Joanna Swan
Jo completed her RGN in 1994 and began work in a rotational post on a liver unit gaining experience in liver surgery, liver medicine and liver intensive care. Realising intensive care was where she wanted to specialise at this time, she began an 11-year journey through liver and general intensive care nursing. Jo specialised further in to critical care outreach and acute pain nursing where she expanded her knowledge and skills working with a variety of patient groups and the multidisciplinary team in a large university hospital.
Jo’s love of tissue viability started on a vascular ward during nurse training and as soon as she qualified, took on the role of tissue viability link nurse. Jo successfully gained a TV specialist nurse post in 2006 and received a Wounds UK award for work using an innovative product for the treatment of infected leg ulcers. In 2008 Jo became Lead TV Specialist Nurse working with a committed group of tissue viability nurses. She continues to work with the team via an honorary contract to ensure her clinical skills remain current.
Jo completed an MSc in wound healing and tissue repair from the University of Cardiff. The knowledge and confidence acquired from the course encouraged Jo to write for publication and to apply for the role of senior lecturer in tissue viability here at BCU. Jo has a love of learning and education and the role allows for the opportunity to share knowledge and support others in their professional development.
Jo is a trustee on the board for the tissue viability society. The society is a charity committed to education, promoting research and raising awareness of good clinical practice in relation to wound prevention and management. She is also a past secretary for the West Midlands Tissue Viability Nurse Association, of which, she is still a member.
Jo has a particular interest in pressure ulcer prevention and management and surgical wound dehiscence and hopes to add to the body of evidence in pressure ulcer prevention through research as part of a PhD in the future.