My clinical background consists of working adult in-patient mental health services in Dumfries and Galloway, mostly in acute care. I moved into a part time Practice Education Facilitators (PEF) role in 2004 whilst still working clinically in the mental health service. During my time as a mental health nurse I was involved in several practice development initiatives to help in the areas of care planning and risk assessment. I also took on the role of mentor, supporting and assessing students nurses in their clinical placement experience. I moved into higher education in 2007 to teach mentorship and mental health nursing at Bell College. During this time I have developed interests in practice education and learning, mentorship as well as the effetcs of health and fitness on mental and emotional health. Following completion of a MSc in Advanced Health Studies in 2009 I presented the findings of my dissertation study on supernumerary status at the Royal College of Nursing Joint Education Forums International Conference in Glasgow (poster, 2009) and at the International Scientific Conference on Research in Nursing and Health Care in Ljubljana, Slovenia (plenary, 2010). My most recent conference presentation was in January 2017 at the Glasgow Caledonian University Professional Doctorate Student Conference where I presented on my planned research study on the experience of mentorship preparation courses.

Practice education and mentorship particularly within pre-registration nursing and midwifery.

Current doctoral study plans to use a interpretive phenomonological analysis, and I have therefore developed an interest in all areas of study utilising this approach.

I would like to explore the links between physical activity, exercise and mental health. Particulalry as this is cited by NICE as a self-help treatment for depression.

I have recently commenced on the second stage of my Professional Doctorate (commence study) which aims to explore the experience of student mentors undertaking a mentor preparation course using interpretive phenomological analysis.