Angela C. Wolff, PhD, RN

Associate Professor of Nursing
I am an innovative, practice-orientated and progressive educator with unique capacity to integrate research, education, and practice for evidence-based practice and person-centered care.

Joining TWU in 2018, Wolff is an outstanding scholar who brings research together with clinical practice for sustainable practice change. She has worked in all sectors of practice: education, regulatory, research, and practice. Dr. Wolff is a Certified Health Executive with the Canadian College of Health Leaders. Wolff’s leadership expertise and contributions to both the practice and discipline of nursing, and to healthcare services broadly in the region, are remarkable. She combines continuous quality improvement with a spirit of inquiry and strategic mindset to deconstruct and rebuild complex systems, generate ideas, and envision solutions that advance practice and transform systems for better health. She was a recipient of the UBC School of Nursing Centenary Medal of Distinction (2019) and the Excellence in Research Award from the College of Registered Nurses of British Columbia (2014). Passionate about undergraduate, graduate, and ongoing post-licensure education, Wolff has sought to support new graduate nurse transition, educator/clinical teacher development, specialty education, and practice changes. With her methodological expertise and her professional connections, Wolff fills a unique niche in the School of Nursing. Wolff holds Affiliated Researcher status at the Fraser Health Authority, British Columbia. To find out more visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/angela-wolff/

Doctorate of Philosophy in Nursing, University of British Columbia, Canada

Dissertation:  Understanding the Influences of Diversity on the Nursing Workforce, https://open.library.ubc.ca/cIRcle/collections/ubctheses/24/items/1.0067703

Master of Science in Nursing, University of British Columbia, Canada

Thesis:  The Process of Maturing as a Competent Clinical Teacher, https://open.library.ubc.ca/cIRcle/collections/ubctheses/831/items/1.0088489

Bachelor of Science in Nursing, McMaster University, Canada

 

Expertise

Developed program of research in education, professional practice, and leadership, with a focus on:

  • Practice change to implement patient-reported outcome and patient-reported experience measures.
  • Retention by mitigating negative collegial behaviours, embracing diversity, fostering quality work environment where providers work and students learn, and developing leaders
  • Recruitment by building capacity for students in health system, preparing newly graduated nurses for practice, creating effective programs for students transitioning to professional roles

Expertise in: research and evaluation methodologies; transformational leadership; organizational development; project and change management; person-centered approaches to quality care adult education; constructivism, and pedagogical theories; best practices in education to integrate knowledge acquisition and use; curriculum planning, development, and implementation; and person-centered teaching / learning

Research: Qualitative, quantitative, mixed methods, survey design and questionnaire development, Delphi process, logic model, hierarchal linear modelling, factor analysis, structural equation modeling, psychometric assessment and instrument validation, knowledge synthesis and systematic review, knowledge translation (integrated and end-of-grant), and implementation science

Research interests: leadership development, empowerment, burnout, retention/turnover and recruitment, generational differences, organizational behaviour/culture, diversity, health services research, work/practice environments, practice change, interpersonal conflict, interprofessional practice, negative workplace behaviour (e.g., bullying, ostracism, incivility) respect in workplace, new graduate nurse, specialty focus of practice, student placement capacity, nurses' work values, learning environment, education competency assessment tool.

Selected Current and Completed Research

Developing Clinical Decision Tools and Hosting Educational Events to Disseminate an Evidence-based Guideline for the Sustained Use of Patient-Centered Measurement Data in Mental Health (2021 to 2022) | Principal Investigator: A Wolff | Role: Principal Investigator | Funder: Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research | $15,000

Guidelines for Healthcare Providers’ Application of Patient-Centred Measurement (PCM) Data in Practice (2019 to 2021) | Principal Investigators: A Wolff | Role: Principal Investigator | Funder: BC Supporting Patient Oriented Research | $147,975

Supporting Quality of Life Assessments of Frail Older Adults and their Family Caregivers (2018 to 2020) | Principal Investigators: R Sawatzky & K Schick-Makaroff | Role: Co-Investigator | Funder: Canadian Frailty Network, Catalyst Grant Competition | $99,937

EMPOWER: Enabling and Motivating Productive Organizations, Wellness, Engagement, and Resilience (Phase 1) (2016-2017) | Principal Investigator: A Day | Role: Organizational Partner | Funder: SSHRC & CIHR Partnership Grant, Healthy & Productive Work Initiative | $148,260

Understanding the Factors the Promote Long-term Retention of RNs in Critical Care and Emergency Departments (2014-2016) | Principal Investigators: K Scarborough & M VanOsch | Role: Mentor | Funder:  Fraser Health Authority, Seed Grant | $5,000

Positive and Negative Behaviours in the Workplace (2013-2015) | Principal Investigator: J Almost | Role: Principal Knowledge User | Funder: CIHR Scoping Review | $50,000

PLACES - Placements for Learners: Assessing Capacity and Effectiveness of Clinical Sites (2012-2015) | Principal Investigators: L Currie, A Wolff, G Mickelson | Funder: MSFHR, BC Nursing Research Initiative | $240,100

New Graduate Nurse Retention: A National Study of Factors Influencing New Graduate Nurses' Job and Career Transition in the First Two Years of Practice (2012 to 2015) | Principal Investigator: H Laschinger, B Foster, G Cummings & M Leiter | Role: Knowledge User | Funder: CIHR, Partnerships for Health System Improvement | $350,000

ESPN – Enhancing Student Placements in Nursing by Understanding the Barriers and Facilitators (2011-2013) | Principal Investigator: A Wolff | Funder: Fraser Health Authority, Strategic Imperatives Grant | $10,000

