Contact
Associate Professor, Faculty of Nursing
- tmpark@ualberta.ca
- Phone
- (780) 492-9109
- Address
-
Edmonton Clinic Health Academy
11405 - 87 Ave NWEdmonton ABT6G 1C9
Overview
About
Degrees
- PhD, James Cook University, Australia (2011)
- Graduate Certificate of Tertiary Teaching, James Cook University, Australia (2006)
- Masters in Midwifery, University of Southern Queensland, Australia (2005)
- Post Graduate Diploma of Mental Health Nursing, James Cook University (1998)
- Bachelor of Nursing Science, James Cook University (1996)
In July 2014 I moved to Edmonton from Australia to join the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Alberta.
My nursing practice includes both clinical and academic experiences. My clinical experiences include private and public settings (in rural, remote and urban centres) in general nursing, mental health nursing, and midwifery settings including crisis, community and emergency mental health services. My academic experience started in 2005 when I joined the School of Nursing, Midwifery & Nutrition at James Cook University, Queensland. I have had the opportunity to teach with both undergraduate and postgraduate students. I have held a variety of teaching and administration roles in the School of Nursing, Midwifery & Nutrition at JCU including Tutor, Subject Coordinator, Clinical Director, Director of Undergraduate Studies and Deputy Head of School.
In 2011 I completed a PhD investigating the effects of a healthy lifestyle program on weight gain for people with serious mental illness. This study resulted in two additional studies investigating the experience of weight gain from the perspective of the person and the family.
My research and teaching interests reflect my clinical background and include mental health nursing, women's health, issues affecting the mentally ill, particularly living well with schizophrenia across the lifespan and nursing education.
Research
My program of research focuses on understanding and supporting what it means to live well with a chronic and persistent mental illness like schizophrenia. My research activities inform the improvement of mental health care to best support living with a mental illness.
I currently supervise Honors, Master and Ph.D. students in Canada and Australia, in the areas of mental health, mental health nursing and education issues for nursing and nursing students.
Courses
INT D 222 - Indigenous Health in Canada
This course is offered in response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action, and is the beginning step to culturally safe interaction and practice. Focus is on introducing students to a variety of historical realities and contemporary issues relevant to Indigenous health in Canada. Students will examine issues and contributions facing settler relations from a historical, contemporary and critical perspective, with a focus on health and well-being. Note: Priority will be given to students in health science programs where this is a required course. Not to be taken if credit received for NURS 222.
NURS 597 - Understanding Complex Systems
Explore the complex nature of nursing practice in the context of evolving healthcare systems, including fiscal, policy and regulatory environments. Emphasis is placed on models of care delivery, relationships within and between systems, and issues of health inequity, gender, culture, and bias.
Scholarly Activities
Other - Associate Editor
International Journal of Mental Health Nursing - Wiley Online Library
IF 5.100
