Heather Rugg

Career Overview

Heather began her career in nursing on a Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit where she worked for over 5 years and gained experience of working with people who were acutely unwell and during this period Heather also completed her BSc (Hons) in Nursing.  From there Heather went to work as a Case Manager in an Assertive Outreach Team working with people who were experiencing severe and enduring mental health problems and whilst there she completed a specialist practitioner programme and a Post Graduate Diploma in Acute Inpatient Care. During this time, Heather supported many learners in practice, and this was when she discovered her interest in nursing education.

Heather began working part-time as a Lecturer in Mental Health at Suffolk in January 2008 and remained in practice until she took up a full-time position in the summer of 2009.

Teaching and Other Responsibilities

Heather is a Senior Lecturer in Mental Health Nursing within the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Public Health and leads and teaches on a number of different modules within the pre-registration and post-registration degrees. 

Heather has experience in teaching a broad range of subjects that include creative interventions, medication management, professional values, legislation, empowerment, recovery, and research for nurses.  Heather has experience in interprofessional learning , course development and delivery across a range of health and social care learners such as midwives, social workers and paramedics.  She also has extensive experience in course management, curriculum development , working with practice partners and supporting student experience.  Heather has been involved in a number of students experience projects, such as peer mentorship and the professional advisor initiative aimed at supporting third year nursing students transitioning to registration. 

Research Interests and Publications

Heather has completed previous research into the attitudes of nursing staff towards eating disorders on a Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit for her Honours Degree, and into student perceptions towards assessment feedback as part of her MA. 

Heather has experience of international knowledge exchange and has been involved in teaching international students and travelled to Japan Keio University in 2020 to engage in a number of educational and learning activities,  that included practice visits, teaching and seminars. 

Qualifications

Heather has completed the following qualifications:

Post Graduate Diploma in acute inpatient mental health care 2005
Specialist Practitioner in Mental Health 2005 
MA in Education for Health and Social Care Professionals in 2012
MA in Creative and Critical Writing 2024 

Conferences

Heather has presented at a number of conferences that most recently include:

Rugg H (2024) ‘The Ghost as a Metaphor for Grief’ Themed presentation. Phantasmagoria, 29th April 2024, University of Suffolk.

Glass V and Rugg H (2017) “Supporting Student Nurses in Transition to Registered Practice- The Professional Adviser Project” Lecture Presentation. 28th International Networking for Healthcare Education Conference at Cambridge University, 6th September 2017. Fitzwilliam College, University of Cambridge.

Rugg, H (2015) “Dignity in Mental Health” Keynote Lecture Presentation, The SMAE institute 2015 Annual Convention at Oxford, 2nd to 3rd October, Belfry hotel, Oxford. 

Publications

Rugg, H. (2012) Schizophrenia 2 in Wrycraft N. (ed.) Mental Health Nursing case book. Berkshire: Open University Press, pp. 169-174

Professional Bodies

Registered Mental Health Nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), active since 1998.

Specialist Practitioner (NMC) 2005

Recordable teaching qualification (NMC) 2012

Fellow of the Higher Education Academy 2018