Cardiff School of Nursing and Midwifery Studies

Main Roles and Responsibilities

Co-ordinator of the behavioural and social sciences group within the school of nursing and midwifery studies. Teaching, learning and assessment activities (psychology) within the under graduate and post graduate nursing programmes.

Personal Statement

I started my health care career in 1990, training as a general nurse at the Royal Free Hospital, London. I later specialised in peri-operative care both at the Royal Free and St. Bartholemews Hospitals, London.  Whilst undertaking my undergraduate degree in psychology at Brunel University I continued to maintain my clinical work moving into haematology / transplant care back at the Royal Free, and intensive/high dependency care across hospital sites in London. During this time I also worked with Jenny Altschuler at the Tavistock Clinic, child and family department, on the effects on the family of long term / debilitating parental illness. After graduating in psychology in 1999, I moved into education taking up a Senior lecturing and programme management position at Middlesex University whilst simultaneously studying Health Psychology. During this time I undertook consultancy activities within the NHS and took a particular interest in developing and evaluating programmes for psychological pre-operative preparation/ preparation for noxious procedures. I now lecture in the Cardiff School of Nursing and Midwifery Studies, co-ordinating the delivery of behavioural and social sciences teaching across the school. I continue to be clinically active, having developed interests in pre-hospital/trauma care and resuscitation as well as widening out my peri-operative care practice.

My PhD examines the relationship between stress, education, experience, individual difference, clinical decision making using a longitudinal approach. I am involved in the starting work project at the centre for health and occupational psychology.

Academic Interests

General psychology related to health.

Locus of control and health behaviours.

Social cognition and cognition models in health promotion and behaviour change.

Preparation for surgery/noxious procedures.

Personality and health behaviours.

Psychological variables of patient and provider and effect on health outcomes.

Stress and staff health.