I accumulated my clinical nursing experience as a registered general nurse, predominantly within the trauma and orthopaedic clinical practice settings, progressing from staff nurse, senior staff nurse, deputy ward sister, ward manager, and practice development nurse.  I developed a strong commitment to helping students to learn, practice and master clinical nursing skills within the safe environment of the simulated clinical skills laboratory. 

My driving ambition to ensure that student nurses emerge as qualified nurses fully fit for purpose to deliver high quality all round patient care at a level that exceeds the patient’s expectations, led to my application and successful appointment to Senior Lecturer in Adult Nursing at the University of Wolverhampton in June 2002.

I was successfully appointed to the post of Principal Lecturer for Nursing Marketing and Outreach (0.6wte) in January 2023 and so work in collaboration with the Directorate of External Engagement, Faculty recruitment teams and the school of nursing outreach team to maintain strong links with our top feeder schools and colleges, and develop links with other schools and colleges, and 'hard to reach' communities within the university catchment areas.    

For my Senior Lecturer hours (0.4wte) I enjoy teaching on the year two practice module, which allows me to liaise with the our local NHS Trust partners in supporting students in practice. I have many years experience liaising with mentors in clinical practice, so have a sound understanding of some of the tensions that exist between nurses trying to meet (and balance) the needs of the service with the educational needs of student nurses. I have used this knowledge and experience to equip me further in my current role as a year two Academic Assessor and ensure effective communication between myself student and practice assessor, actively seeking opportunities to bridge the theory/education gap. Other roles that I am currently involved with include being the Lead for the online drug calculation package SafeMedicate. 

Areas of interest include:

• Raising the profile of nursing to attract mature learners and men to consider nursing as a career option 
• Student nurse peer support/coaching
• Mentoring of new staff in Higher Education
• Continuous Professional Development of nurses in Higher Education 

I am interested in the Continuing Professional Development needs of nurses within higher education. 

Nursing and Midwifery Council

Academic Qualifications

Masters of Science in Health and Wellbeing - August 2019

Post Graduate Diploma in Professional Health studies - June 2015

Fellow of the Higher Education Academy -  March 2007

Accreditation as a Teacher in Higher Education (SEDA programme) - July 2004

Post Graduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education - June 2004

Professional qualifications and registrations

BSc (Hons) Nursing Studies

Teaching and Assessing in Clinical Practice (ENB 998)

NVQ City and Guilds Trainer/Assessor

Orthopaedic Nursing Certificate (ENB 219)

Registered General Nurse

Qualification currently being undertaken:

Senior Fellowship with Advance HE (formerly the Higher Education Agency) 

Moran, W; Swindlehurst, M; Wainwright, C; Bucknor, J; Welyczko, A; Hamilton, L; Southan, L; (2003) Buddy system for nursing students: two practice focused approaches to peer support. Learning and Teaching Projects 2002/2003. WIRE (Wolverhampton Intellectual Repository and E-theses). University of Wolverhampton.

Lecturer in Clinical Skills, Keele University                                                             

Key activities and responsibilities included:

Liaising closely with all branch module leaders of the pre-registration course to assess and plan clinical skills components per module

• Design lesson plans to deliver theory and practical parts of each session
• Evaluation of students learning following clinical skills lecture
• Facilitating student learning in small groups
• Department Manual Handling Trainer Representative
• Commenced Post Graduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

WARD MANAGER (G grade) Trauma and Orthopaedic ward, City Hospital NHS Trust , Birmingham                                                                      

WARD MANAGER (G grade x 2 posts), Orthopaedic Rehabilitation ward and  Trauma and Orthopaedic ward   Heartlands and Solihull NHS Trust, Birmingham

SENIOR STAFF NURSE (F grade) Trauma and Orthopaedic ward, Luton and Dunstable Hospital NHS Trust, Birmingham

STAFF NURSE (E grade) Trauma and Orthopaedic ward, Staffordshire General Hospital NHS Trust, Stafford

POST REG STUDENT (F grade) Orthopaedic Nursing Certificate, Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, Birmingham

SENIOR STAFF NURSE (F grade) Trauma and Orthopaedic War, North Staffordshire Royal Infirmary Hospital, Stoke on Trent 

SENIOR STAFF NURSE (E grade) Trauma and Orthopaedic ward, City Hospital NHS Trust, Birmingham