded that using this thermometer may offer many benefits to people with diabetes who are managing their foot care.
Dr. Bruneau’s research dissertation focused on screening for cardiovascular risk factors among patients aged 40-74 and under the care of nurse practitioners. Using evidence-informed clinical practice guidelines and a patient-centred approach, the idea was to simplify a complex process and encourage patients to develop individual goals to improve their health.
Both faculty members are looking forward furthering and implementing their research to improve nursing practice.