December 2022
What is your current role?
As a senior clinical educator and practice development lead, I manage the specialist community public health nursing programme, which trains student health visitors, school nurses and practice teachers.
I also coordinate students’ placements and education activities for student nurses in the community.
I make sure that professional development activities for the workforce run smoothly too.
What attracted you to working for Evelina London?
Evelina London's values are in alignment with my personal core values and essence. At Evelina London, the priority is always people (patients and employees). Our focus is to put patients first in all that we do and to deliver high standards of care. It is my utmost desire to ensure that every child receives the right care to enable their own milestones.
How did you train for your current role? Please describe your career journey.
My career journey has been very interesting and fulfilling. From 1984 to 1987, I was trained as a general registered nurse. I practised in various aspects of nursing before I went on to be trained as a midwife, and I earned the midwifery qualification in 1990.
As a community midwife, I enjoyed public health responsibilities of delivering health promotion activities to children and families, so when I had the opportunity to be trained as a health visitor, I did not hesitate to accept the offer. I earned a BSc in specialist community public health nursing in 2003, which provided the privilege to work with children and families. I was fascinated by the difference every intervention makes to improve health outcomes for children.
My interest and passion in supporting students and impacting knowledge in clinical practice increased. In 2006, I started a master's programme in health and social care. As soon as I completed the course in 2009, I was offered a job by Lambeth Primary Care Trust in clinical education. It was a good offer with an incentive to undertake a postgraduate certificate in advanced education. As a teacher and health visitor, it was important for me to understand human behaviour and interactions, so I went on to complete a BSc in psychology. I have enjoyed working in clinical education and practice development. I have also earned an executive MBA with Hult Business School.
How does your role help other people to develop their practice?
My role is very versatile and complex, and it helps other people to develop their practice in various ways. The preceptorship programme equips the newly qualified with confidence and competence. I design bespoke training packages to meet staff developmental needs, and I work with individual colleagues to address performance issues. I contribute to service design and remodelling. I also write quality documents to support best practice and reduce variation, training and development of students and staff, clinical supervision and assessment. I provide constructive feedback, conduct clinical audits, coordinate research activities and promote evidence-based practice.
What do you enjoy about your role?
I enjoy all aspects of my role, particularly when I see a turnaround for children with delayed development following an intervention. Equally, I enjoy seeing the lightbulb moment for 'failing students'. Human beings are unique and we all have preferred modes of learning. The ability to appropriate different teaching styles to meet individual learners’ needs is fulfilling and rewarding.
What are your passions?
I believe everyone has the potential to contribute to our ecosystem, therefore, I'm passionate about child development, staff development and practice development. I'm passionate about excellence in service provision so I take the time to write standard operating procedures, clinical standards of care and competency documents.
Thank you to the children and young people who have so brilliantly illustrated our blog pages.