## [Featured Publications](/featured-publications) # Featured Publication ## [**Success by Design: Senior Leadership Perspectives on Optimising the Role of Clinical Nurse Specialists**](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jan.70549) This recent publication springs from the research of [Dr. Sandra B. Lauck](/our-people/sandra-lauck "Sandra Lauck"); [Dr. Leah K. Lambert](/our-people/leah-lambert "Leah Lambert"); [Dr. Natasha Prodan‐Bhalla](/our-people/natasha-prodan-bhalla "Natasha Prodan-Bhalla"); [Dr. Farinaz Havaei](/our-people/farinaz-naz-havaei "Farinaz (Naz) Havaei"), Dr. Denise Bryant‐Lukosius, [Ms. Jagbir Kaur, CNS](/community/news/2022/bccri-rising-star-jagbir-kaur "BCCRI Rising Star - Jagbir Kaur"), [Mr. Kevin Hare](/our-people/kevin-hare "Kevin Hare"), Ms. Sherri Lynn Kensall, [Dr. Becky Palmer](/our-people/becky-palmer "Becky Palmer") and [Dr. Sally Thorne](/our-people/sally-thorne "Sally Thorne"), and was published in the *Journal of Advanced Nursing* on February 4, 2026. AIM: To report on the unique perspectives of senior nursing leaders on the value proposition of the Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) role, their organizational experience and the barriers and facilitators to optimize and promote the long-term sustainability. CONCLUSION: Senior leaders reported a common understanding of the value-add of the CNS workforce and had a shared experience of barriers to optimization. Contemporary policy guidance is needed to equip health systems to address this gap. [Read the Publication](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jan.70549) *The featured publication formed the basis of a presentation Dr. Lauck gave at the* [*European Association of Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions*](https://www.escardio.org/events/congresses/eapci-summit/) *(EAPCI) scientific meetings of the European Society of Cardiology on the importance of a dedicated role for a **Clinical Valve Coordinator.** Through their recent publication and simultaneous presentation, Dr. Lauck and her team have helped bring clarity and consensus to this and other critical nursing roles. Their work provides evidence that clinical nurse specialists such as the clinical valve coordinator, are essential to optimize patient care, and barriers must be removed to ensure these roles are widely "defined, funded, implemented and evaluated."* ### **Coordinating the Heart of Care:** **Clinical Nurse Specialists in Cardiovascular Nursing** Image ![Clinical Valve Coordinator - Visual Abstract](/sites/default/files/styles/original_image/public/2026-02/clinical-valve-specialist.jpg.webp?itok=vD5ilp2D) Clinical Valve Coordinator - Visual AbstractWhen a patient is told they need treatment for heart valve disease, the news can be overwhelming. Appointments multiply. Tests are scheduled. Specialists weigh in. Decisions between surgical and less invasive procedures must be made; often quickly, and often with life-altering implications. Behind the scenes of this increasingly complex journey, one role is quietly becoming essential: the Clinical Valve Coordinator. At its core, the role is about clinical safety and continuity. Valve coordinators are not simply schedulers or administrators. They are clinicians with specialized knowledge of valve disease and treatment options. They review referrals and diagnostic imaging, prepare cases for heart team discussions, support shared decision-making, and serve as a consistent point of contact for patients navigating a highly technical system. They may also help monitor quality metrics, track procedural outcomes, and identify gaps in care processes to ensure that programs meet evolving standards and that patients are not lost in transition between assessment, intervention, and follow-up. This type of clinical nurse specialist illustrates that innovation in healthcare is not only about new technologies, but also about the people who make those technologies work, together. For patients, the presence of a Clinical Valve Coordinator often translates into something simple but powerful: reassurance. A single knowledgeable contact. A clearer understanding of next steps. A sense that someone is overseeing the whole journey. For clinicians and health systems, the role strengthens program quality, supports adherence to best practices, and improves workflow across disciplines. For our school, this work reflects something deeper: leadership in defining emerging roles that improve care at scale. By