Lauren Spurling

Lauren joined ARU as a full-time lecturer from clinical practice as an operating department practitioner (ODP). She is teaching on all aspects of our ODP degree course, including surgery, anaesthetics, recovery and anatomy and physiology.

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 is able to use this background to lecture in the more scientific aspects of the diploma course, taking an active role in the delivery of Anatomy and Physiology and Pharmacology across both year groups, while her clinical experience allows her to teach on surgical and anaesthetic aspects of the course.

Research interests

Lauren is currently completing a Postgraduate Certificate in Medical and Healthcare Education, and is interested in developing research in the future in the following fields:.

• Dementia in the surgical patient
• Infection control
• Troubleshooting methods for disengaged students
• The use of interactive games and technology in medical and healthcare education

Teaching

• BSc (Hons) Operating Department Practice (ODP)

Qualifications

• 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

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