Jessica Key
My research is grounded in my clinical practice as a registered nurse and Clinical Nurse Specialist. It is guided by the people that I serve, by the Elders who generously walk alongside me, and by my colleagues and partners working to advance Indigenous Cultural Safety in healthcare. My research is directly connected to healthcare leaders who are situated to enact meaningful change in how healthcare is delivered in British Columbia.
Research description
What does being a Public Scholar mean?
Being a UBC Public Scholar means engaging in research that has real-world applications and impacts. In healthcare, we need creative, meaningful solutions to complex, systems-level challenges that cannot be solved in isolation. Being a Public Scholar means being a part of a community of innovative, community-minded scholars who are using their brilliance and capacity to make meaningful change in the world.
In what ways do you think the PhD experience can be re-imagined with this Initiative?
I think that the Public Scholars Initiative invites the opportunity to focus on and uplift research and scholarship that is woven into relationships with the people and systems that shape, guide, and drive academic work. It helps to bridge the perceived gaps between academia and the messy, complex, and challenging “real world” to enact real change.
How do you envision connecting your PhD work with broader career possibilities?
I am incredibly fortunate that my day job is deeply intertwined with the work I am undertaking in my PhD. For me, the PhD journey is an opportunity to deepen and strengthen my skills, grounding, and identity to continue to advance Indigenous Cultural Safety and Indigenous Specific Antiracism in healthcare.
How does your research engage with the larger community and social partners?
My research is grounded in my clinical practice as a registered nurse and Clinical Nurse Specialist. It is guided by the people that I serve, by the Elders who generously walk alongside me, and by my colleagues and partners working to advance Indigenous Cultural Safety in healthcare. My research is directly connected to healthcare leaders who are situated to enact meaningful change in how healthcare is delivered in British Columbia.
Why did you decide to pursue a graduate degree?
I chose to pursue a PhD in Nursing because, as an advanced practice nurse working in advancing Indigenous Cultural Safety in nursing, there are many challenges and complexities that need time and dedicated effort to understanding in order to try to influence the nursing profession and health system. I had gaps in my own knowledge and reflexivity that I thought a PhD would help me to explore and bridge. So far, this is proving to be true. I am excited to incorporate my learning and research into my practice as I continue this journey.
Why did you choose to come to British Columbia and study at UBC?
I have been an uninvited guest on the territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh peoples since I moved to Vancouver to attend UBC for my first undergraduate degree after high school to be closer to my family's home territory on the central coast of what is colonially known as British Columbia. I have travelled and lived elsewhere over the years, but these lands, and now the territories of the Katzie, Kwantlen, and Semiahmoo Nations have been the home where I have created and am raising my family. UBC's School of Nursing has been my home base for my BSN, MSN, and now my PhD journey. The faculty, fellow scholars, and opportunities to learn and have an impact make it an amazing place to grow and develop as a nursing leader.
