First nursing
chair to focus
on person
centred care
and dementia
A
SPECIALIST IN PERSON
centred practice has been
appointed as the first
named chair in nursing at QMU.
Professor Jan Dewing, who has an
international reputation for expertise
in re-enablement and gerontological
practice including dementia care,
took up her new position as The
Sue Pembrey Chair in Nursing at the
beginning of April.
Professor Dewing has spent the
last four years working in a specialist
partnership role with Canterbury
Christchurch University and East
Sussex Community Health NHS
Trust where she was pivotal in
developing a person centred
approach to nursing. In the last
year, she also held a professorship
at the Centre for Care Research
Bergen University College and
Stord-Haugesund University
College Norway and at The School
of Nursing, Wollongong University,
Australia.
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QMYOU / Health & Rehabilitation
As well as a significant clinical
practice record, Professor Dewing
has held a variety of education and
research posts in universities in the
UK, Australia and Norway, and with
The Royal College of Nursing. Professor Steve Errser. Sue Pembrey
was a visionary who understood
the importance of expert clinical
practice as an academic discipline –
something that is still an issue today
in nursing.
Professor’s Dewing’s research
expertise in dementia and person
centred practice will help strengthen
and expand QMU’s focus on person
centredness – an important area of
research which was introduced to
the University by the appointment of
Professor Brendan McCormack as
QMU’s Head of Division of Nursing
in 2014. The recent investment of
specialist staff within the Division is
paving the way for a new strategic
direction within the university and
will see QMU create a new research
centre for person centred practice. “In 2013 Sue sadly passed
away but we were keen to honour
her passing. We, and her family,
are delighted that her legacy will
continue through Professor Jan
Dewing's work as The Sue Pembrey
Chair.
The Sue Pembrey Chair was
named after the renowned nurse
leader, who was not only recognised
as a leading innovator in the field of
person centred practice, but was
one of the key drivers behind the
development of university education
for nurses. Sue Pembrey was
known as a leading light in nursing
practice development, having set up
the National Institute for Nursing in
Oxford, as well as someone who took
time to nurture key staff who would
go on to contribute significantly
to the nursing profession, both
in the UK and internationally. To
Brendan McCormack, Sue was an
inspirational leader, who helped him
secure funding for his doctorate
and then appointed him as one of
two Clinical Lecturers in Nursing at
Oxford Brookes University. In the
last year, while working as Head
of Division of Nursing at Queen
Margaret University, Professor
McCormack has been heralded
as the first European nurse to be
honoured in the International Nurse
Researcher Hall of Fame (Sigma
Theta Tau International).
Professor McCormack said:
“Sue Pembrey was a phenomenal
woman who helped shape nursing
in the UK and who supported and
helped develop the careers of
many key professionals from the
National Institute for Nursing such
as Professor Angie Titchen and
Professor Jan Dewing will play a
key role in driving forward specific
areas of the University’s new
strategic framework for its Division
of Nursing. The new strategy,
which was launched in April at the
University’s first TEDx conference,
focuses on four strategic ‘pillars’
of activity across all areas of
nursing practice - teaching and
learning; research and practice
development; commercialisation
and internationalisation. Professor
Dewing’s work will be pivotal in the
strategic pillar of Gerontological
Nursing and Dementia Care, but
she will also contribute to the three
other pillars of Managing Long-term
Conditions; Palliative and End of Life
Care; and Social and Public Health
Across the Lifespan.
Professor McCormack concluded:
“Professor Dewing has positively
influenced nursing practice in both
the UK and abroad and we are
delighted that our staff and student
teams will benefit from her insight
and strategic direction, in particular
her significant knowledge in practice
development and person centred
dementia care.” ❒
Sue Pembrey was a
leading innovator in
the field of person
centred practice