Giselle Cope RNLD, BSc (Hons)
Person-centred Practice Facilitator
Giselle joined the Foundation of Nursing Studies in September 2017, as a Practice Development Facilitator. Prior to her appointment, Giselle worked as an Advanced Nurse Practitioner within the Independent sector in the field of mental health and learning disabilities. She qualified as a registered nurse in learning disabilities in 2000. Before this, she had worked in the capacity of a healthcare assistant supporting people with learning disabilities in both hospital and community settings since 1991.
Since qualifying her career portfolio to date has included working in various settings, supporting predominately adult male and female patients. This has included working in both low and medium secure hospital provision, assessment and treatment units, community rehabilitation in addition to more specialist services such as those specialising in autism, and personality disorder. Giselle has undertaken various leadership positions since 2007, which have included Deputy Ward Manager, Nurse Manager and Assistant Director of Nursing.
Giselle first became introduced to Practice Development in April 2015, when she was awarded the Richard Tompkins Nurse Development Scholarship through the Foundation of Nursing Studies (FoNS). This gave an exciting opportunity for her to attend the 5-day residential International Practice Development School in addition to receiving a 12-month bespoke mentorship from FoNS to support innovation in practice. This was the beginning of a fantastic mentorship and mentee relationship for her which transformed the way in which she undertook her day to day clinical work. Giselle focused on creating compassionate, effective and safe cultures of practices underpinned by principles of emancipatory practice development, driving initiatives and projects to support national strategies and priorities within learning disabilities.
As a Practice Development Facilitator, she will now support individuals and teams within the various programmes and bespoke mentorship offered by FoNS across all health and social care. Giselle feels this is a privileged position to be able to empower, enable, and inspire others to put into practice innovation which can totally transform patient care and experience.