Kimberley Widger

Project Investigator, Child Health Evaluative Sciences

Professor Kimberley Widger comes from a strong clinical background as a paediatric oncology nurse, then Clinical Nurse Specialist in pediatric palliative care; providing a solid foundation for her research. She effectively leads large multisite teams in conducting clinically relevant research and translating findings into improved care for seriously ill children and families. As one of the few paediatric palliative care nurse researchers in Canada, she will continue to make significant contributions to the international understanding and delivery of high quality paediatric palliative care and build capacity for the next generation of researchers.

Research

Widger’s research is focused on the quality of pediatric palliative care. Her vision is that every family of a child diagnosed with a life-threatening illness receives optimal pediatric palliative care throughout the illness regardless of where they receive care and the outcome of the illness. To achieve this vision, the overarching goal of her program of research is to identify, examine, and enhance the structures, processes, and outcomes of palliative care provided to children living with life-threatening illnesses and their families.

Education and experience

• 2019–present: Associate Professor, Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto
• 2013–present: Nursing Research Associate, Paediatric Advanced Care Team, SickKids
• 2013–2019: Assistant Professor, Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON
• 2012: Post Doctoral Research Fellow, Centre for Nursing and Child Health Evaluation Sciences Program, Hospital for Sick Children and Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON
• 2006–2012: Doctor of Philosophy, Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON
• 1999–2006: Clinical Nurse Specialist / Care Team Coordinator, Pediatric Palliative Care Service, IWK Health Center, Halifax, NS
• 1995–1999: Staff Nurse, Pediatric Oncology, Alberta Children’s Hospital, Calgary, AB
• 1994–1996: Master of Nursing, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB
• 1992–1994: Staff Nurse, Pediatrics, American Mobile Nurses, USA
• 1991–1992: Staff Nurse, Pediatric Oncology, Alberta Children’s Hospital, Calgary, AB
• 1986–1991: Bachelor of Science in Nursing (With Distinction), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK

Achievements

• 2022: Award of Excellence in Paediatric Palliative Care, Hospice Palliative Care Ontario
• 2020–present: Editorial Board Member, Cancer Nursing
• 2019: Pediatric Award of Excellence, Canadian Network of Palliative Care for Children and Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association
• 2018: Dorothy M. Pringle Award for Excellence in Nursing Research, Sigma Theta Tau International, Lambda Pi-At-Large Chapter, Toronto
• 2017–2018: Council of Canadian Academies, Medical Assistance in Dying Panel Member – Workgroup on MAiD for Mature Minors
• 2016: Betty Burcher Mentoring Award, Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto
• 2015–2019: Associate Editor, Knowledge, Education, and Training Section, BMC Palliative Care
• 2014–2017: Career Development Award, Canadian Child Health Clinician Scientist Program and CIHR Strategy for Patient Oriented Research
• 2012: Fellowship (Post Doctoral), CIHR
• 2009–2011: Fellowship (Doctoral), CIHR

1. Widger, K., Medeiros, C., Trenholm, M., Zuniga-Villanueva, G., & Streuli, J. (2019). Indicators used to assess the impact of specialized pediatric palliative care: A scoping review. Journal of Palliative Medicine, 22(2), 199-219
2. Widger, K., Brennenstuhl, S., Duc, J., Tourangeau, A., & Rapoport, A. (2019). Factor structure of the quality of children’s palliative care instrument (QCPCI) when completed by parents of children with cancer, BMC Palliative Care, 18(23).
3. Widger, K., Wolfe, J., Friedrichsdorf, S., Pole, J. D., Brennenstuhl, S., Liben, Greenberg, M., Bouffet, E., Siden, H., Husain, A., Whitlock, J. A., Leyden, M., Rapoport, A. (2018). National impact of the EPEC-Pediatrics train-the-trainer model for delivering education on pediatric palliative care, Journal of Palliative Medicine, 21(9), 1249-1256.
4. Widger, K., Sutradhar, R., Rapoport, A., Vadeboncoeur, C., Zeltzer, S., Kassam, A., Nelson, K., Liu, Y., Wolfe, J., Earle, C., Pole, J., Gupta, S. (2018). Predictors of specialized pediatric palliative care involvement and impact on patterns of end-of-life care in children with cancer, Journal of Clinical Oncology, 36(8), 801-807.
5. Widger, K., Davies, D., Rapoport, A., Vadeboncoer, C., Liben, S., Sarpal, A., Stenekes, S., Cyr, C., Dauost, L., Gregoire, M.C., Robertson, M., Hodgson-Viden, H., Laflamme, J., & Siden, H. (2016). Pediatric palliative care in Canada in 2012: A cross-sectional descriptive study. CMAJ Open, 4(4), e562-568.

View a full list of Kimberley Widger's publications