Helen Brown

PhD, RN

Bio

Helen Brown’s research uses community-based and participatory methods to support equity and wellbeing with and for incarcerated and Indigenous Peoples across Western Canada. Her work spans healthcare and carceral settings, aiming to support individual and community priorities around health, wellness, cultural continuity, and language revitalization. Her research network includes Indigenous Elders and communities, Peers with lived experience of incarceration, non-profits, and Correctional Service of Canada.

Profile

Educational Background

• BN, Dalhousie University
• MSN, University of British Columbia
• PhD, University of Victoria

Affiliations & Links

• Centre for Women's and Gender Studies
• Critical Research in Health and Health Care Inequities
• Affiliated Investigator, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute
• CIHR-IAPH Kloshe Tillicum New Investigator 2010-2011
• Social Development Partnership Project, Faculty of Education

Honours & Awards

• 2006-2007 - Social Science Humanities Research Council, Doctoral Award: X1 year
• 2004-2007 - Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research, Doctoral Trainee
• 2003 - President Graduate Research Fellowship, University of Victoria

Service

• 2008 - Present, Provincial Pediatric Palliative Care Committee
• 2008 - Present, External member, Fraser South, Community Living, BC Ethics Committee
• 2008-Present - Member, BC Rural and Remote Health Research Network
• 2008-Present - Member, BC Child & Youth Health Research Network
• 2008-Present - Member, Network Environments for Aboriginal Research BC
• 2001 - Present, External member, BC Women’s Hospital Ethics Committee
• 2007-Present - School of Nursing Representative to the UBC Faculty of Applied Science Council
• 2011-Present, Nursing Representative, UBC Centre for Women’s and Gender Studies
• 2010-Present - Chair, UBC School of Nursing Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition Committee
• 2010-Present - Member, UBC School of Nursing Aboriginal Strategic Engagement Committee
• 2012-2014 - UBC School of Nursing Scholarship of Teaching and Research Committee
• 2010-2011 - Member, UBC School of Nursing Executive Advisory Committee
• 2009-2011 - Member, UBC School of Nursing Graduate Program Committee
• 2009-2010 - Member, UBC School of Nursing Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition Committee
• 2008-2009 - Member, UBC School of Nursing Philosophy of Practice Education Committee
• Reviewer, Advances in Nursing Science, Canadian Journal of Nursing Research, Health Care for Women International, Journal of Distance Education, Journal of Family Nursing, Nurse Education Today, Nursing Inquiry, Research in Nursing and Health, Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences
• 2013-Present, Member, Undergraduate Policy and Program Committee
• 2013-Present, Member, SON NCLEX Subcommittee
• 2013-Present, Member LGBTQS Subcommittee
• 2014-Present, Panel Member, Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research: Scholar Health Services Research Review Panel

Area of Research

Research Interests

Dr.  Brown's program of research brings critical perspectives to studies aimed at improving health and social equity for rural and remote Indigenous communities. Using community-based and participatory methods she has worked with First Nations communities across Western Canada on projects that align with community priorities around health, wellness, cultural continuity and language revitalization. She is currently the lead on a program of research, in partnership with the Correctional Service of Canada and the Tsilhqot'in First Nation, that investigates impacts of a prison-community partnership program on Indigenous inmate and community health, wellbeing and rehabilitation. Her other projects include collaborating with interdisciplinary partners on exploring the intersections of health and justice, increasing community collaboration within nursing education, and maternal and child health for rural and remote women. 

Completed Projects

Inviting Voice, Creating Space: Barriers to Social Inclusion and Safety for Cowichan Women

Partnering with Cowichan Valley Safer Futures (CVSF), we are undertaking a project that is exploring the impacts of violence, marginalization and exclusion on women's community life and health and well-being in the Cowichan Valley that aims to address two research questions: How do experiences of marginalization and social exclusion influence women’s health, well-being and ability to participate in community life? What actions or systemic changes will facilitate safety, well-being and social inclusion as health promotion strategies?

Publications

Selected Publications not Indexed in PubMed

Roots, R., Smith, L., Brown, H., Bainbridge, L., & Li, L. (2014). "All those things you never thought": Perspectives from occupational therapists practicing in rural British Columbia. Occupational Therapy Now, 16(6), 26-28.

