Before starting as an Adult Nurse Lecturer at the University of Cumbria in 2021, I worked in a variety of roles related to healthcare. In 2009 I qualified as a Dental Nurse and spent 3 years learning the essence of dental nursing including patient care and communication. This role inspired me to develop further. In 2012, I started my degree in adult nursing and went on to qualify with a first class honours in 2015.
My student nurse experience highlighted my interest in surgery as a speciality and my first post was on a General Surgical Ward in an acute care hospital. After completing a preceptorship programme, I went on to work in Major Trauma caring for patients with severe poly-trauma injuries. Nursing on the Major Trauma Ward allowed me to obtain emergency care skills and I became certified in Advancing Acute Care Delivery.
After some time working in this role, I took a sabbatical to travel across the globe to South America. Here I spent time learning Spanish and I worked as an English teacher. I taught English language to students in both the classroom and digital learning environment. Whilst working as an English teacher, I found that I had a keen interest in the implementation of digital technologies and how they could aid learning in both the nursing and teaching environment.
On returning to the UK I took up a more autonomous role as Practice Nurse; whereby I gained competencies in vaccination and immunisation, wound care, newly diagnosed diabetes, and travel. I became a digital champion and advocated change to improve practice. Working as a Practice Nurse allowed me to see the value of nurses and their ability to support and educate patients to improve health outcomes. After completing a MSC module with distinction in General Practice Nursing, I understood how much I relished the academic environment and its integral role in shaping nurses of the future, and so became an Adult Nurse Lecturer.
In my current role as Senior Lecturer in Simulated Practice Learning I am responsible for leading and developing a curriculum of simulated practice learning activity across the pre-registration nursing programmes. Furthermore, I continue to support teaching, learning and assessment activities as an adult nurse lecturer across all four fields of nursing. My interests include primary care, digital health, simulated practice learning, clinical skills, and general practice nursing.
Furthermore, I have completed a Masters of the Arts in Education and Professional Practice, whereby I developed a practitioner research project which focused on understanding the readiness of nurse academics in delivering simulated practice learning. This has informed my future aspirations in seeking research opportunities and undertaking a PhD.
Masters in Education and Professional Practice (Due to complete October 2024)
Post Graduate Certificate for Higher Education Learning. Teaching Fellow (FHEA, 2022)
Teaching English as a Foreign Language certified (2016).
BSC Pre-Registration Adult Nursing Degree with First Class Honours (2015).
NVQ in Dental Nursing (2010).
Member of the Nursing and Midwifery Council.
Member of the Royal College of Nursing.
Previous member of the General Dental Council.
Masters of the Arts in Education and Professional Practice (Qualified October 2024)
Nursing in primary care.
Public health promotion.
Digitalisation in the NHS.
Clinical skills for nurses.
Ethics and values within nursing.
