Associate Professor, Nursing
Dr. Connie Schumacher is a registered nurse of Anishinaabe Indigenous mixed heritage and a member of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. Her work centers on advancing Indigenous health system navigation, decolonizing nursing education, and promoting cultural safety and humility, while equally focusing on collaborative research with community health partners to improve care for older adults with chronic illness and their caregivers. Her research includes designing, implementing, and evaluating models of care using interRAI instruments and other applied health system tools, alongside efforts to integrate Indigenous knowledge and approaches within health and education systems.
She brings 20 years of clinical experience in Cardiac Care and Emergency nursing, and 5 years in Community nursing, with expertise in emergency avoidance and transitions from hospital to home. Before joining Brock University, Dr. Schumacher completed a three-year postdoctoral fellowship with McMaster University’s Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact program. She is also an AMS Fellow in Compassion and Artificial Intelligence and an Alzheimer Society of Canada New Investigator.
- Experiencing Chronicity
- Utilization of interRAI assessments and scales, Check-Up, Self-Reported Caregiver Needs, DIVERT Scale and CaRE Algorithm
- The lived experience of community populations with cardiorespiratory symptoms
- Caregiver education resource development
- Qualitative Methods
- Self-management of chronic illness
- Indigenous Research Methods
- Associate Editor Canadian Journal of Cardiovascular Nurses
- Advanced Gerontological Education (AGE) GPA National Advisory Council
- Registered Nurses Association of Ontario
- RNAO Nursing Research Interest Group
- American Association of Heart Failure Nurses
- iCARE- interRAI Clinical Application of Research Evidence
- Canadian Nurses Association
Tuck H., Schumacher C. Supports for Parents of Infants Diagnosed with a Congenital Heart Defect: A Narrative Synthesis of Qualitative Research. Canadian Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing. 2025, 35 (2), 25-35.
Schumacher C, Saari M, Northwood M, Mowbray F, Mensink C, Heyer M, Bail, K., Pyatt, G. Care Planning Across the Health System: Intersectoral Application of the interRAI Assessment System. Healthcare Management Forum (Special Edition 2025). Online Sept 28, 2025 10.1177/08404704251370371
Jones, A., Lee, J., Schumacher, C., Sultan, H., Mayhew, A., Watt, J., McArthur, C., Tannahill-Wade, M., Holyoke, P., Bronskill, S., Costa, A. (2025). Paying for home care: a cross-sectional study of participants of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging. BMC Health Services Research. 25:912. doi: 10.1186/s12913‑025‑12975‑4
Hussey B., Schumacher C. (2025) Exploring Long-Term Impacts on ICU Survivors: A Concept Analysis of Post-Intensive Care Syndrome. Canadian Journal of Critical Care Nursing (CJCCN). 36(2) 18-23.
Schumacher C, Northwood M, Nalunga R, Swindall T. Cary M. (2025) Self-care activities of community-residing adults with indwelling urinary catheters: A scoping review. Journal of Advanced Nursing. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.16996
Schumacher C, Mowbray F, Pyatt G, Prentice, D, Jones A, Costa AP. (2024). A Digital Self-Administered Check-Up Assessment and Evaluation of Risk Communication in Older People. International Journal of Older People Nursing. 19:e12667. https://doi.org/10.1111/opn.12667
Schumacher CL, Correia R, Hogeveen S, Salter M, Donaldson B. (2023) Implementing the interRAI Check-Up Comprehensive Assessment: Facilitating Care Planning and Care Coordination during the Pandemic. International Journal of Integrated Care. Apr;23(2). DOI: 10.5334/ijic.7007
Mowbray, Fabrice; Ellis, Brittany; Schumacher, Connie; Heckman, George; de Wit, Kerstin; Strum, Ryan; Jones, Aaron; Correia, Rebecca; Mercier, Eric; Costa, Andrew. (2023) The Association Between Frailty and a Nurse-Identified Need for Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment Referral from the Emergency Department (2023). Canadian Journal of Nursing Research. https://doi.org/10.1177/08445621221144667
Mowbray FI, Turcotte L, Strum RP, de Wit K, Griffith LE, Worster A, Foroutan F, Heckman G, Hebert P, Schumacher C, Jones A. Prognostic association between frailty and Post-Arrest health outcomes in patients receiving home care: A Population-Based retrospective cohort study. Resuscitation. 2023 Mar 16:109766. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resuscitation.2023.109766
Mowbray, F.I., Jones, A., Foroutan, F., Strum R.P., Turcotte, L., De Wit, K., Worster, A., Griffith, L.E., Heckman, G., Hebert, P., Ko, D., Schumacher, C., Gabowski, A., Costa, A.P. (2022). Prognosis of Cardiac Arrest in Home Care Clients and Nursing Home Residents: A Population-Based Retrospective Cohort Study. Resuscitation Plus. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resplu.2022.100328
Northwood, M., Shah, A.Q., Abeygunawardena, C., Garnett, A., & Schumacher, C. (2022) Care Coordination of Older Adults with Diabetes: A Scoping Review. Canadian Journal of Diabetes. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcjd.2022.11.004
Reid JC, Costa AP, Duong M, Ho T, Kruisselbrink R, Raina P, Kirkwood R, Jones A, Corriveau S, Griffith LE, Haider S, Marcucci M, Markle-Reid M, Morrison H, Raghavan N, Schumacher C, Vrkljan B, Junek M, Martin L, Patel A, Girolametto C, Pitre T, Beauchamp MK; COREG Investigators. Functional recovery following hospitalisation of patients diagnosed with COVID-19: a protocol for a longitudinal cohort study. BMJ Open. 2021 Dec 13;11(12):e053021. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-053021. PMID: 34903545; PMCID: PMC8671848.
