Linda OBrien-Pallas

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Linda O'Brien-Pallas, RN, PhD, FCAHS

Professor and CHSRF/CIHR National Chair,
Nursing Human Resources

Director & Co-Principal Investigator,
Nursing Health Services Research Unit

CHSRF/CIHR National Chair,
Nursing/Health Human Resources

Cross-Appointments:
· Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta
· Professorial Fellow, University of Melbourne, Australia
· Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery & Health,
University of Technology, Australia
· Associate Professor, Department of Health Administration,
Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto

Contact Information
Address: 155 College Street, Rm. 357
Phone: (416) 978-1967
Email: l.obrien.pallas@utoronto.ca
Web site: www.nhsru.com

Research

LINDA O’BRIEN-PALLAS, RN, PhD, FCAHS is a Professor in the Faculties of Nursing and Medicine at the University of Toronto. She is also the Director, Co-Founder and Co-Principal Investigator of the Nursing Health Services Research Unit (University of Toronto site). As well, she is the inaugural Canadian Health Services Research Foundation/Canadian Institutes of Health Research Chair in Nursing/Health Human Resources.

Over the last 30 years, she has completed nearly 90 research projects, helping to lay the foundation for a science-based nursing profession. She is acknowledged globally for her pioneering and innovative research in health human resources modeling, quality of work life for nurses and nursing workload measurement. To date, she has received over 40 million dollars of research funding for projects at the local, provincial, national and international levels. The rigor of her research has been praised by respected researchers at international conferences, and her expertise is sought by governments and stakeholders at all levels in Canada and throughout the world.

Linda has provided leadership to various boards and committees, including the Canadian Nurses Association, the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario (RNAO), and The Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care’s Nursing Task Force (1998-99). She was an invited member of the Canadian Nursing Advisory Committee (2001-2003), and is a co-founder of the Dorothy M. Wylie Nursing Leadership Institute, which received the 2003 Ted Freedman Award for Innovation in Education. She was an invited speaker to the Romanow Commission and is frequently called upon by the World Health Organization and the International Council of Nurses to provide high level consultation on matters including midwifery and health human resources planning. Linda also co-lead the development of the RNAO Best Practice Guideline entitled Developing and Sustaining Effective Staffing and Workload Practices (2007).

Among other committees and appointments, Linda now serves on the Association for Healthcare Research and Quality, the Joint Provincial Nursing Committee of the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care in Ontario and is a STTI Representative on the international committee to establish criteria for The Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame. She has just completed a second world wide study to examine the contribution of nurses and midwives to achievement of KRAs (Key Results Areas of the WHO Strategic Directions for Nursing and Midwifery Services). Linda has received numerous awards for her research and innovative contribution to nursing including the Canadian Nurses Association’s prestigious Jeanne Mance Award in 2006. She is a 2004 recipient of RNAO’s Honorary Life Membership Award, and was featured in the “Nurse to Know” column in the Canadian Nurse Journal in March, 2005.

Linda has authored or co-authored over 300 publications in national and international journals and textbooks, and has made presentations and appearances in almost every continent. Throughout her career and continuing today, Linda has facilitated the success of new generations of nurses and other professionals at undergraduate and graduate levels through her teaching, mentorship and/or supervision, thus further contributing to her vision of building long-term capacity for research and practice that benefits nurses, patients and the health care system.

Mapping the field: Nursing scholarship in health human resources is an edited collection of papers from the spring 2010 festschrift in honour of Dr. O'Brien-Pallas that brings together the perspectives of leading scholars from around the world. Dr O’Brien-Pallas’s pioneering work in nursing human resources provides a starting point to a broad discussion of the issues and emerging trends in health human resources (HHR). Each paper was written specifically for this festschrift and offers a unique view of the contribution of Dr. O’Brien-Pallas to the establishment of this field. From doctoral students to colleagues, mentors and admirers, this text maps the evolution of a new area of inquiry and the trajectory of a stellar career.

Degrees

1987 - PhD, University of Toronto
1979 - MScN, University of Toronto
1975 - BScN, University of Toronto

Selected Grants

2009-2015 Health Care, Technology and Place: A Strategic Training Initiative. Investigators: Coyte, P.C., Andrews, G., Baecker, R.M., Bayoumi, A., Boydell, K., Cameron, J., Carter, M., Clifford, T., Colantonio, A., Culyer, A.J., Dunn, J., Fernie, G., Gignac, M., Hoch, J., Holmes, D., Jadad, A., Krahn, M., Laporte, A., Letourneau, N., Levin, L., Maki, B., Mihailidis, A., Miller, F., Mykhalovskiy, E., O’Brien-Pallas, L., Rosenberg, M., & Upshur, R. Canadian Institute of Health Research ($1,950,000).

