Freya Kelly, RN, MScN 

Ottawa, ON

Advanced Practice Nurse
University of Ottawa Heart Institute
Ottawa, ON

CWHHA member since 2023

Biography

Freya Kelly is the advanced practice nurse for the Cardiac Supportive and Palliative Care program at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, where she participates in patient education, collaboration, and research.

Freya Kelly received her Honours Bachelor of Health Sciences in 2013 from the University of Ottawa, and subsequently her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2015. Freya then earned her Master of Science in Nursing under the supervision of Dr. Dawn Stacey at the University of Ottawa in 2017: Nurses Supporting Cancer Survivors with the Self-Management of Symptoms. She joined the University of Ottawa Heart Institute (UOHI) in 2017 to cover a maternity leave for the nurse educator within the Prevention and Wellness Program, where she was first introduced to the Canadian Women’s Heart Health Centre. She then fulfilled various roles such as a registered nurse for the Cardiac Virtual Care department, the Heart Function Clinic, and as a nurse coordinator for the UOHI. Freya has since had the opportunity to work alongside Dr. Caroline McGuinty to develop the Cardiac Supportive and Palliative Care Program, which started in May 2020. She has also recently added the Cardiac Amyloidosis Clinic to her portfolio, which was initiated in September 2021. Freya has developed a passion for project management and continues to find new ways to bring evidence-based best practice guidelines and interventions to the bedside to help improve her patients’ care.

As an advanced practice nurse at UOHI, Freya has the opportunity to work within the five components of the APN role: direct clinical practice; consultation and collaboration; leadership; research; and education.

Research and Clinical Interests

Freya’s research interests include cardiovascular nursing research, research on cardio-oncology, women’s heart health, patient self-management tools and resources, and evidence-based practice implementation.