bringing evidence and consensus to areas that have been evolving organically, Dr. Lauck and her team are helping shape how specialized medical programs function—not just locally, but across diverse healthcare settings. In a multitude of treatments, in a variety of healthcare specialties, the clinical nurse specialist ensures that expertise translates into action, and that patients move through the system with clarity, safety, and confidence. ## Recent Publications ### Publications \* denotes UBC Nursing trainees & alumni [Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of Asian women with endometriosis in Canada: A photovoice study](https://doi.org/10.1177/17455057251414300) *Women's Health* [Kerry Marshall](/community/news/2022/interview-with-grad-student-kerry-marshall "Interview with Grad Student Kerry Marshall"), [A. Fuchsia Howard](/our-people/fuchsia-howard "A. Fuchsia Howard"), Nisha Marshall, Heather Noga, Natasha L. Orr, Hannah E. Rojas, Anna Leonova, Jessica Sutherland, Erin Fernie, Vinita Puri, Roop Bassra, Paul J. Yong [Lost in Translation: Why Canada's Healthcare Crisis Is Really an Implementation Crisis ](https://www.longwoods.com/content/27775/insights/lost-in-translation-why-canada-s-healthcare-crisis-is-really-an-implementation-crisis) *Insights* **\[Most Read Insight\]** [Angela Russolillo](/our-people/angela-russolillo "Angela Russolillo"), M.L. Fang, [Michelle Carter](/our-people/michelle-carter "Michelle Carter")\*, S. Barbic [Indigenous women’s health and data sovereignty: imagining an Indigenous research methodology using quantitative methods](https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/11771801251392925) *AlterNative: An International Journal of Indigenous Peoples* [Chloe Crosschild](/community/news/2022/chloe-crosschild-receives-cgs-doctoral-scholarship "Chloe Crosschild receives CGS Doctoral Scholarship")\*, [Colleen Varcoe](/our-people/colleen-varcoe "Colleen Varcoe"), [Helen J. Brown](/our-people/helen-brown "Helen Brown"), [Annette J. Browne](/our-people/annette-browne "Annette Browne") [Relational trust in outreach with women experiencing street-involvement in British Columbia, Canada: a qualitative study ](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12913-025-13875-3) BMC Health Services Research Michelle Gagnon\*, Sunny Jiao\*, Shahin Kassam\*, Linda Dewar, [Patricia Tait](/our-people/patricia-tait "Patricia Tait"), [Vicky Bungay](/our-people/vicky-bungay "Vicky Bungay") [Examining Nurse Practitioner Experiences in Delivering Virtual Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Mixed-Method Study ](https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/08445621251380910) *Canadian Journal of Nursing Research* [Marlene Burrows](https://Burrows), J. Kromhoff, [Laura M. Housden](/our-people/laura-housden "Laura Housden"), K. Scarborough, J. Per, M. Tantongco, E. Jiang, K. Dalton, [Sarah Crowe](/media-coverage/2023/sarah-crowe-first-nurse-practitioner-clinician-scientist-in-bc "Sarah Crowe: First nurse practitioner clinician scientist in BC") [Non-Pharmacological Interventions for Managing Sickle Cell Crisis Pain: A Qualitative Study on Adolescents' and Caregivers' Experiences ](https://www.jpain.org/article/S1526-5900(26)00019-2/fulltext) *The Journal of Pain* [Bukola Mary Ibitoye](/community/news/2024/bukola-mary-ibitoye-receives-2024-impact-salary-award "Bukola Mary Ibitoye receives 2024 IMPaCT Salary Award")\*, [Bernie Garrett](/our-people/bernie-garrett "Bernie Garrett"), [Manon Ranger](/our-people/manon-ranger "Manon Ranger"), J. Stinson [You only work with what you know: Healthcare providers' experiences using non-pharmacological interventions in managing sickle cell crisis pain in adolescents](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1526590025007783) *The Journal of Pain* [Bukola Mary Ibitoye](/community/news/2024/bukola-mary-ibitoye-receives-2024-impact-salary-award "Bukola Mary Ibitoye receives 2024 IMPaCT Salary Award")\*, [Bernie Garrett](/our-people/bernie-garrett "Bernie Garrett"), [Manon Ranger](/our-people/manon-ranger "Manon Ranger"), J. Stinson [What Does Family-Centered Care Mean to You? A Qualitative Study Examining Perceptions of Mothers of Children With Medical Complexity](https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/10748407251393608) *Journal of Family Nursing* Vanessa C. Fong\*, [Jennifer Baumbusch](/our-people/jennifer-baumbusch "Jennifer Baumbusch"), Koushambhi Khan, E. Lee, S. Bailey, K. MacDonald, A. Clancy [Equity in public