معرفی
Steven Cairns is an Assistant Professor in the School of Nursing within the Faculty of Education and Professional Studies at Nipissing University. With a dual career spanning nursing and outdoor education, his work focuses on planetary health nursing and environmental advocacy. He serves as Ontario Representative for the Canadian Association of Nurses for the Environment (CANE-AIIE) and Executive Member of Ontario Nurses for the Environment (ONE–IIOE).
His educational background includes:
- BScN from McMaster University
- BEd from Ontario Institute for Studies in Education - University of Toronto
- MEd from University of British Columbia
- PhD from York University
Dr. Cairns' research centers on planetary health nursing, critical caring theory, and technology-enabled learning environments. His work explores nurses' engagement with ecological crises, relational practice in online education, and interprofessional collaboration for environmental health. He investigates how caring science frameworks can address climate-related challenges while advancing cultural safety and evidence-informed practice in nursing education.
His scholarly output reveals consistent focus on nursing education innovation and planetary health integration. Recent publications examine doctoral seminar design, critical caring patterns during ecological crises, and scaffolding techniques for online learners. The research demonstrates interdisciplinary connections between environmental science, nursing theory, and educational technology with practical applications for curriculum development.
His scientific contributions include:
- Three Advanced Clinical Practice Fellowships (RNAO)
- Caritas Coach Education Program certification (Watson Caring Science Institute)
Dr. Cairns actively mentors doctoral students through seminar coursework research and secures funding for planetary health initiatives. His 2024 RNAO fellowship explores nurses' wellbeing through planetary health lenses, while Watson Institute projects integrate nature-based caring practices. Current grants focus on critical caring patterns among climate-impacted nurses and evidence-informed practice development.
He co-leads the Northern Interprofessional Collaborative in Education (NICE) and contributes to RNAO's Best Practice Spotlight Organizations. His teams develop interprofessional curricula for Northern Ontario communities, emphasizing cultural safety and ecological stewardship through projects like 'Gaining Traction in the Snow' presented at the 2025 ICN Congress.
