Lauren Spurling

Lauren joined ARU as a full-time lecturer from clinical practice as an operating department practitioner (ODP). Up until 2021, she was teaching on all aspects of our ODP degree course, including surgery, anaesthetics, recovery and anatomy and physiology. Lauren also teaches medical ethics and law on several different courses and is vice-chair of the school research ethics panel. Lauren has recently commenced in post as the interim Director of Academic Quality for the Faculty. 

lauren.spurling@aru.ac.uk

Background

Lauren is registered with the Health and Care Professions Council. Clinically, she has experience in theatres as an anaesthetic practitioner including elective and emergency surgery, difficult airways, regional anaesthesia, paediatrics and obstetrics. She has also practised as a scrub practitioner, with particular focus on genitourinary surgical procedures, and has experience in the recovery area of theatres.

During clinical practice Lauren used a holistic approach to look after the patients in her care, ensuring attention is paid to every aspect of their wellbeing, and she feels it is important to instil this attitude in the students.

Before becoming an ODP, Lauren gained a Bachelor of Science in Molecular Medicine and a Masters of Philosophy in Immunology, which both allowed her to gain extensive experience in cellular biochemistry, anatomy and physiology, the human body in health and disease and analytical and research skills. Lauren was able to use this background to lecture in the more scientific aspects of the degree course, taking an active role in the delivery of Anatomy and Physiology and Pharmacology across both year groups, while her clinical experience allowed her to teach on surgical and anaesthetic aspects of the course.

Lauren helped to develop and was course leader of the BSc (Hons) Operating Department Practice degree. Since commencing in post, Lauren has developed an interest in medical ethics and law, and research ethics. She has completed an LLM in Medical Ethics and Law with a special interest in the ethics during end of life decisions in terminally ill children. Lauren also oversees school research ethics applications in her role as Vice-Chair of the School Research Ethics Panel and has recently been appointed Interim Director of Academic Quality in the Faculty.  

Research interests

Lauren completed an LLM in Medical Ethics and Law in 2020 and has research interests across a wide range of ethical issues, but is particularly interested in development of ethical behaviour in novice professionals, and end of life ethics. 

Areas of Expertise

• Operating department practice
• Anatomy and physiology
• Medical Ethics and law
• Research Ethics
• Quality Assurance
• Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Body requirements

Teaching

• BSc (Hons) Operating Department Practice (ODP)
• Various courses (Medical Ethics)

Qualifications

• LLM Medical Ethics and Law
• PGCert Medical and Healthcare Education
• Diploma in Higher Education, Operating Department Practice, Anglia Ruskin University
• Masters of Philosophy, Immunology, Brighton and Sussex Medical School
• Bachelor of Science with Honours, Molecular Medicine

Memberships, editorial boards

• Registered ODP, Health and Care Professions Council
• Member of Association for Perioperative Practitioners
• Member of the Institute for Medical Ethics (IME)

Selected recent publications

Llewelyn, M.J., Terrazzini, N., Spurling, L. (2008) Superantigen Detection by HLA Class II Capture Assay Poster presented at the British Society for Immunology Congress 2008

Spurling, L. (2012) WHO is your patient Poster presented at Association for Perioperative Practitioners Annual Congress 2012