Awards & Honors

  • Teaching Release Award, Trinity Western University, Office of Research (2020)
  • Centenary Medal of Distinction, University of British Columbia School of Nursing (2019)
  • Excellence in Research, College of Registered Nurses of British Columbia (2014)
  • Alumni Award of Distinction, University of British Columbia School of Nursing (2013)
  • Research Salary Award, Fraser Health Authority (2012)
  • Award for Leadership in Advancing Inter-professional Education and Professional Development, University of British Columbia College of Health Disciplines (2011)
  • Outstanding Dissertation Award, University of British Columbia (2009)
  • Doctoral Award, Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research (2005)
  • Doctoral Fellowship, Social Sciences and Health Research Council of Canada (2003)

Recent Publications

RECENT SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

GOOGLE SCHOLAR  |  PUBMED  |  RESEARCHGATE

Howard, A.F., Lynch, K., Beck, S., Torrejon, M., Avery, J., Thorne, S., Porcino, A., De Vera, M., Lambert, L., Wolff, A., McDonald, M., Lee, J., Hedges, P. & McKenzie, M. (2021). At the heart of it all: Emotions of consequence for the conceptualization of caregiver-reported outcomes in the context of colorectal cancer. Current Oncology, 28, 4184–4202. https://doi.org/10.3390/curroncol28050355

Wolff, A. C., Dresselhuis, A., Hejazi, S., Dixon, D., Gibson, D., Howard, A. F., Liva, S., Astle, B., Reimer-Kirkham, S., Noonan, V.K., & Edwards, L (2021). Healthcare provider characteristics that influence the implementation of individual-level patient-centered outcome measure (PROM) and patient-reported experience measure (PREM) data across practice settings: A protocol for a mixed methods systematic review with a narrative synthesis. Systematic Reviews, 10(1), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-021-01725-2

Spence Laschinger, H. K., Wong, C., Read, E., Cummings, G., Leiter, M., Macphee, M., ... & Wolff, A. (2019). Predictors of new graduate nurses’ health over the first 4 years of practice. Nursing Open, 6(2), 245-259. https://doi.org/10.1002/nop2.231

Van Osch, M., Scarborough, K., Crowe, S., Wolff, A.C., & Kirkham, S. (2018). Understanding the Factors that Promote Long-term Retention of RNs in Specialty Areas of Practice. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 27(5-6), 1209-1215. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.14167   

 

Regan, S, Wong, C., Laschinger, H.K., Cummings, G. Leiter, M, Macphee, M., Rheaume, A., Ritchie, J.A., Wolff, A.C., et al. (2017). Starting out: Qualitative perspectives of new graduate nurses and nurse leaders on transition to practice. Journal of Nursing Management, 25(4), 246–255. https://doi.org/10.1111/jonm.12456   

Baumbusch, J., Shaw, M., Leblanc, M., Kjorven, M., Kwon, J., Blackburn, L., Lawrie, B., Shamatutu, M., Wolff, A.C. (2017). Workplace continuing education for nurses caring for hospitalized older people. International Journal of Older People Nursing, 12(4), 1748-3743. doi: 10.1111/opn.12161

Laschinger, H.K.S., Cummings, G. Leiter, M, Wong, C., Macphee, M., Ritchie, J., Wolff, A.C., Regan, S., et al. (2016). Starting out: A time-lagged study of new graduate nurses’ transition to practice. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 57, 82-95, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2016.01.005   

Almost, J., Wolff, A.C., Stewart-Pyne, A., McCormick, L.G., Strachan, D., D’Souza, C. (2016). Managing and mitigating conflict in healthcare teams: An integrative review.  Journal of Advanced Nursing, 72(7), 1490-1505, https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.12903  

Hayward, D., Bungay, V., Wolff, A.C., & MacDonald, V. (2016). A qualitative study of experienced nurses’ voluntary turnover: Learning from their perspectives. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 25(9-10), 1336-1345, https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.13210 

Houshmand, M., O’Reilly, J., Robinson, S.L., & Wolff, A.C. (2012). Escaping bullying: The simultaneous impact of individual and unit-level bullying on turnover intentions. Human Relations, 65(7), 901-918, https://doi.org/10.1177/0018726712445100

Wolff, A.C., Pesut, B., & Regan, S. (2010). New graduate nurse practice readiness: Perspectives on the context shaping our understanding and expectations. Nurse Education Today, 30(2), 187-191, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2009.07.011

Wolff, A.C., Regan, S., Pesut, B., & Black, J. (2010). Ready for what? An exploration of the meaning of new graduate nurses’ readiness for practice. International Journal of Nursing Education Scholarship, 7(1), Article 7, https://doi.org/10.2202/1548-923X.1827   

Wolff, A.C. (2009). Understanding the influences of diversity on the nursing workforce. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. (Supervisor: Dr. Pamela Ratner). University of British Columbia. Available at:  https://open.library.ubc.ca/cIRcle/collections/ubctheses/24/items/1.0067703

Affiliations & Memberships

  • Member, International Society of Quality of Life and Special Interest Group, Clinical Practice and others
  • Registered Nurse (RN), British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM), Canada
  • Member, Nurses and Nurse Practitioners of British Columbia, Canada
  • Certified Health Executive (CHE), Canadian College of Health Leaders, Canada
  • Member, Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing, Canada
  • Affiliated Researcher, Fraser Health Authority, British Columbia, Canada
  • Member, Sigma Theta Tau International, Xi Eta Chapter, British Columbia, Canada

  • NURS 434 Leadership in Nursing
  • NURS 520 Knowledge Synthesis
  • NURS 540 Nursing Inquiry II
  • NURS 550 Health Care Policy
  • NURS 621 Perspectives on Nursing Leadership
  • NURS 690/691 Thesis
  • NURS 692/693 Knowledge Translation Project