Dr. Erna Snelgrove-Clarke, Vice-Dean, Queen’s Health Sciences and Director, School of Nursing, has appointed Laurie Gedcke-Kerr as Associate Director, Undergraduate Programs, School of Nursing effective July 1, 2023, until June 30, 2026. She has served as interim Associate Director since September 26, 2022.
Gedcke-Kerr earned her Bachelor of Nursing Science (BNSc) and Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) at Queen’s University, as well as a Certificate in Critical Care from St. Lawrence College. She has worked at Kingston General Hospital as a Registered Nurse, Asthma Nurse Educator, Clinical Instructor, and Pediatric Oncology Coordinator. Since returning to the School of Nursing in 2005, she has held the positions of Lecturer, Assistant Professor, and Undergraduate Nursing Programs Clinical Lead.
As a Nurse Educator, Gedcke-Kerr’s current area of teaching focuses on pediatrics. She has supervised and taught pediatric nursing at Kingston Health Science Centre (KHSC) and within community health agencies. Currently, she teaches theoretical pediatric nursing, and co-coordinates the final integrated practicum for fourth year undergraduate nursing students.
Gedcke-Kerr’s research has examined how to support the care needs of parents of children with cancer. Most recently, she contributed to a population level retrospective cohort study looking into the effects of rurality and geographical distance on emergency department use by children with asthma.
During her time as faculty, Gedcke-Kerr has been the recipient of several recognitions and honours that highlight her exceptional skills as an educator. She is a nine-time recipient of the Reddick Award for Excellence in Nursing Education and five-time recipient of the Nursing ’84 Award for Excellence in Clinical Teaching. She also received the Faculty of Health Sciences Education Award and the Frank Knox Teaching Award. In 2022, she was recognized by Queen’s Campus Wellness Project as a Superstar Champion and Classroom Champion for Mental Health.
Please join Vice-Dean Snelgrove-Clarke in congratulating Gedcke-Kerr on her appointment.