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Degrees

• PhD (Rehabilitation Medicine), University of Alberta
• MN (Nurse Practitioner, Adult Oncology), University of Alberta
• BScN, University of Alberta 

Select Awards

• Department of Medicine Collaboration, Cooperation and Teamwork Award, 'Cardio-Oncology Team', University of Alberta, 2015
• Award of Nursing Excellence, Lymphoma Canada 2014
• CIHR Research Fellowship: Tomorrow’s Research Cardiovascular Health Professionals (TORCH) 2008

Current Grants

• Pituskin E. (PI) J White, I Paterson, G Oudit, J Mackey, S Lupichuk, R Tsang. S Sanghal. Alberta Innovates Precision Health Initiative Development Grant. Cardiotoxicity Prevention Research Initiative (CAPRI). 
• Pituskin E.(PI). Cancer Strategic Clinical Network Seed Grant. Approaches in adjuvant endocrine therapy education and decision-making (APHRODITE Study). 
• Alberta Innovates – Health Solutions. Alberta Cancer Exercise (ACE) Program for Cancer Survivors. M McNeely (PI) E Pituskin (Co-I) A Joy, J Yurick, K Courneya, M Parliament, M Shea-Budgell, N Culos-Reid.
• Pituskin E (PI), Paterson I, Mackey J, Thompson R. MANTICORE X-5: Multidisciplinary Approaches to Novel Therapies in Cardio-Oncology Research, 5 Year imaging extension.Heart and Stroke Foundation of Alberta, NWT & Nunavut (HSFA) Research Leadership Fund
• Pituskin E (PI), Krause B, Paterson I, Mackey J. CROSSFIT: CROSS sectional study of cardiovascular Function and risk profiles In BRCA muTation carriers. Women & Children's Health Research Institute (WCHRI), University of Alberta FON Establishment Grant. 
• Pituskin E (PI), Haykowsky, M, McNeely M, Vlahadamis A, Danilak M, Paterson I, Baracos V, Sawyer M. AMAZON: Multidisciplinary support And exerciZe during Adjuvant endOcriNe therapy. Alberta Cancer Foundation. 

As I am a practising NP, my teaching has been focused in the NP program. NURS510 is the first clinical course in the Adult NP program, focused on clinical assessment and diagnostic decision-making. NURS509 studies system-based pathology and introduces diagnostic thinking to NP students. 

Regarding trainees, I believe in providing the strongest training environment possible, allowing the graduate multiple opportunities regardless of eventual career trajectory. The majority of my trainees have been NP students performing thesis work, important as these students have a particularly constrained academic schedule associated with national NP examinations. 

• Derek Rothe (NP Adult): Derek performed both quantitative and qualitative research for his thesis, contributed to 2 collaborative manuscripts and is currently submitting his MN manuscripts. He presented his work at multiple national conferences. Derek received several awards, based on his academic performance and innovative work: University of Alberta 2016 Maurice and Edna Minton Endowment Fund for Cancer Nursing; Alberta Registered Nurses Education Trust 2016; Liz Lemire Memorial Scholarship (2016); University of Alberta - Dean’s Discretionary Fund, 2016;Canadian Nurses Foundation - Aplastic Anemia and Myelodysplasia Association of Canada Scholarship, 2016; University of Alberta Graduate Students’ Association Professional Development Award, 2015. Derek is currently employed in CancerControl AHS as a GI oncology NP.
• Hope Rabel NP (Adult): Hope's thesis was analysis of the dataset I developed (Rapid Access Palliative Radiotherapy Program), showing that an experienced NP can evaluate similarly complicated advanced cancer patients as a radiation oncologist. She received the 2016 Dr Hermann and Ely de Jongh Award in Palliative Care and the Sandy McKinnon Award in Palliative Care. Hope's work was presented at the 2016 Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer.
• Melissa Perri (NP trainee): Melissa's work has focused on improving the way chemotherapy is prescribed, aiming to personalize dose on patient lean body mass. This work is important for NPs as prescribers, for women and the elderly are not studied in dose-finding studies, leading to major and potentially life-limiting toxicities. Melissa received the 2018 Minton Studentship, 2017 Inez Poole Graduate Scholarship and the 2016 Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship for her innovative work. In 2017, she presented her findings at the most important international breast cancer meeting, the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. 
• Calvin Kruger MSc (undergraduate student): Calvin will study a transthoracic echocardiography dataset of cancer patients receiving chemotherapy to learn if there is a relationship between heart mass and lean muscle mass, aiming to personalize chemotherapy dose and prevent major organ dysfunction. He received a 2018 Nursing Undergraduate Student Summer Research Award. 
• Abigail Bridarolli (Honors undergraduate student): When cancer patients complete their necessary treatments, there is a bell that the patient can ring to signify completion. However, there is no literature to support this practise, and review of patient websites suggests that this practise may in fact be stressful for some. Abigail will study the experience of 'ringing the bell', aiming to inform and improve patient supportive services. 
• Zhihua Yang (NP Trainee): Zee's capstone will focus on nurses’ experiences and perceptions of taking care of patients with delirium in intensive care units.