Dr Kirsten Jack

National Teaching Fellow 2014 Dr Kirsten Jack's approach to learning and teaching has been heavily influenced by her work as a nurse, and she recognises the challenges faced by health care professionals in their working lives. She has a clinical background in primary health care nursing, working in various parts of the north-west during her career. She is an innovative and vibrant member of Manchester Metropolitan Universitys (MMU) highly successful Department of Nursing. Kirsten is passionate about using the arts to enhance health education. One of her most innovative projects has been an MMU-funded project called Caring Words. The aims of this work are to encourage health educators to incorporate poetry writing into their teaching, and develop an online community where health care students can share their own poetry. A creative writing colleague remarked: "Your concept is inspirational, and I believe it to be hugely important with potential to bring about profound self-discoveries and a fundamental change in the approach of health professionals, to those who trust themselves to their care." Kirsten's teaching is influenced by her research into students' emotional wellbeing when caring for service users. Her doctoral research explored the ways in which student nurses identified and managed their emotions in the practice setting. This led to the development of transformational teaching methods to support students and meet their emotional needs. Kirsten has a range of research interests and has undertaken phenomenological research with students to develop an understanding of their particular support needs during their first practice placement. She has particular interest in hermeneutic phenomenology, reflexivity in qualitative research and the use of poems as data. Kirsten encourages students to develop their knowledge of health screening and lifestyle education. She is passionate about supporting students in understanding their role in the prevention of ill health and chronic disease management.