Karen LeGrow

I received my BN from Memorial University of Newfoundland, my MN from Dalhousie University, and my PhD from University of Toronto. My clinical expertise is in the areas of high-risk neonatal, pediatric nursing, and family-nurse relational practice. I have held positions as a staff  nurse in a Level II - III Special Neonatal Care Unit, as a nursing instructor in the areas of pediatrics, maternal-newborn, and neonatal nursing, as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in various acute and sub-acute pediatric health care settings.

The major foci of my program of research is to develop and nurture a innovative program of research, which is oriented in Pierre Bourdieu’s Logic of Practice (Bourdieu, 1990, 1991; Swartz, 1997) that: 1) critically examines the specific mechanisms by which “place” affects health and how it influences parent-health care provider relational care practices, specifically communication and decision making practices, for children with complex health care needs across the continuum of care, and 2) identifies and strengthens causal inferences, particular to “place” that leads to identifying potential avenues for intervention. This new knowledge will inform clinical practice guidelines, parent-health care provider partnerships and education, future research queries, and health policy for this unique population of children and their families.

I have received funds over the past 12 years from national funding agencies and foundations to support the above research interests. I am committed to ensuring that families of children with complex health care needs receive respectful and supportive care to ensure they receive the information they need to make important decision related to their child’s health care.

Teaching Responsibilities:

• NSE 417 & 418: Nursing Practice IV
• NUR 825/CNUR 825: Family Health
• MN 8903: Nature & Development of Nursing Knowledge
• MN 8904: Seminars in Professional Nursing Advancement
• MN 8905: Practicum in Professional Nursing Advancement   

Teaching Interests:

• Advance Practice Nursing competencies
• Family nursing practice
• Practice Development methodology

Research Projects

2020-2023 Source: SSHRC

Type: Insight Development Grant

Amount: $69,995

Co-Investigator

Study titled, Children’s Rights in the Pediatric OR: Implications for Teamwork.

2020-2022 Source: Norman Saunders Complex Care Initiative (NSCCI) Grant

Type: Operating Grant

Amount: $17,600

Principal Investigator

Study titled, Impact of COVID-19 on pediatric home care practices for children with rare diseases and/or complex care needs: Policy recommendations and practice guidelines.

2021 Source: Faculty of Community Services

Type: FCS Internal Spring Grants

Amount: $5,962

Co-Investigator

Study titled, Nurse as practitioner and as student: A mixed methods approach to develop an inventory describing their role duality during a pandemic.

2020/2021 Source: OVPRI, Ryerson University

Type: Fall/Winter Student Work Study Research Assistant Program

Amount: $4200

Supervisor/Principal Investigator

Study titled, The Impact of Covid-19 on pediatric homecare practices for children with rare diseases and complex care needs: Policy recommendations and practice guidelines.

2020 Source: Faculty of Community Services

Type: COVID-19 Rapid Response Research Team Grant

Amount: $7,500

Co-Principal Investigator:

Study titled, Exploring the intersection between academic and professional work expectations for undergraduate post-diploma and graduate nursing students during the covid-19 pandemic.

2018-2020 Source: St. Lawrence College

Type: Operational Grant

Amount: $10,000

Co-investigator

Study titled, Clinical Practice Errors and Near Miss Events related to the Clinical Practice of Undergraduate Baccalaureate Nursing Students.

2018/2021 Source: Faculty of Community Services

Type: SEED Grant

Amount: $6,000

Principal Investigator:

Study titled, How Space and Place Influence Undergraduate and Graduate Nursing Student Experiences.

Indar, A., Espin, S., LeGrow, K., Bookey-Bassett, S., McLean, T., Rose, D., & Santa Mina, E. (2022). Using critical creativity to support virtual methods of critical reflection for undergraduate and graduate nursing students. Journal of Nursing Education & Practice, 12(8),1-7.

LeGrow, K., Cohen, E., & Espin, S. (2022). Parent-health care provider decision making practices for children with complex health care needs receiving home health care services: A qualitative descriptive study. CHILD: Care, Health, & Development (January 28, 2022)

LeGrow, K., Cohen, E., & Espin, S. (2022). Parent-health care provider decision-making practices for children with complex health care needs receiving home care services: A narrative review. Academic Pediatrics, 22(2), 196-202.

Espin, S., LeGrow, K., Bookey-Bassett, S., Rose, D., Santa Mina, E., & Indar, A. (2021). Exploring the intersection between academic and professional practice during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Undergraduate and graduate nursing students’ experiences. Canadian Journal of Nursing Research (Oct. 27^th, 2021).

Serre, N., Espin, S., Indar, A., Bookey-Bassett, S., & LeGrow, K. (2021). Long-term care nurses’ experiences with patient safety incident management: A qualitative study. Journal of Nursing Care Quality,37(2), April/June.

Espin, S, Sears, N., Indar, A., Duhn, L., LeGrow, K., & Thapa, B.  (2020). Nursing students’ experiences of patient safety incidents and reporting: A scoping review. Journal of Nursing Education and Practice, 10(4), 26-35.

Indar, A., Espin, S., LeGrow, K., & Janes, N. (2017). Using critical creativity to reveal nursing student learning in Long-Term Care. Journal of Nursing Education, March, 57(3).

LeGrow, K., & Espin, S. (2017). Beginning explorations of the “connectedness” between patient-centred care, practice development, and advanced nursing competencies to promote professional development. International Practice Development Journal, 7(2), [8].

LeGrow, K., Campbell, K., Elford, N., McLaughlin, K., & Over, A. (2016). Person-centredness in graduate nursing education: Practice development in action! International Practice Development Journal, 6(1), [9].

Grant, R. E., Goldman, J., LeGrow, K., Van Soeren, M., MacMillan, K., & Kitto, S. (2016). A scoping review of IPE within Canadian nursing literature. Journal of Interprofessional Care, 30(5), 620-626. 

• Jan Metcalfe Award, Registered Nurses’ Foundation of Ontario (RNFOO) (2006-2007
• Allied Health Fellowship Award, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) (2006-2011)
• Alma Rae Fellow Scholarship, The Hospital for Sick Children Foundation (2006-2007)
• Health Care, Technology, & Place Fellowship Award, University of Toronto (2007-2008)
• Open Fellowship Award, University of Toronto (2007-2008)
• Alma Rae Fellow Scholarship, The Hospital for Sick Children Foundation (2007-2008)
• Health Care, Technology, & Place Fellowship Award, University of Toronto (2008-2009)
• Open Fellowship Award, University of Toronto (2008-2009)
• Alma Rae Fellow Scholarship, The Hospital for Sick Children Foundation (2008-2009)
• Doctoral Thesis Completion Grant, University of Toronto (2010-2011)
• Jan Rotman Fellowship in Home Care Innovation, The Hospital for Sick Children (2012-2014)