Melanie Hayward

Melanie Hayward is an Associate Professor in Education (Quality Assurance and Enhancement) at Buckinghamshire New University, School of Nursing and Midwifery. With 22 years of NHS nursing experience, she transitioned into academia, specializing in School Nursing, safeguarding, and healthcare education. She holds multiple professional qualifications including Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (SCPHN) and is a registered Nurse Teacher. Dr. Hayward is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA) and the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), and serves on regional safeguarding boards and national nursing organizations.

Education: Trained at Great Ormond Street Hospital (Children’s Nursing), then earned SCPHN qualification at Buckinghamshire New University.

Research Interests: Focuses on healthcare education innovations, particularly SCPHN School Nursing and social media's role in nursing education. Leads the Fit4CYP research project exploring nursing education's impact on practice readiness. Creator of the BNU Institute for Health and Social Care's social media strategy and co-founder of @NurseAcademicUK.

Professional Contributions: Authored/co-authored 33 publications, edited a student nurse textbook, and contributed to national guidance documents. Serves as a Consultant Editor for the British Journal of Child Health, External Examiner at the University of Salford, and Deputy England Representative for the Children and Young Peoples Nurse Academics forum.

Recognition: Awarded the Global Health Award for Nursing Education (2022), WHO Collaborating Centre advisor (2021–2022), and multiple teaching accolades including 'Most Inspiring Tutor' by nursing graduates.

Advocacy & Leadership: Chair of the Buckinghamshire Safeguarding Sub-committee, leads retention initiatives for Nursing and Midwifery, and champions mental health first aid and domestic abuse advocacy within her institution.