Karin Piil, RN, MhScN, PhD, is a Senior Research and Associate Professor at  Copenhagen University Hospital-Rigshospitalet in Denmark. In 2017, she and her colleague, Prof M. Jarden, established CARES which is part of the Models of Cancer Care – Comprehensive Symptom Science Research Program. Across cancer and hematologic diagnoses, this program of research is focused on exploring the disease and symptom experiences of patients through qualitative methods, cross-sectional studies and/or systematic reviews; testing innovative interventions for feasibility and/or effect on physical and psychological symptoms and quality of life; and exploring the patient/family experiences related to the interventions.

Her current research focuses on patients with high-grade glioma who experience a high symptom burden and loss of independence, placing a great responsibility and strain on family caregivers. The study establishes the feasibility of a family and network consultation to identify, address, and manage symptoms and worries in patients with high-grade glioma and their families.  

Dr. Piil is also dedicated to increasing the level of clinical practice and science among nurses and allied health professionals.  She and her colleague Dr. Anne Brødsgaard offer a doctoral course at the Faculty of Health, Aarhus University: “How to design and conduct your PhD study to be family-focused”. The course aims to introduce, discuss, and apply the family-focused approach, methods, and evaluations in health science research. Also, a learning objective is to understand and apply family-focused values across cultures and in vulnerable families.

For more information, contact IFNA member, Karen Piil. 

André Fringer, PhD, RN, is currently the Co-Head of Research and Development at the Institute of Nursing, Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) in Switzerland. He has focused on family nursing and palliative care since the beginning of his professional nursing career. He is currently involved in the development of the new Master of Science program in Advanced Practice Nursing, where Family Nursing will be a priority. Together with Barbara Preusse, a well-known Family Systems Nursing expert and lecturer in Switzerland, a Family Systems Nursing Unit is being established for teaching and research at ZHAW in order to give the topic more emphasis centrally in all academic areas of the Institute of Nursing. Dr. Fringer is also conducting research about the acquisition of competencies by Advanced Practice Nurses (APNs) in Switzerland, with a focus on Family Systems Nursing. This crucial link between teaching and research is critical in advancing family nursing science in Switzerland and beyond.

For more information, contact IFNA member André Fringer.