Drs. Kimberley Widger & Dorothy Pringle appointed to expert panel on Medical Assistance in Dying

2 May 2017

The Council of Canadian Academies (CCA) has announced the appointment of the Expert Panel on Medical Assistance in Dying. Bloomberg Nursing’s Dr. Kimberley Widger and Dr. Dorothy Pringle have been appointed members of the panel, comprised of 43 individuals from Canada and abroad who have expertise, knowledge and leadership experience in a range of disciplines.

The CCA is tasked with examining three particularly complex types of requests for medical assistance in dying that were identified for further review and study in the legislation passed by Parliament in 2016. These cases are: requests by mature minors, advance requests, and requests where mental illness is the sole underlying medical condition.

Assistant Professor Kimberley Widger has been appointed a member of the working group focused on requests concerning mature minors. Dr. Widger’s research focuses on identifying and measuring structures, processes and outcomes that are indicative of high-quality paediatric palliative and end-of-life care and finding ways to ensure optimal care is provided regardless of the setting.

Professor Emerita and former Dean Dorothy Pringle has been appointed a member of the working group related to advanced requests. Dr. Pringle’s research has concentrated on the quality of daily life of older people who are cognitively impaired, and focused on those who live in long-term care facilities and their family caregivers.

Medical assistance in dying has recently transformed the health care system in Canada, and nurses and nurse practitioners will soon see their scope of practice evolving to reflect these changes.

Three separate reports from each of the working groups are expected to be released in late 2018.

For more information visit the Council for Canadian Academics.