Consultants of the Lindsay Leg Club Foundation
Jen Hawkins
Health Psychologist / Clinical Supervisor
I was a Senior Teaching Practitioner in a School of Nursing and Midwifery in Suffolk, responsible for the teaching of health and counselling psychology, health communication and reflective practice at degree and Masters level. I also had responsibility for curriculum delivery for Post- and Pre-Registration nursing.
My clinical link role was in the Accident & Emergency Department of Ipswich Hospital where my work as a health psychologist required me to offer psychological support to patients, relatives, nursing and medical staff.
It was during my time in the A & E Department that I developed a model for delivering psychological support to patients. Over time the model has been refined to enable its delivery in a wide variety of settings with patients with varying health needs.
Collaboration with other health professionals has enabled me to undertake a number of research projects, winning 'The British Journal of Nursing Clinical Awards' on three occasions, culminating in a large number of publications.
I have presented my work on psychological support of patients at conferences in Europe and Australia, and in 2003 undertook a study tour of Australia with Ellie Lindsay presenting my work to community nurses and those working in residential homes. My interest in the Leg Clubs started way back in 1995 with the opening of the first club in Suffolk and continues today; I have been fortunate over the years to have been invited by Ellie to share my model for offering psychological support to many of those nurses staffing the Leg Clubs.
In 2004 I joined the Mid Anglia Cancer Network for one year, to undertake a project examining cancer education across the health disciplines in Suffolk. Following a widespread training needs analysis, the project culminated in a three-day cancer education programme delivered by specialist clinicians to acute and community nurses, pharmacists, dieticians, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, radiographers and cancer administrators.
My present role is as a clinical supervisor, offering clinical supervision and psychological support to senior nurses in two NHS Health Trusts.
I continue to explore new and innovative ways to encourage nurses to work in partnership with their patients by offering appropriate psychological support, strongly believing that this can address some of the many complaints which relate to nurse/patient communication.
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