2009-2012 Building and Sustaining the Nursing Workforce for Better Patient Outcomes. Investigators: Baumann, A., Doran, D., Blythe, J., Carter, L., Clarke, S., Deber, R., Fisher, A., Freeman, M., Harrison, M., Laporte, A., Larocque, S., Laschinger, H., McGillis Hall, L., McGilton, K., Medves, J., Nagle, L., Nelson, S., O’Brien-Pallas, L., Rukholm, E., Sidani, S., Tomblin Murphy, G., Tourangeau, A., Tranmer, J., Underwood, J., Valatis, R., & Wong, C. Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care ($3,000,000).

2009-2011 Joint Health and Safety Committees – What Is Their Impact in Acute Care Hospitals? Investigators: Holness D.L., Hayes L., Kudla I., Nichol K., O’Brien-Pallas L. Workplace Safety and Insurance Board ($155,704).

2008-2011 Linking BPGs Use and HOBIC Outcomes in the Communit. Investigators: Doran, D.M., Lefebre, N., O’Brien-Pallas, L., White, P., & Wang, S. Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care ($466,169).

2008-2011 Nurses’ Career Aspirations to Management Roles: Identifying the Next Generation of Nursing Leaders. Investigators: Laschinger, H., Wong, C., MacDonald Rencz, S., Cummings, G., MacPhee, M., Leiter, M., D’Amour, D., Ritchie, J., O’Brien-Pallas, L., Gurnham, M.E., Vincent, L., Letton, S., Burkoski, V., Matthews, S., Saxe-Braithwaite, M., McCutcheon, A., Grinspun, D., & Wilk, P. Canadian Institute of Health Research ($678,150).

2006-2009 The supply of nurses: identifying factors that influence leaving, staying and sector switching. Investigators: Laporte, A., Deber, R., Baumann, A., Blythe, J., & O’Brien-Pallas. Canadian Institute of Health Research.

2004-2009 The Nursing Health Services Research Unit. Investigators: O’Brien-Pallas, L., & Baumann, A. Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. ($10,000,000).

2003-2008 Understanding the costs and outcomes of nurses’ turnover in Canadian hospitals. Investigators: O’Brien-Pallas, L., Tomblin Murphy, G., Shamian, J., Laschinger, H., Birch, S., D’Amour, D., Gallant, M., Kephart, G., McGillis Hall, L., Smadu, M., Thomson, D., & Verrier, M. Canadian Institute of Health Research ($2,234,668), later funding transferred to Canadian Health Services Research Foundation.

2003-2007 Health human resource modelling: Challenging the past, creating the future. Investigators: O'Brien-Pallas, L., Tomblin Murphy, G., Birch, S., Thomson, D., Duffield, C., Alksnis, C., Gunderson, M., Rootman, I., Pringle, D., Hughes, J., Pennock, M., Kephart, G., Hubert, J., Tomblin, S., Neville, D., Smadu, M., & Lemonde, M. (Funding: Canadian Health Services Research Foundation, $1,180,000)

2003-2007 Nursing workload, skill mix, and models of care research. Investigators: Duffield, C., O’Brien-Pallas, L., Diers, D., Aisbett, S., Hall, J., & King, M. Centre for Health Services Management, Centre for Health Economics Research and Evaluation, Nursing Effectiveness, Utilization and Outcomes, Research Unit. New South Wales Department of Helath and Welfare (1,280,000AU$).

2002-2006 The nursing labour market in Canada: An occupational/sector study. Investigators: O’Brien-Pallas, L., Baumann, A., Pringle, D., Tomblin Murphy, G., Birch, S., Kephart, G., Nagle, L., McGillis Hall, L., Donner, G., Pink, G., Thomson, D., Gunderson, M., Lemonde, M., Alksnis, C., Zeytinoglu, I., & Blythe, J. (Funding: Nursing Sector/Labour Market Study Management Committee, $730,000).

2000-2010 Nursing health human resources for the new millennium - National research chair for nursing human resources. Investigators: O'Brien-Pallas, L. (Funding: Canadian Health Services Research Foundation, The University Health Network, and Ontario Ministry of Health & Long-Term Care, $4,693,990).

Recent Publications

O'Brien-Pallas, L., Wang, S., Hayes, L., & Laport, D. (in press). Creating Work Environments That Are Violence Free. Journal of the International Hospital Federation – World Hospitals & Health Service.

Meyer, R.M., Wang, S., Li, X., Thomson, D., & O’Brien-Pallas, L. (in press). Evaluation of a Patient Care Delivery Model: Patient outcomes in acute cardiac care. Journal of Nursing Scholarship.

Tomblin Murphy, G., Kephart, G., Lethbridge, L., O’Brien-Pallas, L., & Birch, S. (2009). Planning for what? Challenging the assumptions of health human resources planning. Health Policy, 92, 225-233.

