Meet our Registered Nurse Clinical Education and Standards Specialist
Emma Mussard, a qualified nurse who has always had a passion for teaching and educating within the nursing and caring professions, took on the role of Registered Nurse Clinical Education and Standards Specialist in November 2018.
Emma said, “I feel that sound education is how to achieve the best patient care and at Alice House Hospice that is what we deliver. Our clinical team prides themselves on being reflective practitioners and understanding the importance of developing as practices change.
I am really excited for what the future holds at Alice House as the specialist nurses all come together and develop their own areas of expertise to enable staff, patient, family and carer education.
“This is a very diverse post and I am responsible within the team for promoting all educational needs for clinical staff.
“I work closely with the Matron and Junior Sister of the ward to ensure that, as a team, training and educational needs are identified and that staff can access the required training.
“I am also the contact for all student nurses and have recently achieved the Mentorship in Practice UCPD at Teesside University. This has given me a greater understanding of the needs of the student nurses and how we can ensure that their placement with us is beneficial to the educational and practical process.
“There is lots more to the role and training is delivered to all functions within the clinical team. At Alice House we believe in professional development and we work closely with the Collaborative Educational Facilitator. The aim is to develop key staff who can train in specific areas to other members of staff at other hospices within the area.
“We are also working on a programme which is delivered to staff outside of the Hospice. Education Alliance at North Tees Hospital runs a programme that has been developed to educate staff in care homes in topics such as wellbeing, falls and end of life care. The aim of the sessions is to reduce acute hospital admissions. I spend 2-3 sessions a week delivering the end of life session. This area of work has been given funding for two more years.
“I am really excited for what the future holds at Alice House as the specialist nurses all come together and develop their own areas of expertise to enable staff, patient, family and carer education.”