Sam Donohue, assistant director for the national and regional outreach service, Nursing and Midwifery Council, qualified as a registered nurse in 1993 after studying a four-year BSc in nursing and human sciences at St Bartholomew’s Hospital and City, University of London. She worked clinically in renal and vascular surgery in London, Sydney, Manchester and Oxford before moving into the education sector (higher and further education). She has specialised in developing new roles and pathways into nursing. This included assistant practitioners, cadet programmes as well as being the Health Education England national lead for the development of the nursing associate role and the nurse apprenticeship pathway.

She became deputy chief nurse at Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in 2019 and had the privilege of supporting the chief nurse and teams through those challenging times. She is in the final year of her professional doctorate in nursing; her doctoral research is exploring professional enjoyment in nursing and the factors that enhance and diminish enjoyment. She is also visiting professor at the University of Surrey and the proud manager of a girls under-18s rugby team.

Sam Donohue is speaking at the following session on Wednesday 23 October:

• Panel discussion – Building a workplace which empowers nursing staff to prioritise self-care: embedding staff well-being at the heart of what you do
  

See the full Nursing Live 2024 agenda