Senior Lecturer
I am a Senior Lecturer in the undergraduate Nursing Team and deliver to the BSc (Hons) Mental Health Nursing Practice course.
My early career as a staff nurse was working in a regional inpatient unit for individuals experiencing eating disorders and affective disorders and I spent eight years working as a Community Psychiatric Nurse before joining the University of Sunderland. This was a diverse, and at times, challenging role, supporting people with severe and complex mental health issues to achieve a sense of wellness and recovery.
Since working at the University, I have been involved in leading undergraduate and postgraduate education around psychosocial interventions, and introducing the subject of mental health across a number of undergraduate courses such as BSc (Hons) Paramedic Science and Out of Hospital Care and BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing.
Teaching and supervision
I am Module Leader for MHN 203 Practice Placement 2 (BSc (Hons) Mental Health Nursing Practice) and I deliver and contribute towards mental health related topics on BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing Practice and BSc (Hons) Paramedic Science and Out of Hospital Care.
Research interests for potential research students
- Physical and mental wellbeing
- Public mental health
- Developing understanding of mental health issues
Publications
Article
Coulthard, K, Patel, D, Brizzolara, Clare, Morriss, R and Watson, S (2013) A feasibility study of expert patient and community mental health team led bipolar psychoeducation groups: implementing an evidence based practice. BMC Psychiatry. ISSN 1471-244X
Hayes, Catherine and Brizzolara, Clare (2009) Making rhetoric a reality: effective capacity building in mental health care provision. British Journal of Nursing, 18 (16). pp. 990-994. ISSN 0966-0461
Book Section
Brizzolara, Clare and Hayes, Catherine (2015) Understanding Complex Mental Illness. In: Textbook of Podiatric Medicine. M&K Publishing, UK.
- Severe and complex mental health issues
- Psychosocial interventions
- Psychological formulation
- Working with families and carers
- Registered Nurse in Mental Health
- MSc in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Recovery in Psychosis and Complex Mental Health Issues
- Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education
- Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
