Mrs Fiona Dobson

I began working for the Open University in November 2006.  I am an adult nurse by background and have worked in a wide variety of adult nursing settings across the UK and abroad.  I also have 30 years experience working in pre and post-registration nurse education.

As a Staff Tutor, Nursing and Health and Social Care in the OU in the East Midlands, my role has various strands.  I work with other Staff Tutor colleagues to co-ordinate the delivery of the Pre-Registration Nursing Programme across Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, and Northamptonshire.  I currently have specific links with Northampton General Hospital, Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust, Kettering General Hospital, University Hospitals Leicester and Northamptonshire Primary Care Training Hub and line manage the Practice Tutors who deliver the programme within these Trusts.

I am the Qualification Director for the OU pre-registration nursing degree programmes in adult nursing and mental health nursing validated against the NMC 2010 education standards.  This programme is now being taught out as it has been superseded by a new programme founded on the NMC 2018 education standards.  However I am committed to ensuring that all students who started the four year programme in 2019 have the opportunity to complete their studies.  I have a particular interest in and responsibility for ensuring that the practice components of these degrees meet the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) requirements and for quality assuring the programmes.

I am also involved in the delivery of our Masters degree in Advanced Clinical Practice, specifically the second module of the programme 'Developing Advanced Clinical Practice', line managing the module tutors who facilitate the learning of the experienced healthcare professionals who are expanding their practice to become advanced practitioners within their particular professional fields.