Following an undergraduate degree in Biological Science, Louise embarked on a Graduate Diploma in Adult Nursing at the University of Nottingham, qualifying in 1996. Throughout her nursing career, she has worked in a variety of clinical areas such as neurosciences and intensive care and then developed specialist interest in hypertension whilst working as a Clinical Nurse Specialist within a tertiary care hypertension service. During this role, she had the opportunity to develop nurse led clinics, contribute to the development of prescribing for non- medical practitioners in the Trust and partake in both academic and commercial research trials within the field of hypertension.
Following completion of a Masters in Advanced Practice, Louise embarked upon a new challenge as an Advanced Nurse Practitioner within a large general practice partnership in inner city Birmingham. Here she developed generalist skills working at this advanced clinical level, as well as supporting the primary care specialist diabetes and hypertension services.
Louise’s passion for education, culminated in her first academic role as Course Lead for the MSc. Advanced Clinical Practice at the University of Wolverhampton where she led the curriculum development for the Advanced Clinical Practice Masters programme. She later joined the postgraduate team in the School of Nursing and Midwifery at the University of Birmingham in July 2018 and has since been instrumental in the development of their portfolio of Advanced Clinical Practice programmes, including the new Level 7 Degree Apprenticeship routes. She has also led the School to accreditation of these programmes with Health Education England’s Centre for Advancing Practice.
In her previous role as Lead for Postgraduate Taught and CPD, Louise supported the development of the MSc Advanced Practice in Healthcare at the University of Birmingham, Dubai, building on the success of the course delivered in Edgbaston. She is a passionate about furthering the portfolio and accessibility of CPD offerings within the School, and the wider College, to support clinical workforce development, in collaboration with our healthcare stakeholders.
Current research interests are focused on the advancing practice agenda, including the preservation and maintenance of professional identity in the advancement of clinical practice, and understanding postgraduate multi-professional teaching and learning pedagogy.
Louise is the current Chair of the Regional HEI ACP group, with representation from all HEIs delivering Advanced Practice courses across the Midlands. She is also an active Committee Member of the Association of Advanced Practice Educators UK.