health ethics: a community-engaged, empirical study of values, principles, and practices](https://doi.org/10.1093/pubmed/fdaf126) *Journal of Public Health* A. Virani, C. Macevicius, T. Jegathesan, N. Laliberte, A. Bharmal, J. Wong, M. McAlduff, H. French, [Drew B A Clark](/our-people/drew-clark "Drew Clark") [Unintentional benzodiazepine use and frequency of drug checking service utilization: a cross-sectional study ](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12954-025-01381-y) *Harm Reduction Journal* L. Airth, [Trevor Goodyear](/our-people/trevor-goodyear-0 "Trevor Goodyear"), B. Marshall, C. Grant, M. Lysyshyn, S. Sherman, E. Wood, L. Ti [Substance use patterns among adolescents with health conditions and disabilities in British Columbia: a complex sample latent class analysis](https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17450128.2025.2600964) *Vulnerable Children and Youth Studies* D. Zou, Jennifer E.V. Lloyd, [N. Bandara](/our-people/nilanga-aki-bandara "Nilanga Aki Bandara"), [Jennifer Baumbusch](/our-people/jennifer-baumbusch "Jennifer Baumbusch") [Assessors' decision-making regarding applicant eligibility for Track 2 medical assistance in dying in Canada: a qualitative study ](https://www.cmaj.ca/content/198/1/E1) *CMAJ* B. Pesut, [Sally Thorne](/our-people/sally-thorne "Sally Thorne"), H. Sharp, M. McKenzie, K. Chambaere, M. Lachmann, B. Onwuteaka-Philipsen, L. Thorpe, L. Verigin, A. Virani ### Editorials [Five Years Post COVID-19](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41532160/) *Nursing Inquiry* [Sally Thorne](/our-people/sally-thorne "Sally Thorne") [Complications Following Bilateral Salpingectomy by Indication: Population-Based Cohort Study](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41502233/) *BJOG* A. Lukey, H. Abreu do Valle, [A. Fuchsia Howard](/our-people/fuchsia-howard "A. Fuchsia Howard"), et al. [Longitudinal reflections on family caregiving experiences: Insights from solicited diaries of caregivers of people living with dementia in British Columbia, Canada](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmqr.2025.100677) *SSM - Qualitative Research in Health* K. Seetharaman, L. Kervin, Koushambhi Khan, H. Cooke, [Jennifer Baumbusch](/our-people/jennifer-baumbusch "Jennifer Baumbusch") [Leveraging Cultural-Language Translation Apps to Support and Promote Equitable Older Adult Care: A Scoping Review ](https://doi.org/10.1177/07334648251404144) *Journal of Applied Gerontology* L. Chung-Lee, A. Akbarian, R. Yoon, [Abdul-Fatawu Abdulai](/our-people/abdul-fatawu-abdulai "Abdul-Fatawu Abdulai"), et al. [Elevating an invisible role: co-designing solutions to optimize medical office assistants in primary care ](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12875-025-03155-8) *BMC Primary Care* J. Shuldiner, A. Ragunathan, J. Mohammed, A. Khan, N. Hare, T. Meninato, J. Haggerty, G. arber, R. Reid, M. Andiappan, D. Martin, D. Kaplan, T. Kiran, S. Hysong, [Sabrina T Wong](/our-people/sabrina-wong "Sabrina Wong"), et al. [Strategizing a Qualitative Research Agenda for the Evolving Practice of Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) in Track Canadian](https://maidjournal.ca/en/article/view/1-1-Thorne_et_al) *Journal of MAID* [Sally Thorne](/our-people/sally-thorne "Sally Thorne"), Laurel Plewes ### Commentaries [A Tale of Two Conditions: 50 Years of Chronic Illness and Cancer From a Nursing Perspective](https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.70441) *Journal of Advanced Nursing* [Sally Thorne](/our-people/sally-thorne "Sally Thorne") [Children’s outdoor play at early learning and child care centres: Examining the impact of environmental play features on children’s play behavior](https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0318538) *PLoS One* R. Ramsden, I. Pike, [Sally Thorne](/our-people/sally-thorne "Sally Thorne"), M. Brussoni [Developing robust systems for Track 2 MAID in Canada: A qualitative study](https://doi.org/10.1177/26323524251401243) *Palliative Care and Social Practice* Barbara Pesut, [Sally Thorne](/our-people/sally-thorne "Sally Thorne"), et al. [Healing relationships between patients from visible minority groups and their clinicians in palliative care: Protocol for an interpretive description study](https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/26323524251399231) *Palliative Care and Social Practice* K. Wassef, C. Rodríguez, [Sally Thorne](/our-people/sally-thorne "Sally Thorne"), J. Sanders