I am currently a paramedic lecturer at Staffordshire university. I have a background in the ambulance service within the East Midlands area starting in 2000. I have worked within the emergency operations centre as an ambulance dispatcher before moving to front line operations and becoming a paramedic. My interest had always been in education and my role developed to become a clinical tutor within the ambulance service. I started my HEI teaching at Wolverhampton university before moving to Staffordshire.
During my career I developed a particular area of interest within mental health and wellbeing. I wanted to be able to support not only my patients but also my colleagues who were working within such a stressful and often traumatic role. I developed my interest in this area by completing a masters degree and qualifying as an integrative counsellor and psychotherapist. This has enhanced my knowledge and skills and has informed my clinical practice as well as my teaching role.
I look towards building in self-care and resilience training to allied health careers to better prepare students going into these careers with more awareness and coping strategies.
Professional memberships and activities
- Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
- Registered with the HCPC as a Paramedic
- Member of the College of Paramedics
- Member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy
Academic qualifications
- MSc Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy, Derby University
- PGCE Higher Education and Professional Practice, Wolverhampton University
- FdSc Professional Practice in Pre-hospital Care, Northampton University
Expertise
- Mental health and wellbeing
- Research and service development in paramedic practice
- Communication and Professionalism
Research interests
Stress and coping strategies amongst paramedics, an integrative perspective