Directory Profile

My nursing background is in Oncology, but I now use my license to volunteer with the local needle exchange program and the Medical Reserve Corps. My research is centered around the intersectionality of criminal justice, mental health, and substance use. My area of focus is on the impacts of incarceration on individuals, partners and families, and communities. I hope to establish my research with a focus on the individual, and then broaden my perspective from there. In my position at WSU, I am part of a research lab led by Celestina Barbosa-Leiker, PhD, who has a long history of research with perinatal women experiencing substance use disorders and assessment of interventions in the Washington Prison System. Through my research, I hope to strengthen the relationship of WSU with our State’s local county jails, and eventually the Department of Corrections, so that we may better serve this vulnerable subset of our community. Additionally, through the LEAP investigator small grant, I hope to begin building these connections to engage in true community-based participatory research within each unique county in Washington.

Education

• BSN, Seattle University, Seattle, WA
• PhD, University of Washington, Seattle, WA

Funded Research

I currently have two grants in-progress: one with the aim of utilizing an already validated intervention, the Nurse Family Partnership (NFP) program, to improve access to perinatal care for soon-to-be released incarcerated women; the other to improve access to mental health care for individuals with a history of substance use being held in rural county jails.

Research Interests

My research is centered around the intersectionality of criminal justice, mental health, and substance use. My area of focus is on the impacts of incarceration on individuals, partners and families, and communities. I hope to establish my research with a focus on the individual, and then broaden my perspective from there. I hope to expand on my experiences both from the NFP study and from my prior dissertation work to improve access to community resources for justice-involved individuals in rural settings.

Methodological Strengths

I have experience in analyzing qualitative data, particularly using thematic analysis.

Areas of Expertise

Oncology nursing, Healthcare in prison settings, transitional healthcare for individuals released from jail, access to care issues.

Memberships

• Academic Consortium on Criminal Justice Health, Member, 2020-present
• American Public Health Association, Member, 2020-present
• Health Equity Leadership & Exchange Network, Member, 2020-present
• Sigma Theta Tau: Delta Chi Chapter-at-Large, WSU-SON, Member, 2020-present
• Medical Reserve Corps, Tacoma-Pierce County, Member, 2020-present
• Western Institute of Nursing, Member, 2013-present

Honors and Awards

• JCOIN LEAP Investigator Program, Fellow, 2020-present
• Nominated by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing to the National Medicaid, 2020
• Reentry Stakeholder Group
• Nursing Now USA, Invited National Speaker, Washington D.C., 2019
• Warren G. Magnuson Outstanding Scholar, University of Washington, 2018
• 2018 Hester McLaws Nursing Scholarship, University of Washington School of Nursing
• 2013 Graduated Cum Laude, Seattle University
• 2013 Faculty Leadership Recognition Award, Seattle University
• 2013 Student Leadership Recognition Award, Seattle University

Selected Publications

• Pascoe, K., Gage, B., Walsh, E., Van-Son, C. (2022) Health Research in a Jail: Methodological Challenges. Nursing Science Quarterly, 35(4), 477-482. https://doi.org/10.1177/08943184221115129
• Pascoe, K. (2020). Inequity in Healthcare Delivery: Barriers Faced by the Newly Released Inmate. Symposium Presentation, Ignite Aging Symposium. September 2019. Seattle, WA
• Crane, J.T. and Pascoe, K. (2020), Becoming Institutionalized: Incarceration as a Chronic Health Condition. Medical Anthropology Quarterly. https://ntserver1.wsulibs.wsu.edu:2137/10.1111/maq.12621
• Hirsch, K. (2019). Wrong Intervention or Broken System: Methodology Challenges of Jail Research. Poster Presentation, Western Institute of Nursing Research Conference. April 2020. San Diego, CA. (*Note, this presentation was postponed to 2021 due to Covid-19)
• Hirsch, K. (2018). Dying Behind Bars. Journal of Gerontological Nursing,44(1), 2-3. doi:10.3928/00989134-20171213-01
• Hirsch, K. (2018). Chronic Disease Self-Management Program in a Prison Setting. Poster Presentation, Western Institute of Nursing Research Conference. April 2018. Spokane, WA.

MyNCBI Published Works

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/1vcFJTdUpxJkA/bibliography/public/

Updated 01/25/23