Keisha Jefferies

Keisha Jefferies is a registered nurse and PhD candidate in the School of Nursing. She is from New Glasgow, Nova Scotia and has been passionate about community engagement from a young age. Keisha completed a Bachelor of Science (Biology) at Mount Saint Vincent University and her Bachelor of Science (Nursing) and Masters in Nursing at Dalhousie. Keisha has clinical experience in neonatal nursing, breastfeeding as well as international research and health policy experience.

Her research uses Black Feminist Theory and Critical Discourse Analysis to interrogate systems of oppression through discourse, social and cognitive structures. By situating race, class and gender as central constructs, Keisha aims to uncover how leadership is perceived and practiced by African Nova Scotian nurses in healthcare practice. Keisha uses a combination of theory and praxis to challenge health inequity and social injustice against Black people in Canada.

Keisha’s research is funded by Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships (Vanier-CGS), Killam Trust, Research Nova Scotia, Johnson Scholarship Foundation, BRIC NS, the Nova Scotia Health Authority and the School of Nursing.

In her own words

Why does policy matter?

Policy encompasses standards that guide a multitude of processes from health care provision to institutional operations. Policy is informed and shaped by evidence, societal beliefs and the dominant ideology. As a result, policy has significant implications for the allocation of resources, population health, access to opportunities and equity. Understanding, evaluating and redesigning policy, on a continued basis, is essential to shift and strengthen governance.

What do you hope to accomplish during your time as a founding fellow?

As a junior fellow at the MacEachen Institute, I would like to accomplish several objectives. I would like to expand my professional network and build new partnerships to collaborate on health policy projects in Nova Scotia. Additionally, I would like to be involved in ground-breaking research and the generation of evidence to inform policy development, implementation and evaluation at Dalhousie, in Nova Scotia and across Canada.