Nancy Edwards honoured for community health work

Whether in Canada or around the world, Nancy Edwards has been instrumental in moving forward community health issues. Ottawa Mayor Bob Chiarelli highlighted her contribution by declaring May 10, 2006 “Nancy Edwards Day” in Ottawa, as part of National Nursing Week.

Edwards is the director of the Community Health Research Unit (CHRU), which is co-sponsored by the University of Ottawa and the former Ottawa -Carleton Health Department, now the City of Ottawa People Services. She also teaches in the Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine.

Edwards holds a nursing chair dealing with multiple interventions for community health. Her research covers such diverse topics as smoking cessation, prevention of falls among seniors, postpartum follow-up, breastfeeding and mammography screening. Her work has taken her to Pakistan, Sierra Leone (West Africa), China and several regions within Canada.

“The City of Ottawa is privileged to have a nurse of Dr. Edwards’ calibre contributing to the advancement of registered nurses and nursing graduates,” says Lucille Auffrey, chief executive officer of the Canadian Nurses Association.

Edwards established an annual research internship program for nurses and health professionals at the master’s and PhD levels at the early stages of their community research career. “This program will benefit many nurses,” says Auffrey.