Bridging research and practice to transform hospice care in Kingston

Feature Stories | 08 Nov 2024

Through partnerships with Providence Care and Queen’s Division of Palliative Care, Nurse Scientist Dr. Katie Goldie is supporting a model of hospice care driven by interprofessional collaboration and a commitment to compassionate, evidence-based innovation.

When asked what excites her most about being Providence Care’s inaugural Nurse Scientist, Dr. Katie Goldie doesn’t miss a beat, quickly identifying to the swift impact her research role can deliver.

“It’s the rare opportunity to see immediate and tangible results from my work. In many academic roles, it can take years for research to translate into practice but here my contributions directly shape how care will be provided.”

Since her appointment as Scientist in Nursing at Providence Care in January 2024, Dr. Goldie has been working closely with teams across Kingston’s healthcare network to ensure high-quality care for patients facing life-limiting illnesses or requiring end-of-life support—one of the most vulnerable periods of a person’s life. Her research role is embedded alongside Providence Care's healthcare administrators, nurses, physicians, and other allied health professionals. The innovative partnership supports nurse-led research, bridging gaps between theory and practice to ensure interventions are feasible and patient-centred.

One of her key responsibilities so far has been consulting on the service delivery plan for Providence Care’s new hospice residence, the first of its kind in the City of Kingston. This initiative drew on her experience as a nurse educator and researcher to address the complex challenges of hospice care.

Drs. Craig Goldie, Aynharan Sinnarajah and Katie Goldie smiling side by side in a group photo in front of the exterior stone entryway if Oak Ridges Hospice in Port Perry during a site visit in Fall 2024 — Dr. Katie Goldie and Dr. Craig Goldie with Gillian Gilchrist Chair in Palliative Care Research, Dr. Aynharan Sinnarajah, during a site visit to Oak Ridges Hospice in Port Perry this fall.

“The chance to infuse elements of academia—such as research, teaching, and evaluating quality metrics—into hospice delivery will not only improve the quality of care but also ensure that the new hospice stays at the forefront of best practices and leads innovation in this area,” explains Dr. Goldie.

The hospice’s service delivery plan was led by Krista Wells Pearce and Stacey Gregory from Providence Care, in collaboration with Dr. Goldie and Dr. Danielle Kain from the Queen’s Division of Palliative Medicine. It brought together diverse perspectives to provide comprehensive and holistic patient care—everything from clinical symptom management and everyday care needs, to spiritual, social and bereavement support.

Reflecting on the process, Dr. Goldie describes working alongside this interprofessional team as an incredibly rewarding experience: “I feel very privileged to work directly with healthcare administrators and health care providers at Providence Care and the Queen’s Palliative Medicine Program and see the benefits firsthand.”

Improving the quality of life for those in need of end-of-life care is one of the most under-researched areas of health care. Yet, it is often in these final stages of life where personalized, compassionate care is most critical.

More research can help care providers better understand patient and family needs, optimize symptom management, and develop more personalized approaches to care. It also allows health providers to develop and grow care models which ensure hospice services are compassionate, culturally sensitive and accessible to all. Alongside her work on the new hospice’s service delivery plan, Dr. Goldie has also brought together a team of interdisciplinary Queen’s Health Sciences students to complete a scoping review on hospice staffing models.

“Ultimately,” says Dr. Goldie, “more research helps ensure that patients receive the best possible care during one of the most vulnerable times in their lives.”

Although the new residence is not yet complete, construction on the ten-suite care facility is well underway. Located in Providence Village, the facility will provide end-of-life support and services in a comfortable, home-like setting to residents and loved ones. It is designed to complement Providence Care’s community hospice visiting and support programs, as well as the hospital’s subacute palliative care.

In addition to filling a critical hospice care gap in Kingston, Dr. Goldie envisions the hospice residence as a hub for future learning. That means placement opportunities that will help train nursing and health professions students, and research initiatives aimed at driving transformative change in palliative care.

“[Providence Care] have created an environment that provides a robust infrastructure for fostering cutting-edge practices and are welcoming to learners from all health care disciplines. This will help us develop evidence-based interventions that can be implemented both within the residence and across the broader healthcare community.”

Bridging research and practice to transform hospice care in Kingston

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