Ruth Paterson
| Biography | Since my appointment as associate professor in 2020, I have held three key leadership roles in the school: Head of Learning and Teaching, Head of Nursing and presently Interim Dean. In each of these roles I have consistently demonstrated excellence in leadership aligning my efforts with the strategic objectives of the university, namely, advancing knowledge, expanding networks, and building careers. I firmly believe that Edinburgh Napier can be the top university for nurse and allied health education in the UK and I am confident in my ability to steer the school towards achieving this ambitious goal. I have high levels of external and internal engagement in the areas of professional practice, health technology, medicines optimisation and digital simulation. These are critical areas of workforce development, growth, and patient safety. National and international esteem is evidenced by development of the only National Early Warning Scoring system in the UK, and my programme of work on medicines optimisation in people living with diabetes. My external roles have included chair of the National Non-Medical Prescribing group, accountable officer for the national ‘once for all’ implementation of the 2020 nursing curriculum and subject matter expert for the review of the 2016 Nursing and Midwifery Council Prescribing Standards. I demonstrated my commitment to external engagement and fostered close working relationships with NHS Education for Scotland, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). This resulted in a national approach to pharmacology in pre-registration nursing adopted by nursing programmes throughout Scotland. Presently, I am their chair of the Innovation and Pedagogy Group at Council of Deans. This strategic role entails direct involvement with Higher Education Institutes throughout the UK to foster excellence in university healthcare education, inform government policy and enhance research collaborations in the UK and beyond. . My international impact on professional practice is evidenced through the breadth and depth of my publications focused on pharmacology, workforce development and medicines optimisation. I have authored 35 articles in high impact and industry targeted journals. In 2023 I contributed to 2 seminal textbooks for nursing: Trounces Clinical Pharmacology (19th edition) where I served as specialist advisor and Alexanders nursing practice: hospital and home considered in the UK and internationally as the most comprehensive textbook on Adult Nursing. My research expertise is in digital simulation technology and medicines optimisation and am currently Director of studies for 3 students in this area. I play a pivotal role in the paradigms research and policy project at Scottish government. As the director of studies for 2 fully funded PhD studentships, I oversee the development and testing of a groundbreaking medicines optimisation data visualization tool for individuals with diabetes. This initiative aligns directly with the World Health Organisation’s medicines safety programme and the European Union SIMPATHY project. This project, led by Dr Alpana Mair is an esteemed international consortium of experts in polypharmacy and adherence, recognised with a prestigious 3* reference status. My inclusive approach to academic leadership has been instrumental in empowering the team resulting in a consistently positive student experience whilst seeking innovative and student-centred solutions to complex academic challenges. I would be delighted to hear from collaborators in the areas of digital simulation, medicines optimisation or health technology. |
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| Research Interests | Non-medical prescribing Advanced practice Medicines adherence |
| Teaching and Learning | non-medical prescribing pharmacology medicines management recognition of the sick patient sepsis. |
| PhD Supervision Availability | Yes |
| PhD Topics | Recognition of the deteriorating patient, independent and supplementary prescribing and medicines adherence. |