Valerie McNeela

Biography

Valerie is a Registered Children’s Nurse and has been working in higher education since 2016. 

She has supported students on a number of professional programmes and is particularly interested in making learning accessible. She enjoys working in partnership with students to help them to be successful and enjoy their time at university.

Valerie has worked at specialist children’s hospitals across the UK, and also worked as a scientist for a number of years.

After completing a Return to Practice programme in 2012, she gained additional experience in paediatric high dependency nursing, and as a Clinical Research Nurse.

Valerie has joined the team at Cumbria as a Lecturer in Nursing Apprenticeships.

Qualifications and memberships

•    Paediatric Nursing, Charles West School of Nursing Great Ormond Street
•    Registered Sick Children’s Nurse
•    BSc (Hons) Anatomy and Human Biology, University of Liverpool
•    Return to Practice Nursing, Manchester Metropolitan University
•    Registered Nurse – Children
•    Foundation in Paediatric Critical Care, University of Salford
•    Post Graduate Certificate in Health and Social Care Education, University of Central Lancashire
•    Fellow of The Higher Education Academy (Advance HE)
•    NMC Teacher

Academic and research interests

Valerie is currently studying for a Master’s degree in Public Health. She is particularly interested in health promotion and the role Nursing Associates play in promoting health and preventing ill health.

Publications

Valerie is the co-author of a pocket guide for children's nursing placements, published in 2019 by Lantern Publishing.

Recent external roles

Conference poster presentation:

• Building on experience: A novel approach to practice placement debrief. Supporting student nurses' post-placement reflections using Lego(TM) Serious Play(TM).  NET2018 Conference, 4-6 Sept 2018, Cambridge.

Contributor to work presented at conference:

• Cultivating collaborations - developing an active learner community in nursing. Association for Learning Technology Annual Conference, 11-13 Sept 2018, Manchester

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