Dr. Carolina Tannenbaum-Baruchi
Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences
My life before BGU:
I was born in Chile and made Aliyah to Israel at 19 through the Betar youth movement. I earned my bachelor’s degree in nursing at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, followed by a master’s degree and a PhD in emergency medicine at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. I also conducted postdoctoral research in public health at BGU during the war. Before joining BGU, I headed the undergraduate nursing program at the Academic College of Tel Aviv-Yaffo.
Why BGU?
For me, this is a homecoming. This is where I earned my master’s degree and PhD in the Department of Emergency Medicine, and where I was given the space to dream big and put my ideas into practice. It was here that I began the projects that translated my research into practical tools: an accessible app, training in accessibility for staff, and a transparent mask developed during the COVID-19 pandemic that enabled deaf and hard-of-hearing people to read lips and see facial expressions.
This time, I am joining the Department of Nursing, bringing together two worlds: the university where I grew as a researcher and the profession in which I began my career. I am excited to extend my research beyond emergency situations into areas such as telehealth and health promotion, build collaborations with fellow researchers in the department, and, of course, equip students with tools like those I was provided with here.
What do I research?
I am the eldest daughter of two deaf parents who communicate through speech and lip-reading, so my field of research is more than a profession; it is part of my life. I learned from them, and later from my own research findings, that no single approach to accessibility works for everyone.
My research focuses on healthcare accessibility for people with disabilities in everyday settings and emergencies, including emergency preparedness, with a particular emphasis on deaf and hard-of-hearing people. I examine where communication between the healthcare system and these patients breaks down, for example, in the emergency department, and seek practical solutions. Alongside my research, I advise organizations on healthcare accessibility and emergency preparedness.
An insight from my research:
Accessibility is essential to good care. When patients and staff do not understand one another, treatment is neither good nor safe. I have also learned that research left on a library shelf changes no one’s life. That is why I want every study I conduct to lead to a tangible, evidence-based solution that improves the lives of people who too often go unseen.
Finally, I have learned that this cannot be done alone. Along the way, I have met good people, including researchers, nonprofit professionals, people working in high-tech, and donors, whose contributions have helped turn ideas into reality.
Something you won’t find on my CV:
I have been a volunteer breastfeeding counselor for more than 15 years, and I also volunteer with Magen David Adom in the community where I live. In my free time, I enjoy running and hiking.
My source of inspiration:
My parents. They are both deaf and deeply optimistic. They taught me that I could do anything and that the sky was the limit.
When I grow up…
As a child, I wanted to be a midwife, to be there when new life came into the world. Today, I still want to discover and create new things, just of a different kind. My dream is for my lab and my research to develop processes that improve accessibility across different systems, especially healthcare.
If I weren’t a researcher, I would be…
A writer and a yoga instructor.
In brief:
- Summer or winter? Summer
- Steak or tofu? Fish
- Careful planning or spontaneity? Spontaneity
- Hiking or lounging? Hiking
- Car or train? Unfortunately, car
- Market or mall? Market
- Sea or pool? Sea
- Dog or cat? Dog
- Cinema or streaming? Streaming
- Three things I would take to a desert island? My husband, a notebook with a pen, and running shoes
