Dr. Karen LeGrow received her BN from Memorial University of Newfoundland, her MN from Dalhousie University, and her PhD from University of Toronto. Her clinical expertise is in the areas of high-risk neonatal, pediatric nursing, and family-nurse relational practice. Past experience as a staff nurse in a Level II – III Special Neonatal Care Unit, as a nursing instructor in the areas of pediatrics, maternal-newborn, and neonatal nursing, as a Clinical Nurse Specialist-Neonatal Nursing in a tertiary care teaching centre, as a Clinical Nurse Specialist & Professional Advisor for Nursing in a pediatric rehabilitation and long-term care facility for children and young persons with disabilities and complex continuing care needs, and as a Clinical Nurse Specialist, PICU, at the Hospital for Sick Children working closely with families, and members of the interdisciplinary care team to provide comprehensive care to families whose child requires medical/surgical critical care.

The major foci of Dr. LeGrow’s research include respectful and supportive care practices for families of children living with complex chronic health care needs, family-nurse relationships, health care provider-family communication and decision making practices in various care settings, and nurses’ acquisition of family nursing practice knowledge and skills.

Dr. LeGrow has received funds over the past 12 years from national funding agencies and foundations to support these research interests. She is committed to ensuring that families of children with complex health care needs receive respectful and supportive care to ensure they receive the information they need to make important decision related to their child’s health care.