Laura qualified as a Paediatric Nurse in 2005 and started my first role on ward 3B at Alder Hey Children's Hospital. There she gained valuable experience in all aspects of children's nursing including; diabetes, asthma, cystic fibrosis and general medicine.
In 2007 Laura was successful in gaining a role on the Oncology Unit within Alder Hey Children's Hospital. This role enabled her to develop specialist knowledge and skills in children's cancer where she developed a passion for developing herself and others on the unit. Whilst working there she gained a qualification in High Dependency Care, PGCert in Teenage and Young Adult Cancer Care and a qualification in Systemic Anti Cancer Therapy.
In 2017 Laura gained the role of Practice Educator on the Oncology Unit. This was a fantastic role that enabled her to provide education to staff nurses within Alder Hey and its Paediatric Shared Care Units in Chester, Leighton, Bangor, Wrexham and Glan Clywd hospitals. This was a vast challenge but an amazing job that opened up the opportunity for her to be involved in networking and benchmarking with other centres. Within this role she was also a member of a Royal College of Nursing Education Forum. Within this team she benchmarked and standardised competency frameworks across the United Kingdom and developed the Systemic Anti Cancer Therapy Passport. It also gave Laura the opportunity to present at the RCN headquarters at a national conference regarding social media and its impact on nursing, alongside an online international conference on how COVID19 has impacted upon children and young people with cancer.
Since starting at Liverpool John Moores University in September 2020 Laura has completed her PGCert in Academic Practice and looks forward to developing myself and others.
Degrees
Edge Hill University, England, Diploma Children's Nursing
Certifications
2022, Breathworks, Mindfulness Champion
Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust, United Kingdom, Advanced Paediatric Life Support
Academic appointments
External Examiner, Middlesex University, 2022 - present
Senior Lecturer, Health, Liverpool John Moores University, 2020 - present
Postgraduate training
PGCert in Academic Practice, United Kingdom, Liverpool John Moores University, 2020 - 2021
Systemic Anti Cancer Therapy, United Kingdom, Birmingham City University, 2019 - 2019
PGCert Teenage and Young Adult Cancer Care, United Kingdom, Coventry University, 2016 - 2017
Mentorship in Practice, England, Liverpool John Moores University, 2016 - 2016
Developments in Paediatric High Dependency Care, England, Liverpool John Moores University, 2005 - 2005
Journal article
Phillips KLE, Healy L, Smith L, Keenan RD. 2017. Hydroxyurea Therapy in UK Children with Sickle Cell Anaemia – A Single Centre Experience Pediatric Blood and Cancer, 65 DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url
Membership of professional bodies:
SEDA, Staff and Educational Development Association. 2021
Nurse Educator, Children's Cancer and Leukaemia Group. 2017
Paediatric Oncology Nurse Education Forum, Royal College of Nursing. 2017
Registered Children's Nurse, Nursing and Midwifery Council. 2005
Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, HEA (Higher Education Academy).
Conference presentation:
Children and Young People with Cancer in the UK and COVID-19, European School Oncology, Online, Oral presentation. 2020
Social media and its impact upon modern day nursing, RCN Children and Young People Cancer Nurses Group Education Day, RCN Headquarters, Cavendish Square, Oral presentation. 2018