The BRIC NS Primary Care Learning Series is an opportunity for professors, established researchers and/or early career investigators across Nova Scotia to share their completed or in-progress primary care research.

This seminar features two presentations:

Presentation #1

Title: Embedding Pediatric Pain Standards into Everyday Care

Presenters: Patti Douglas, RN, BScN & Louise Tunnah, PhD

Patti Douglas is the Clinical Implementation Specialist in Pediatric Pain Management with IWK Health’s pediatric-LHS ‘Maritime Child Health’ in partnership with Solutions for Kids in Pain. Originally from Prince Edward Island, she began her career as a registered nurse in rural healthcare before joining IWK Health. Most recently, she played a key role in acquiring ChildKind International certification and supports the IWK’s Pain Champion group. She is actively working on building connections in the pediatric pain care field and looks forward to collaborating on the grant project for Kids Brain Health Network.

Louise Tunnah (she/her) is the Managing Director of Solutions for Kids in Pain (SKIP). SKIP is a national knowledge mobilization network based at Dalhousie University that is on a mission to improve children’s pain management by mobilizing evidence-based solutions through coordination and collaboration. Having earned her doctoral degree in Biology from the University of Guelph, Louise now brings her skills and experience managing research projects to contribute to SKIP’s meaningful and important work regarding children’s pain.

Presentation #2

Title: Exploring the implementing and impacts of the Adult Comfort Promise for patients receiving intrauterine device insertion and endometrial biopsy: a mixed methods study protocol

Presenters: Laura Kennedy, PhD, MPH, RN & Jennifer Spencer, NP

Dr. Laura Kennedy is a Registered Nurse and CIHR Health Systems Impact Postdoctoral Fellow at IWK Health. Dr. Kennedy holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from McMaster University and a Master of Public Health from Memorial University. In 2024, Laura completed her PhD in Health at Dalhousie University. She has over ten years of experience as a Registered Nurse and received the Chris Power Leadership Development Award for her contributions to health promotion at Nova Scotia Health. Laura holds an Adjunct Appointment in the School of Nursing at Dalhousie University and teaches courses in health policy, knowledge translation and population health. Dr. Kennedy’s program of research uses policy research methods to explore health promotion within healthcare and community settings.

Jenn Spencer completed her Master of Nursing Nurse Practitioner Family all Ages from Memorial University of Newfoundland in 2023. She spent 13 years working as an RN at IWK Health in both the Women’s and Newborn Health Program and the Children’s Health Program. She currently shares her NP role at the IWK between Gynecology, Early Pregnancy Complications Clinic, and the Emergency Department. She works as an NP in the Hants ED and is an adjunct professor at Dalhousie University for the NP program. She is involved in establishing a nurse-led interdisciplinary healthcare team for early pregnancy complications to improve timely access to patient-focused, psychologically safe care. She has a passion for, and focuses on assessing and treating pain for gynecological procedures, improving access to gynecological care, nurse leadership and NP role implementation. She has a passion for research and implementing positive change. A quote she finds especially meaningful is from Kalhil Gibron, who says that “work is love made visible.” Outside of her work, her loves include her 3 sons, who help maintain a curious approach to life and a strong sense of adventure!

When: November 19th, 2025 12:00 – 1:00pm AT

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