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Sheila O’Keefe McCarthy RN BScN MN PhD

Dr. Sheila O’Keefe-McCarthy is a registered nurse and is an expert in adult cardiovascular critical care and conducts research in cardiovascular and pain science. Dr. O’Keefe-McCarthy dedicates much of her research program to cardiac health focusing on women’s and men’s heart health and gendered approaches to symptom management and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. With respect to these cardiovascular populations, her program focuses on four inter-related areas:

1) development and testing of innovative, digital health technology interventions for both acute and palliative cardiovascular populations,

2) examination of cardiac pain-related anxiety, and

3) detection, screening and examination of pre-hospital cardiac prodromal symptoms in men and women with coronary artery disease.

4) Creative knowledge mobilization through employing arts-based dissemination strategies.

The genesis and motivation to conduct clinically focused research in cardiovascular health care comes from Sheila’s 25 + years of experience in clinical practice. Most research questions are derived from identifying gaps in the literature and areas in practice that require further investigation and development of innovative interventions.

Brock launches 2023-24 Indigenous Research Grant program

He-ART-istic Journeys heads to U.K.

Researchers working with Indigenous communities to better deliver heart-health information

The HeARTistic Journey as experienced through Thematic Photography was held in February 2020

 

Dr. O’Keefe-McCarthy and Allison Flynn-Bowman present the artwork created based on words of women and men with heart disease at the Canadian Pain Society conference

display at canadian pain society

Register for the heART event on February 8, 2023

On a white background, a Logo of heart and three point celtic knot is overlayed with a painted heart. At the top right, it says heart event, with the a capitalized to emphasize the art focus of the evening.

On November 14th, four members of the Heart Innovation Research Project Team presented 5 posters at the first Niagara Health Research Day. 

Members of the HIRP with their posters

The research was featured in the Brock News

Brock expert educating on early symptoms of heart disease

On September 12th, Dr. O’Keefe-McCarthy presented her Arts Informed Research. More details at https://brocku.ca/brock-news/2018/09/brock-unravels-mystery-of-heart-disease-through-art/

The HIRP team

The HIRP team at the end of the #artsInformedNight

“Like it really is a hidden killer, is what it is. So, I think the more we talk about it, the more we get it, get it out there- the better it is”.

Female, age 64

Dr. O’Keefe-McCarthy dedicates her program of research to the memory of four family members who have been directly impacted by cardiovascular disease.

Focus 1:

The development and testing of innovative, mobile health technology (m-health) interventions are dedicated to the memory of her parents, Teresa O’Keefe who died of end-stage heart and lung disease and Harold O’Keefe of a cerebral aneurysm, and

Focus 2

The examination of cardiac pain-related anxiety is dedicated to her sister Ann O’Keefe, who died at age 44 in her sleep of a silent heart attack, and

Focus 3

Research to detect, screen and examine pre-hospital cardiac prodromal symptoms in men and women with coronary artery disease is dedicated to her father-in-law John McCarthy, who died suddenly of a massive myocardial infarction having had unrecognized pre-warning prodromal symptoms weeks prior to the event.

“It’s not fatigue from exertion, it’s fatigue from, total relaxation. You know, because that’s significantly different than what I ever expected.”

Male, age 74

There is currently one research study underway. If you would like to participate or are interested in further information
[ CLICK HERE ]

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