Amanda Vandyk

Amanda Vandyk is an Associate Professor at the University of Ottawa School of Nursing, where she also serves as Associate Director of Undergraduate Programs. She holds a Ph.D., M.Sc.N., and B.Sc.N. from Queen's University. Her research focuses on mental health care access, delivery, and use, with an emphasis on pragmatic solutions informed by healthcare staff and patients. Key areas include emergency department utilization for mental health reasons, trauma-informed care, and strategies to improve continuity of care.

Education Background:

• Ph.D. Nursing, Queen's University (2013)
• M.Sc.N. Nursing, Queen's University (2009)
• B.Sc.N. Nursing, Queen's University (2006)

Research Interests:

• Mental health care for frequent emergency service users
• Integration of palliative care principles in mental health
• Theoretical foundations of mental health services
• Continuity of care across health settings

Her work emphasizes knowledge translation and collaboration with stakeholders. Recent publications examine social media's role in healthcare knowledge uptake, interventions for ED mental health presentations, and HIV self-testing initiatives. She has contributed to systematic reviews on critical care nurse satisfaction and barriers to home dialysis adoption.

Advising and Grants: Supervises multiple graduate students and has led projects funded by Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and other agencies, focusing on mental health service innovation and nursing education reform.

Labs/Teams: Active in the Ottawa Model for Nursing Curriculum Renewal and collaborates with interdisciplinary teams to develop evidence-based nursing practices.