Jones A, Maclagan L, Schumacher C, Wang X, Jaakkimainen L, Swartz R, Bronskill S, Guan J. Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on home care services among community-dwelling adults with dementia. JAMDA. 2021. doi: https:// doi.org/10.1016/j.jamda.2021.08.031. ” “Teaching
Schumacher C, Dash D, Mowbray FI, Klea L, Costa AP. A qualitative study of home care client and caregiver experiences with a complex cardio-respiratory management model. BMC Geriatrics. 2021. 21:295. doi: 10.1186/s12877-021-02251-5
Dash D, Schumacher C, Jones A, Costa AP. Lessons learned implementing and managing the DIVERT-CARE Trial: A community-based chronic disease self-management model. BMC Geriatrics (2021). 21:303 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-021-02248-0
Mowbray FI, Jones A, Schumacher C, Hirdes J, Costa AP. External validation of the detection of indicators and vulnerabilities for emergency room trips (DIVERT) scale: a retrospective cohort study. BMC Geriatrics. 2020 Dec;20(1):1-7.
Bielska IA, Manis DR, Schumacher C, Moore E, Lewis K, Agarwal G, Mondoux S, Jewett L, Speicher DJ, Liu RH, Leyenaar M, McLeod B, Upadhye S (2020) 18 (1) 9. Health Sector Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic in Ontario, Canada – January to May 2020. Public Health and Governance/Zdrowie Publiczne i Zarządzanie; 18(1) 9. doi:10.4467/20842627OZ.20.010.12664. https://www.ejournals.eu/Zdrowie-Publiczne-i-Zarzadzanie/202/Tom-18-zeszyt-1/art/17390/
Schumacher C, Jones A, Costa AP. Home Care Nursing Visits and Same-Day Emergency Department Use: Which Patients Are Most at Risk? Canadian Journal of Nursing Research. August 2020. doi:10.1177/0844562120949426
Qureshi D, Schumacher C, Talarico R, Lapenskie J, Tanuseputro P, Scott M, Hsu A. Describing differences among recent immigrants and long-standing residents waiting for long-term care: a population-based retrospective cohort study. 2020. JAMDA
Jones A; Bronskill S; Schumacher C; Rahim A; Feeney D; Seow H; Costa AP. Effect modification of access to afterhours primary care on the association between home nursing visits and same-day emergency department use. 2020. Annals of Family Medicine. doi:10.1370/afm.2571
Schumacher, C L. Using the Grounded Theory Method to Delineate the Central Concept in a Qualitative Study: Crafting the Story. 2020. SAGE Research Methods Cases. doi:10.4135/9781529734485. Accessed 4 Apr. 2020.
Costa, A.P.; Schumacher, C.; Jones, A.T.; Dash, D; Campbell, G.; Junek, M., Agarwal, G.; Bell, C.; Boscart, V.; Bronskill S.; Feeny, D.; Hebert, P.C.; Heckman, G.A.; Hirdes, J.P.; Lee, L.; McKelvie, R.S.; Mitchell, L.; Sinha, S.; Davis, J.; Priddle, T.; Rose, G.; Gillan, R.; Mills, D.; Haughton, D. The DIVERT-CARE (Collaboration Action Research & Evaluation) Trial Protocol: A Multi-Provincial Pragmatic Cluster Randomized Trial of Cardio-Respiratory Management in Home Care. 2019. BMJ Open. 9 (12). doi:10.1136/ bmjopen-2019-030301
Schumacher C; Dash D; Correia R; Reid L; Chesney C. Standardized Care Plans for Heart Failure and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in Community Care. 2019. Canadian Cardiovascular Nursing Journal. 29 (2), 23-30.
Schumacher C; Lackey C; Haughton D; Peirce T; Boscart V M; Davey M; Harkness K; Heckman G A; Junek M; McKelvie R; Mitchell L; Sinha S and Costa A P. A chronic disease management model for home care patients with cardio-respiratory symptoms: the DIVERT-CARE Model. 2018. Canadian Cardiovascular Nursing Journal. 28(3), 18-26.
Jones, A.; Schumacher C.; Bronskill S.; Campitelli M.; Poss J.; Seow H.; Costa A.P. The association between home care services and same-day emergency department utilization: a case-crossover study. 2018. CMAJ, 190(17), E525-E531. doi: 10.1503/cmaj.170892
Schumacher C; Hussey L; Hall V. Heart failure self-management and normalizing symptoms: An exploration of decision making in the community. 2018. Heart and Lung, 47 (4), 297-303. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrtlng.2018.03.013
- BN/MN Pathophysiology and Therapeutics: Common Health Disorders
- BN/MN Critical Analysis of Evidence for Nursing Practice
- BN/MN Epidemiology in Nursing and Health Care
- BN/MN Translating Research into Practice
Opportunities for prospective MA/MSc students with an interest in Alzheimer’s type dementias, self-care, and community management of chronic illness. I am looking for students who have experience/enjoy working with older adults and can demonstrate research skills. Link
Contact me for RA opportunities.