Mary-Elizabeth Eilertsen

Mary-Elizabeth Eilertsen is an Associate Professor in the Department of Community Medicine and Nursing at NTNU, with a background in Nursing Science from NTNU’s Faculty of Medicine (PhD 2011). She has held academic positions since 2004, including roles at HiST and NTNU. Her research focuses on mental health and psychosocial support for vulnerable youth, particularly children/adolescents with cancer and their families. Key areas include grief, resilience, palliative care, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Education: PhD in Nursing Science (NTNU, 2011); BSc Nursing (Vancouver General Hospital, Canada, 1978). She has extensive clinical experience (1978–2004) as a nurse and consultant in pediatric oncology care. Professional leadership includes roles as deputy leader in Health Promotion Research and board member of Mid-Norwegian nursing forums.

Research collaborations include Karolinska Institutet (Sweden) since 2012, focusing on bereavement and cancer survivorship. She supervises postdocs and PhD students on topics like sibling grief and mental health interventions. Over 100 publications span peer-reviewed journals, book chapters, and clinical guidelines, including influential booklets on pediatric palliative care and family support.

Her work emphasizes resilience in crisis, systemic support models, and translating research into clinical practice. Current projects address health literacy in adolescents and neurocognitive outcomes in cancer survivors.