Kaysi Eastlick Kushner

Biography

Degrees PhD (Nursing), University of Alberta, 2001 MN (Community Health Care Systems, Primary Health Care), University of Washington, 1985 Certification, Family Nurse Practitioner, National League for Nursing, New York, 1985-1990 Certification, NCAST, University of Washington, 1982 BScN, University of Alberta, Edmonton, 1978 My clinical practice experience has focused on community/public health nursing, including prenatal education, well-child, family health, school health, and community programming. I have taught courses in the undergraduate and graduate programs with the Faculty of Nursing in family health, community health nursing theory and practice, and nursing leadership. I also hold an adjunct appointment with the Centre for Health Promotion Studies, and have taught foundations in health promotion and community practice in the graduate program.

Research Interest

My research program examines women's and family's everyday health decision making within social institutional contexts of managing paid, family, and community work in diverse socioeconomic circumstances. This program is framed from a health promotion perspective informed by critical and feminist theory and concern for health equity. Understanding how women and families make health decisions in diverse situations is integral to health service/program development to provide better care and meaningful health promotion. The research program includes studies of diverse aspects of everyday family life including influences of social ideology on women’s health decision making, transition to first-time parenthood for men and women and intergenerational social support mobilization, transition to parenthood and social support among African refugees, men’s experiences as caregiver for a relative with dementia, support for smoking reduction or cessation as a health behaviour change challenge for women in low-income situations, and women’s social support use during a normative life transitions such as return to paid work and retirement.