Bio
Jennifer Skelly RN, PhD is an Associate Professor (PT) in the School of Nursing, McMaster University. For the past 30 years she has worked to improve access to continence care for Canadians. She was the Director of the Continence Programs at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton for 23 years where her clinical practice focuses on conservative methods of managing urinary and fecal incontinence. She worked collaboratively with nurses, family physicians, urologists, gynecologists, geriatricians, and physiatrists to help to restore continence to thousands of individuals in Ontario.
In 1998 she developed the Nurse Continence Advisor (NCA) Program which was offered through McMaster University SON until 2020. In 2018 she was asked to develop an undergraduate nursing elective course which was called Nursing Concepts in Continence Care. It was well received by the students many of whom were doing the RPN to BScN degree. Encouraged by their response Jennifer developed 2 other courses to build upon the first one. In the Spring 2021 the SON partnered with McMaster University Continuing Education to offer (NCCC) Certificate of Professional Learning. This new program is designed for RPNs, RNs and NPs to provide the knowledge and skills to manage and treat incontinence in care settings such as acute care, primary care, community care, long-term care, retirement homes and rehabilitation facilities. It is open to nurses from across Canada and has replaced the NCA program.
Jennifer officially retired from McMaster University on June 30th, 2021, and on August 27th 2021 she celebrated her 50th Anniversary of graduation from the Royal Victoria Regional School of Nursing in Barrie Ontario. She continues to work part time in the SON and CE focused on establishing the new NCCC program.