Research chair
Ontario's Francophone health community
the Chair studies the needs of Ontario's various francophone communities, the ability of the Ontario healthcare system to meet these needs, and the impact of language discordance between a healthcare professional and his or her patient. Finally, this Chair is part of a drive to promote interdisciplinary research.
Biographie
Michelle Lalonde is an Associate Professor at the School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa. She directs the “Francophonie et santé” research component of the Research Center for Health and Nursing Sciences. As a registered nurse, her clinical areas of expertise are emergency trauma and general surgery. She is a member of the National Emergency Nurses Association of Canada.
Michelle Lalonde's association with the Institut du Savoir Montfort dates back to 2017, when she joined as a researcher. She was appointed Senior Affiliate Researcher in 2022. She was also scientific director of the 8th World Congress of Francophone Nurses, held at Hôpital Montfort in 2022 (SIDIIEF - Secrétariat international des infirmières et infirmiers de l'espace francophone). The event, whose theme was “Creating health: the power of nursing knowledge”, welcomed nearly 1,500 healthcare professionals from some 30 French-speaking countries.
For several years, Professor Lalonde has been pursuing a research program focused on health services, and more specifically on preparation and transition to nursing practice. Like many other jurisdictions, Ontario is facing a significant shortage of French-speaking nurses. Her research program is therefore important not only for Ontario, but also for the rest of Canada and countries where French is a major language.
Her approach is focuses on knowledge translation informed by advisory committees. The College of Nurses of Ontario and the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing regularly call on its expertise. This joint chair is part of the Collège des chaires de recherche sur le monde francophone of the University of Ottawa, which will lead to scientific collaborations with other chairholders, amplifying its influence and stimulating scientific life in French at the University of Ottawa.