I started my career in Health care shortly after leaving school when I joined the Royal Air Force as a Medical Assistant. In the military I gained a wealth of clinical experience which formed the basis of my nursing career as well as discipline and a determination to achieve.

I worked as a Health Care Support Worker on the Intensive Care Unit at Royal Bolton Hospital prior to embarking in a career as a registered nurse. My time working on the Intensive Care Unit provided me with excellent understanding and experience of working in a busy and demanding ward area, and I gained knowledge and experience of dealing with stressful situations and an excellent awareness of working in a team of people with many different skills in a supportive role.

I qualified as a Paediatric Nurse in 2004 and worked in Bolton NHS Trust as a school nurse in both mainstream and specialist settings. I supported and trained school staff to meet the needs of students in primary and secondary education and worked in partnership in multi-disciplinary teams working collaboratively with a number of agencies in the statutory and voluntary sectors. In addition, I contributed to the curriculum planning and implementation of health education and promotion programmes for whole school populations and was actively involved in the Physical Social and Health Education programmes in a number of schools as part of the National Healthy Schools Programme.

Following my time as a school nurse, I worked as a Paediatric Nurse Specialist as part of Bridges in Bolton, a short break and family support service which provide support to disabled children, young people and their families in the community. I was the clinical lead for education and training and was responsible for supporting the continued development of staff, carers and parents in clinical and professional practice and developed a rolling programme of education to meet the needs of the service.

I have been at the University of Bolton since November 2016 and during my time here I have gained essential skills in teaching and learning activities as well as the desire to support students to be the best they can be. I have continued to study gaining a Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Professional Education, registering as an NMC teacher, and becoming a HE Fellow; I am currently studying for a Master’s in Education with a view to undertake a Doctorate in the near future.

As an experienced Children’s Nurse, I am acutely aware of health determinants across different populations and the impact this has for individuals, groups and for organisations. I have an excellent understanding of the nature and complexity of children's nursing and I have a passion to help people develop through education and learning.

Professional Qualifications:

• BSc Hons Specialist Community Public Health Nursing

• Dip-HE Nursing Child Branch

• PG Cert Teaching and Supporting Learning in Professional and Higher Education

• Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector

• PG Module – prevention of unplanned pregnancy

Research Interests and Research Subject Specialisms:
Formative and Summative Assessments in HE
Supporting Students with Additional Learning Needs in HE
Public Health for Children, Young People and Families
Adverse Childhood Experiences

Teaching specialisms;
Children’s Nursing