Ruth Trout

I qualified as a nurse in 1994, beginning my neuroscience career in Oxford in 1996. I completed a BSc in Critical Care (Neurosciences) and worked within the neurosurgical, neurology and neuro intensive care units. My last clinical role was as an advanced neurosurgical nurse practitioner, independently running clinics. I ran the Neuroscience Nursing course at Oxford Brookes University for two years, before joining Buckinghamshire New University in 2010. I have been the Programme Lead for the BSc Professional Practice (Nursing) for international nurses and I am currently the Programme Lead for the BSc Professional Practice in Healthcare. A role I have had since 2015.

I completed my MSc in Autonomous Practice in 2008 at Oxford Brookes University and completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Education in 2014 at Buckinghamshire New University.

I am very proud of the successful partnership I have developed with the University Hospitals Birmingham Healthcare Trust to write, co-ordinate and run three post registration modules at level 6 and 7 to educate the staff at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and the wider West Midlands Neuro, Trauma and Plastic surgery networks.

I am a member of the British, European and World Federations of Neuroscience Nurses. As a member of the British Association of Neuroscience Nurses Executive Board from 2010-2017, I attended meetings and conferences representing BANN and UK neuroscience nurses. I was the lead organiser for the 2017 BANN conference in Oxford attended by over 400 delegates and sponsors over two days.  I took over the role as BANN representative to EANN and WFNN for a period.

I am the author of many comment articles in the British Journal of Neuroscience Nursing as well as a published researcher. My most notable and cited publication is ‘Nurses’ understanding and experience of applying painful stimuli when assessing components of the Glasgow Coma Scale’ published in the Journal of Clinical Nursing in September 2019.

I am currently working with an international group developing and disseminating an evidence-based policy document for healthcare professionals and policy makers on the need to prioritize brain health. This much needed guidance puts brain health on a par with other common conditions such as cancer and cardiovascular care. ‘Time matters’ the preventative neurology report was published in October 2019. I subsequently wrote an article encouraging nurses to become more involved with policy making, published in March 2021.

My most recent conference presentations have included:

Establishing an accredited continuing professional development short course to develop practitioners who support people with Frailty – the challenges and highlights.  British Society of Gerontology 52nd Annual Conference, July 2023

Neuroscience education – Evaluating the impact of a bespoke University validated ‘Neuroscience Care and Management’ course. EANN Congress, 25 - 27 May 2023, Hilton Reykjavik.

View my Research repository.

• Senior Lecturer