Louise Racine

Dr. Louise Racine, PhD, MScN, BScN, became a nurse to help and care for people, bringing humanism while assisting people during illness, crisis, or end of life. Additionally, achieving the scientific and social mission of the nursing discipline is an important concern for her.

According to Louise, who is currently a professor in the college of nursing at the University of Saskatchewan in Canada, one of the duties assigned to nurses includes the advancement of nursing knowledge and applying research findings in ways that guide culturally competent nursing actions. Louise said, "Sigma’s [research] grants are important because they allow us to continue the advancement of that knowledge."

Research is a passion for Louise, who focuses on immigrant and refugee health. She recognized that immigrants and refugees are particularly vulnerable due to the hardships of migration and the health issues associated with resettlement. As a result, she applied for and received the Sigma Theta Tau International/Canadian Nurses Research Grant for her study “Breast Cancer Barriers and Facilitators Among Islamic/Muslim Refugee Women in Canada: A Mixed Method Study.” This study will help nurses design culturally appropriate health promotions to increase knowledge about breast cancer and how to perform breast self-examinations (BSE) and undergo mammograms in preventative efforts.

“Nurses need to understand the cultural context of the Arabic culture and the Islamic faith on women’s behaviors and willingness to perform BSE to enable primary and secondary prevention,” noted Louise. “This research will inform us about potential means to educate women on breast cancer.”

We hope that Louise’s research will have a lasting impact on healthcare. "My research has to be useful to marginalized and racialized populations,” Louise said. “Attending Sigma activities has helped me disseminate my research."