Brown, H. & McPherson, G. (2012) Maternal and Child Health. In Stamler & Yiu (Eds.), Community Health Nursing: A Canadian Perspective, 3rd edition. Toronto: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Rodney, P., Kadyschuk, S., Liaschenko, J., Brown, H., Musto, L., & Snyder, N. (2012). Moral agency: Relational connections and support. In J. Storch, P. Rodney & R. Starzomski (Eds.), Toward a moral horizon: Nursing ethics for leadership and practice (2nd Ed). Toronto: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Rodney, P., Burgess, M., Pauly, B. McPherson, G., & Brown, H. (2012). Our theoretical landscape: A brief history of health care ethics. In J. Storch, P. Rodney & R. Starzomski (Eds.) Toward a moral horizon: Nursing ethics for leadership and practice (2nd Ed). Toronto: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Brown, H. & Allison, G. (2012). Educative spaces for teaching and learning ethical practice in nursing. In J. Storch, P. Rodney & R. Starzomski (Eds.) Toward a moral horizon: Nursing ethics for leadership and practice (2nd Ed). Toronto: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Brown, H. (2011). Book Review: Indigenous Methodologies: Characteristics, conversations and contexts. Canadian Journal of Nursing Research,.

Waters, N, Hall, W., Brown, H. Espezal, H. & Palmer L. (2011). Perceptions of Canadian labour and delivery nurses about incident reporting: A qualitative descriptive focus group study. International Journal of Nursing Studies.

Varcoe, C., Brown, H., Calam, B. Buchanan, M. & Newman, V. (2011) Capacity building is a two-way street: Learning from doing research in Aboriginal communities. In G, Creese & W. Frisby (Eds.).  Feminist Community Research: Negotiating Contested Relationships: Vancouver, BC: UBC Press.

Doane, G. & Brown, H. (2011). Recontextualizing learning in nursing education: Toward an ontological turn. Journal of Nursing Education, 50(1), 21-26.

Brown, H., Calam, B., & Varcoe, C. (2011). Rural Aboriginal women’s birthing experiences in context: Implications for practice. Canadian Journal of Nursing Research, 43(4), 100-117.

Brown, H, & Rodney, P. (2007). Beyond case studies: Creating capacities for ethical knowledge in nursing practice through story and narrative. In Drs Lynne Young & Barbara Patterson (Eds.), Teaching Nursing: Student-centred Theories, Models, and Strategies for Nurse Educators. Lippincott.

Brown, H., & Doane, G. (2007). From filling buckets to lighting fires: Aligning nursing education with nursing practice. In Drs Lynne Young & Barbara Patterson (Eds.), Teaching Nursing: Student-centred Theories, Models, and Strategies for Nurse Educators. Lippincott.

Rodney, P., Burgess, M., McPherson, G. & Brown, H. (2004). Our theoretical landscape: A brief history of health care ethics. In J. Storch, P. Rodney & R. Starzomski (Eds.), Toward a Moral Horizon: Nursing Ethics for Leadership and Practice. (pp. 56-76). Toronto: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Rodney, P., Brown, H. & Liaschenko, J. (2004). Moral Agency: Relational Connections and Trust. In J. Storch, P., Rodney & R. Starzomski (Eds.), Toward a Moral Horizon: Nursing Ethics for Leadership and Practice. (pp. 154-177). Toronto: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Brown, H., Rodney, P. Pauly, B., Varcoe, C. & Smye, V. (2004). Working the landscape: Nursing ethics. In J. Storch, P., Rodney & R. Starzomski (Eds.), Toward a Moral Horizon: Nursing Ethics for Leadership and Practice. (pp. 126-153). Toronto: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Brown, H. (1997). Tanner’s story: A phenomenologic stance towards newborn death. Canadian Journal of Nursing Research, 29(4), 21-31.

Teaching

Current Teaching

N302 Professional Foundations of Nursing Practice
Introduction to fundamental theories, concepts, evidence, and competencies pertaining to the discipline and practice of nursing.

Supervisor Eligibility

MHLP, MN, MSN - thesis, MSN - non-thesis, PhD

Graduate Supervision

Mattu, Beljinder - MSN, 2019 
Emergency Health Care Providers’ Perspectives On Providing Care To Racialized Immigrant Women Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence

Bruner, Mattae - MSN, 2018
Exploring risk and resilience related to health and well-being among youth who live in rural areas: a rapid evidence assessment

Devic, Adisa - MSN, 2018
Effects of perinatal loss on British Columbian obstetric nurses

Penrose, Christine Marie - MSN, 2014
Perinatal nursing strategies to promote breastfeeding for women who have a history of sexual violence: a rapid evidence assessment

Birtwistle, Catherine - MSN, 2013
Exploring strategies for fostering optimal sexual health with Aboriginal girls living in rural Canadian communities: perspectives from a rapid evidence assessment

Gavino, Katherine Navia - MSN, 2013
"A horrible place for a miscarriage": nurses' experiences of caring for women in the emergency department