Helen Ayo-Ajayi

Before joining Buckinghamshire New University in 2012, I was an education lead for paediatrics and preceptorship lead. As the education lead, my role was to work with HEIs in supporting child nursing students in clinical practice, involving the selection and recruitment of prospective student, and supporting programme period reviews and validations. In addition, I supported qualified staff with their CPD. As the preceptorship lead, I led on the development of the trust’s preceptorship package for new staff and I ran training sessions and updates to staff both in the trust and community. I have led on the productive ward and other NHS initiatives. I am a registered children’s nurse, a qualified specialist in neonatal nursing and have worked in a tertiary unit caring for sick pre-term neonates. 

I studied for a Master’s in Education in 2013 at Buckinghamshire New University and my area of interest is around student attrition and the support students receive when they return to clinical practice. My other area of interest is developing an all-inclusive curriculum that is supportive to BAME students.

I am a member of the NMC, The Royal College of Nurses, the University Council Union and The African Nurses Union and am a Registered Nurse Tutor.

My current experience has led to networking and developing the African Nurses Union with a BNU alum who is the national lead for midwifery for BAME staff and patients. 

My greatest accolade to date has been in stepping into an interim position as the Associate Head of School, leading and managing the changes the nursing provision within the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health due to the pandemic and securing placements for students.

• Head of Placements and Work Based Learning