Duffield, C., Roche, M., O’Brien-Pallas, L., Catling-Paull, C., & King, M. (2009). Staff satisfaction and retention and the role of the Nursing Unit Manager. Collegian, 16(1), 11-17.

Alameddine, M., Baumann, A., Laporte, A., O’Brien-Pallas, L., Levinton, C., Onate, K., & Deber, R. (2009). Career trajectories of nurses leaving the hospital sector in Ontario, Canada (1993–2004). Journal of Advanced Nursing, 65(5), 1044-1053.

Duffield, C., Roche, M., O’Brien-Pallas, L., & Catling-Paull. (2009). The implications of staff ‘churn’ for nurse managers, staff and patients. Nursing Economic$, 27(2), 103-110.

O’Brien-Pallas, L., & Hayes, L. (2008). Challenges in getting workforce research in nursing used for decision-making in policy and practice: A Canadian perspective. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 17(24), 3338-3346.

O’Brien-Pallas, L. (2008). Investing in the research process: Nursing Health Services Research Unit – University of Toronto site. Canadian Journal of Nursing Leadership, 21(1), 13-19.

O’Brien-Pallas, L., & Meyer, R. (2008). A century of research in nursing human resources. The Canadian Nurse, 104(9), 29-30.

Lavoie-Tremblay, M. O'Brien-Pallas, L., Gélinas C., Desforges, N., & Marchionni, C. (2008). Addressing the turnover issue among new nurses from a generational viewpoint. Journal of Nursing Management, 16(6), 724-733.

Rose, L., Goldsworthy, S., O’Brien-Pallas, L., Nelson, S. (2008). Critical care nursing education and practice in Canada and Australia: A comparative review. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 45(7), 1103-1109.

Estabrooks, C.A., Scott, S., Squires, J.E., Stevens, B., O’Brien-Pallas, L., (CA) Watt-Watson, J., Profetto-McGrath, J., McGilton, K., Golden-Biddle, K., Lander, J., Donner, G., Boschma, G., Humphrey, C.K., & Williams, J. (2008). Patterns of research utilization on patient care units. Implementation Science, 3(31).

Birch, S., Kephart, G., Tomblin Murphy, G., O’Brien-Pallas, L., Alder, R., & MacKenzie, A. (2007). Human resources planning and the production of health: An extended analytical framework for needs-based health human resources planning. Canadian Public Policy, 33(s1), 1-16.

O’Brien-Pallas, L. (2007). Mapping out the territory (Commentary). Healthcare Papers, 7 (Special Issue), 74-78.

Alameddine, M., Laporte, A., Baumann, A. O'Brien-Pallas, L., Mildon, B., & Deber, R. (2006). Stickiness and inflow as proxy measures of the relative attractiveness of various sub-sectors of employment. Social Sciences and Medicine Journal, 63(9), 2310-2319.

O’Brien-Pallas, L., Griffin, P., Shamian, J., Buchan, J., Duffield, C., Hughes, F., Laschinger, H., North, N., Stone, P. (2006). The impact of nurse turnover on patient, nurse and system outcomes: A pilot study and focus for a multi-center international study. Policy, Politics, & Nursing Practice, 7(3), 169-179.

O’Brien-Pallas, L., Wang, S. (2006). Innovations in Health Care Delivery: Responses to Global Nurse Migration – A Research Example. Policy, Politics, & Nursing Practice, 7(3 Suppl), 49S-57S.

Hayes, L., Orchard, C., McGillis Hall, L., Nincic, V., O’Brien-Pallas, L., & Andrews, G. (2006). Career Intentions of Nursing Students and New Nurse Graduates: A Review of the Literature. International Journal of Nursing Education Scholarship, 3(1) Article 26.

Hayes, L., O’Brien-Pallas, L., Duffield, C., Shamian, J., Buchan, J., Hughes, F., Laschinger, H.K.S., North, N., & Stone, P. (2006). Nurse turnover: A Literature Review. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 43(2), 237-263.

Alameddine, M., Laporte, A., Baumann, A., O’Brien-Pallas, L., Croxford, R., Wang, S., Milburn, B., & Deber, R. (2006). Where are nurses working? Employment patterns by sub-sector in Ontario, Canada. Healthcare Policy, 1(3), 65-86.

O’Brien-Pallas, L., Duffield, C., & Hayes, L. (2006). Do we really understand how to retain nurses? Journal of Nursing Management, 14(4), 262-270.

Lavoie-Tremblay, M., O'Brien-Pallas, L., Viens, C., Hamelin-Brabant, & Gelinas, C. (2006). Towards an integrated approach for the management of aging nurses? Journal of Nursing Management, 14, 207-212.

Duffield, C., O’Brien-Pallas, L., Aitken, L., Michael, Eamon (2006). Recruitment of nurses working outside nursing. Journal of Nursing Administration, 36(2), 58-62.