Caroline Variath

Dr. Caroline Variath is a faculty member in the Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences and Human Services at Vancouver Island University, and a nurse coordinator with the Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) team in Island Health’s Palliative and End-of-Life Care Program. She holds a PhD in Nursing with a specialization in Bioethics from the University of Toronto. Her research program builds on patient-oriented research (POR) and learning health system (LHS) initiatives led by her team. Findings highlight unmet physical, emotional, and social needs among patients requesting MAiD and their families, particularly those experiencing health and social inequities. Through community engagement and interdisciplinary collaboration, her work seeks to further understand and address these holistic needs. Central to this POR program is the co-design, implementation, and evaluation of a community-based volunteer navigation program, grounded in public health palliative care principles, to improve equitable access to supportive and end-of-life care for MAiD patients and their families experiencing health and social inequities on Vancouver Island.