Current courses
Dr. Lorraine Thirsk
Dr. Lorraine Thirsk
Associate Professor
Contact information
Email: lthirsk@athabascau.ca
Phone:
Dr. Lorraine Thirsk is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Health Disciplines of Athabasca University. Her research aims to reduce suffering and improve quality of life for families living with health challenges by improving nurses' relational practices and competencies in therapeutic conversations. This work currently focuses on how cognitive and implicit biases impact nurse-patient relationships, therapeutic communication, and clinical judgment.
Dr. Thirsk completed her graduate education at the University of Calgary with a focus on advanced practice in Family Systems Nursing, and her work continues to be influenced by the Calgary Family Assessment and Calgary Family Intervention Models. She works with international collaborators, through the International Family Nursing Association, to advance knowledge about families and illness, and nursing practices. She joined the Faculty of Health Disciplines at Athabasca University in 2019.
*Currently accepting masters students interested in thesis work related to critical care nursing quality, family nursing, nurses' role in psychosocial interventions and mental health, palliative care, or rural and remote nursing practice; using pilot surveys, secondary data, natural language processing, or systematic review methods.
Research interests
- Family nursing
- Nursing interventions
- Cognitive bias
- Clinical judgment
Educational credentials
- BScN (2000)
- MN (2005)
- PhD (2009)
Professional affiliations
- College and Association of Registered Nurses of Alberta
- International Family Nursing Association
- Sigma Theta Tau International (Phi Gamma virtual chapter)