Biography
Dr Karen Campbell has an international and national standing as a clinical academic in research and education with application to oncology clinical practice, holding the title of Macmillan Associate Professor in Cancer Nursing in the School of Health and Social Care. Karen Currently holds an Honorary Research Nurse Consultant Role in Chemotherapy. Karen originally completed a BSc ( Hons) in Genetics at Glasgow University then entered the nursing profession qualifying from St Georges Hospital in London in 1992. She completed her Clinical Doctorate in Nursing in 2020: The haemato-oncology patient experience of the process of palliative care in the last year of life: A Constructivist grounded theory study. She is currently the Director of studies of a PhD and Professional Doctorate student in: Palliative care in South Asian Families and Widening Participation in higher education respectively.
Professional practice:
Karen is currently the President of the UK Oncology Nursing Society (UKONS). The main aim of UKONS is to inspire, initiate and develop educational resources and guidance for cancer nurses across the UK. UKONS is run with fifteen voluntary board members and sixty-six champions, from all four nations to reflect the different devolved health care issues. UKONS has eight different specialist interest groups: Systemic Anti-Cancer Treatment (SACT), Acute Oncology, Haematology, Living with and beyond, Research, Radiotherapy, Champions, Young and Early career. We have representation on UK Chemotherapy Board, Acute Oncology Society, UK Supportive Cancer Care. UKONS has 10,000 members and runs an annual conference that is attended by 500 delegates. We are supported by 23 pharmaceutical companies with our ROCHE being our principal partner with an annual income of approximately £150,000. Main recent UKONS initiatives have been developing the digital SACT passport, the CASCADE project developing and implementing an AO passport, AO Hotline eLearning and funding research into occupational exposure to administering cytotoxic drugs. Aspiring Cancer Career and Education Development Framework (ACCEND). UKONS has also supported two edited books ‘fundamentals in cancer care’ and ‘ Cancer Care through COVID -19’. ACCEND and CASCADE have both been incorporated in the curriculum for students at ENU.
Karen is on the international editorial board for the International Journal in Cancer Nursing and Seminar in Oncology Nursing. Karen published in international and national journals including Journal of Cancer Education and International Journal of Cancer nursing. Karen peer reviews for International Journal of Cancer Nursing, Cancer Nursing Practice , British Journal of Nursing, Journal of Patient Experience.
Karen is currently editing a EBN book ‘Personalised Cancer Care’.
Funding:
Karen has secured £800K in competitive funding whilst at Edinburgh Napier University.
Since 2011 Karen has led a portfolio of Macmillan Cancer Support funding grants associated develop and deliver a sustainable cancer education strategy for practitioners, caring for patients living with and beyond their cancer. In 2014 Karen was awarded as a co-lead with Suzanne Cruickshank, the tender for the Evaluation of the ‘Transforming Care after Treatment’ Scotland Macmillan Programme. Building on her expertise Karen led phase 2, Continuation of National Evaluation of TCAT: Ensuring and Enhancing the Evidence (TCAT) and Health Economic Evaluation Work Strand: Continuity and Quality.
Karen is co-leading with Professor Austyn Snowden (2022-2024) an analysis, synthesis and reporting on the Transforming Cancer Care by collating data from 32 integrated health and social care sites across Scotland. Karen also leads a UKONS grant ( 2022-2023) exploring the perception and experience of potential exposure to hazardous drugs which administering cytotoxic drugs. This work continues to inform both Cancer Strategy in Scotland and evaluation of transformational programmes of cancer care.
Research areas:
Karen has a diverse interest in research in cancer care. Karen has an extensive portfolio of evaluating transformational change in cancer care across Scotland. This has been pivotal in the Scottish Government pledged of 18 million funding to improve cancer service in Scotland.
Having secured the UKONS grant to explore the perception and experiences of potential occupational exposure to cytotoxic. Karen has delivered keynote session internationally and nationally on the findings from the literature review, and the survey. This has led to key collaborations with medical device companies, B Braun, ICU medical and Safecancercare consortium. International collaborations have developed with eminent Professor Melisa McDiarmid, Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology & Public Health Director, and Professor Martha Polovich of University Maryland School of Medicine. Who have been involved with this topic since 2000. This has enhanced the analysis and direction of the research. This research has been requested by practice, which will result in UK practice guidance and five publications.
Having just completed and soon to be published study on surface and air contamination locally, Karen is keen to pursue more novel and frequent sampling techniques for air and surface contamination in chemotherapy units. In collaboration with Professor Alison Porter-Armstrong, Karen is pursuing NIHR funding for a digital app to measure the pattern of health and wellbeing of cancer nurses who administer cytotoxic drugs. Furthering the wellbeing topic Karen is interested in the mental health of cancer nurses, exploring preventative of Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome and Vicarious Trauma.
Karen continues to explore the Holistic Needs Assessment of haematology cancer patients with a specific interest in patient reported outcomes and advance care planning. Karen is currently collaborating with Professor Anna Campbell and Associate Professor Amanda Pitchathely on a Delphi study to elicit best practice exercise guideline for cancer patients receiving treatment with indwelling catheters.
Karen is available for Cancer Care PhD, Professional Doctorate, and external examining opportunities.
Teaching:
Karen entered academia as a Macmillan Lecturer Practitioner in 2005, working between NHS Lothian and Edinburgh Napier University. Karen became internationally and nationally known in this role for trailblazing the development of blended and online learning cancer education, developing accessible virtual education for a UK audience in Haematology Nursing (2008) and Supportive Care for those Living with and Beyond Cancer (2013). This online model of education afforded, at the time, novel teaching techniques including access to global research academics sessions and former students presenting their practice. During the pandemic, with her expert knowledge, Karen led The Professional Development team at Macmillan Cancer Support through a test of change by translating all face-to face delivery into virtual classroom. Taking novice learning and development leads, within three months ,from never teaching virtual to delivering fifteen different topics to 1000 delegates by the end of 2020.
Karen led the Masters Advanced Practice & Flexibly managed programmes (2013-2016) through the structural change of ‘credit’ from 15 credits to 20 credits. Karen has been involved with Institutional Reviews and programme, and modular developments. Karen has been an active member of the teaching fellow community (2008 -2018), chairing the teaching fellow grants committee (2016-2018) for the University. She has held a number of external examiner positions across the UK for cancer education. She has a fellow status of the HEA and holds a SEDA mentoring and Coaching qualification.
Karen has led as Head of Learning and Teaching for the School of Health and Social Care, with the prime focus of delivering the school action plan against retention and progression, national student survey, programme academic boards, programme leads forum, student engagement and personal development tutoring, overseeing enhanced curriculum development and quality assurance.