Are you a registered nurse caring for a medically complex/ hospitalized child?

About the Opportunity

Toronto Metropolitan University is recruiting 2-5 nurses who identify as a parent to participate in a study: Narrative Analysis: Perspectives on Parental Double Duty Caregiving. Their goal is to address a significant gap in understanding parental double-duty caregiving (pDDC), specifically healthcare professionals who provide care for their ill children. Guided by a critical feminist lens and using narrative analysis, this study seeks to examine the social, structural, and relational factors that shape the lived and storied experiences of pDDCs.

About the reserach investigator

The primary investigator for this research is Jamie Spiegel, Masters Nursing Student at Toronto Metropolitan University. All research will be supervised by my supervisor Dr. Oona St-Amant. Research Ethics Protocol for this study has been reviewed and approved by the Toronto Metropolitan REB (REB 2026-118).

The purpose of Jamie's thesis is to critically examine the multidimensional biopsychosocial factors that shape the storied experiences of pDDCs. The research question is "what factors shape parental double duty caregivers providing care to their medically complex children?"

In this study, medically complex children are defined as those who have been in a hospital or medical setting, have required at least one follow-up appointment, and have needed ongoing management, such as medication.

Am I eligible?

To be eligible for this study, you must meet the following criteria:

1. Have a child with complex medical needs;
2. Speak English
3. Identify as a parent
4. Currently work as a nurse (RN)
5. Be over the age of 18 years

What will be expected of me?

Here's the timeline for data collection:

1. Pre-interview journal (1hr prior to interview for 15 mins): Participants will be asked to describe what being a pDDC means to them.
2. Interview #1 (approx. 60-90 minutes)
3. Post-interview journal: Immediately after interview participants will be asked to take approx. 15 mins to write about their experience/anything they might have missed to include during the interview.
4. Interview #2 (approx. 60 minutes): Composite story to be shared with participants. (Approximately 1-2 weeks post first interview)

Journal entries will be submitted via Google docs.

Incentive: As thanks for their time participants will receive a $15 gift card.

How do I participate?

Please contact Jamie Spiegel by email at Jamie.spiegel@torontomu.ca