Alison Steven

Dr Alison Steven, Reader in Health Professions Education, Northumbria University
Email: Alison.steven@northumbria.ac.uk  

Committee member of the RCN Northern Region RCN Research Society

Background

After qualifying as a registered nurse I worked in a High Dependency unit at the Freeman whilst also completing a PhD at Newcastle University. I then continued to work as a research associate in Newcastle Medical School in posts across the Department of Primary Health care, the Centre for Health Services Research, the Northern Deanery and the School of Medical Education Development where I was promoted to Senior Research associate. In 2008 I was appointed as Senior Lecturer in Knowledge Translation at Northumbria University working as part of FUSE the Centre for Translational Research in Public Health. I decided to re-engage in study and undertook a Masters in Academic Practice and Learning, passing with distinction in 2011. In December 2011 I was appointed Reader in Health Professions Education working in the School of Health, Community & Education Studies at Northumbria University.

Current role

As part of the Learning, Teaching & Student Experience Enhancement Team, I currently lead development of an educational research programme focusing on the areas of Professional knowledge development, Assessment and Learning technologies. I am currently involved in research concerning the development and evaluation of educational packages, the development and assessment of professionalism, conceptualisations of knowledge translation and transfer, practice based education, and emotions in practice based learning.

Research interests

My research interests lie in education for health and social care professions with an emphasis on:

• The development of professional knowledge and practice
• Practice learning and education
• Hidden curriculum and learning milieu
• The social construction and negotiation of knowledge types

In 2002 I completed my doctorate which explored the perceptions of student nurse practitioners involved in practice-based and classroom-based clinical skills modules. Since then I have also completed research into; patient safety education, education for new roles, interprofessional education, mentoring, clinical supervision, the development of Quality Improvement networks across Europe and workforce development.

My expertise lies in theoretically based educational research using qualitative philosophies and methodologies and evaluation strategies.

Institutional biography: http://www.northumbria.ac.uk/sd/academic/sches/research/ches/education/staffprofiles/alison_steven/