Biography
At present, I am a Lecturer in Adult Nursing and facilitate learning on the BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing degree. I am also Academic Lead associated with tracking students who need to interrupt their studies for a period of time. With a background in developing expertise as a registered nurse in adult and child and young person’s nursing, my specialist area being intensive care nursing, I consistently aim to make a positive impact on the student nurse experience. I am passionate about instilling the values of good quality, safe, humanistic and person and family centred nursing care and I consistently strive to ensure a high quality student experience. To this end I employ varied pedagogical strategies and am innovative in my approach to student learning.
Having been awarded a First Class BSc (Hons) Nursing Studies degree, I pursued a career in higher education from 1997 and have had postings as a Lecturer in Adult and Child Health; Senior Lecturer and Leader of a Child Health team and Principal Lecturer as Academic Co-ordinator of Access and Recruitment... The latter role involved leading a cross faculty team of academics, administrative and marketing personnel. I also led the development, validation and delivery of a foundation degree in Early Years Care and Education in three further education colleges and the ‘top up’ to BA (Hons) Early Years Care and Education degree ensuring quality provision, widening participation and career progression.
My current doctoral studies draw on previous undergraduate and postgraduate research enabling me to extend my expertise concerning use of grounded theory. Additionally my research highlights humanising theory and the concept of patient and family centred care. I am proactively engaged in developing synthesis across a range of activities related to these themes that contribute to educational, professional practice and research outputs.
moreResearch
Currently I am undertaking doctoral studies concerning ‘What are relatives’ perceptions, experiences and perceived needs in a hospital setting?’ related to when their family member is a patient in adult, medical areas of care in a NHS Trust hospital.
Previous postgraduate research concerned the needs and experiences of parents when their baby was born critically ill and required paediatric intensive care in a regional children’s hospital.
Journal Articles
- Hewitt-Taylor, J. and Melling, S., 2004. Care protocols: rigid rules or useful tools? Paediatric Nursing, 16, 38-42.
- Melling, S. and Hewitt-Taylor, J., 2003. New flexible healthcare roles and the purpose of nursing. British Journal of Nursing, 2, 1264-1270.
- Melling, S. and Long, S., 1997. Being together as a family. Paediatric Nursing, 9 (6), 25-28.
Profile of Teaching UG
- Professional Role, Level 6 (Delivered x 2).
- Humanising Nursing Care, Level 5.
- Identifying Knowledge for Practice, Level 4.
- Fundamental Communication Skills, Level 4.
- Personal and Professional Development, Level 4.
Conference Presentations
- 10th Annual Postgraduate Research Conference, Bournemouth University, Symmetrical and/or asymmetrical interacting: a grounded theory of being a relative in a hospital setting, 07 Mar 2018, Bournemouth University
- Nursing and Midwifery research across Europe, 'Symmetrical and/or asymmetrical interacting: a grounded theory explaining the process of being a relative during their family member's hospital admission in general medical areas of care'., 15 Nov 2017, Virtual conference event
- The 8th Annual Postgraduate Conference, Decision-making Related to the Appropriate Method of Qualitative Data Collection., 09 Mar 2016, Bournemouth University
Qualifications
- Senior Fellow HEA in Approaches to teaching and learning support (HEA, 2017)
- MPhil in Person and family centred care. (Coventry University, 2001)
- PGCE in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education. (Coventry University ratified by SEDA., 1999)
- Intensive Care Nursing of Children in Intensive Care Nursing of Children (University of Central England ratified by the ENB for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting, 1998)
- Nurse Tutor in Learning and teaching of nursing students. (University of Central England ratified by the ENB of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting., 1997)
- First Class in Nursing Studies (Coventry University, 1996)
- Registered Sick Children's Nurse in Nursing care of children and young people. (St George's Hospital, London ratified by the General Nursing Council., 1976)
- State Registered Nurse. in Nursing care of adults. (St George's Hospital, London ratified by the General Nursing Council., 1975)
Memberships
- Nursing and Midwifery Council, Member,
Networks
- I am a member and contributor to the Nurses' Forum group within the Nursing team at BU and the Humanisation group within the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences.