¹Ï×ÓTV

Jo is an Associate Professor and Associate Head (Education) within the Leicester School of Nursing and Midwifery. 

Jo is passionate about creating and sustaining compassion-enriched working and educational environments for nurses and student nurses. Jo has a strong background in quality assurance, curriculum development, and programme validation within higher education. Jo both designs and strategically leads the design of high-quality, PSRB-accredited programmes, ensuring they meet rigorous professional and regulatory standards. Jo is passionate about developing, implementing, and continuously improving strategic educational initiatives to enhance student experience and learning outcomes.

Prior to her current role, Jo served as Head of Adult Nursing at the Leicester School of Nursing and Midwifery (2022-2024),  Programme Leader for BSc (Hons) Nursing (all fields of practice) (2016-2022) and Subject Lead for Mental Health (2014-2017). 

Jo holds various roles in the School, including:
• Chair, School Learning and Teaching Group • Faculty Research Ethics Committee Representative • Co-Chair, Health and Life Sciences Faculty Staff Work & Wellbeing Committee • Co-Chair, School Staff Work & Wellbeing Group • Early Resolution Officer (ERO), School of Nursing & Midwifery

Awards & Achievements:
• Vice Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching Award (2015) – Recognized for outstanding teaching, knowledge, and passion, following multiple student nominations.
• PhD in Mental Health Nursing (2021) – Focused on the socialisation of mental health nursing students into compassionate mental health nursing practice.
• Quality Assurance Agency – NMC Reviewer (2024 – Ongoing) – Contributing to national quality assurance and regulatory oversight within nursing education.

In addition to her work in education, Jo  has extensive experience in clinical practice as an Early Intervention in Psychosis team manager and mental health nurse registrant, having worked in various clinical specialties including: early intervention, community mental health/ case management, peri-natal services, assertive outreach services, and adult acute mental health inpatient services.

Jo is an NMC registrant with NMC recordable qualifications in Mental health nursing, independent prescribing and teaching. 

Jo completed her PhD in 2021, which is titled: "An exploration of the socialisation of student mental health nurses in compassionate mental health nursing practice: A constructivist enquiry".

Jo is actively involved in doctoral education, acting as a second supervisor for PhD students at ¹Ï×ÓTV and acts as an internal examiner for doctoral theses viva-voce examinations. Jo is able to act as an external examiner for doctoral submissions relating to Nursing/mental health/compassion/health care/ socialisation in professional practices/qualitative research.

Associate Member of the Leicester Institute for Pharmaceutical and Health Innovations.

Sharpe, J (2025). Early Intervention in Psychosis. In M. Chambers (Ed). Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing: The Craft of Caring (4^th Edition, 2026). Routledge. (Currently in publication).

Bernhardt, L., Baillon, S., Sharpe, J.,  Coleby, D., Readman, E.,  De Vries, K., Hinsliff-Smith, K. (2024). ‘Developing future nurse research leaders: The design and implementation of an innovative research development programme partnership between an NHS community and mental health organisation and a higher education institution’. Poster presentation. 9th International Nursing Conference, Singapore, October 2024.

Sharpe, J. and Hart, T. (2024). Applying compassionate leadership to enhance the effectiveness of the PNA. Nursing Times, London  April 2024, Vol 120, Iss 4. 51-55.

 

Bird, J., and Green, S. (2014). “Innovative approaches to experiential learning through multi-professional simulation.” Nursing Education Today conference: Cambridge. September 2014.

Bird, J. and Hirons, R (2008) “Reclaiming Recovery.” Your Voice, Autumn 2008, 12-13.

 

• PhD-  “Undergraduate mental health nursing student experience of socialisation in compassionate practice: A constructivist study” 

• Psychosis
• Early Intervention for Psychosis
• Recovery and Mental Health
• Student mental health nurse socialisation in compassionate practice
• Creating and sustaining compassion enriched health care environments

Jo teaches pre and post-graduate education with particular emphasis on creating and sustaining compassion enriched health care environments,  psychosocial interventions in mental health, acute mental health care, community mental health care, family work in mental health, prescribing in mental health settings, mental health recovery and mental health diagnoses - with particular interest in the experience of and care of those with psychosis. 

Ph.D - "An exploration of the socialisation of student mental health nurses in compassionate mental health nursing practice: A constructivist Study".          (2021 - ¹Ï×ÓTV) 

MA - Community mental health and recovery (2008 - The University of Birmingham).

PGCert  - Teaching in Higher Education with NMC recordable qualification (2014 - ¹Ï×ÓTV).

Masters Certificate - Comtemporary issues in non-medical prescribing (2010 - Coventry University).

Masters Certificate - The practice of Non-medical prescribing (2010 - Coventry University).

BSc in Mental Health Nursing (2001 - Coventry University). 

 

 BSc (Hons) Nursing (Adult, Child, Learning Disabilities and Mental Health) (with NMC recordable registration).

BSc (Hons) Nursing (Apprenticeship Route) (Adult, Child, Learning Disabilities and Mental Health) (with NMC recordable registration).

Independent/ Supplimentary Prescribing (V300) programme.

Awarded the Vice Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching Award, (2015) following nominations by a number of students for “teaching style, knowledge, devotion and passion”.

Member of the Mental Health Nurse Academics UK group.

Co-founder and Co-Chair or the Nurse Educators Collaborative Network (East Midlands).

Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Nursing and Midwifery Council registered mental health nurse

Nursing and Midwifery Council resgistered nurse independent / Supplementary prescriber

Nursing and Midwifery Council registered teacher.

1) Second Supervisor for full time PhD commenced in April 2025 (due to submit March 2028).  PhD working title: Exploring the experiences of the burden of care for caregivers of people with Dementia and the impact on the quality of life for both caregivers and the person living with Dementia: A phenomenological study of Ghana.

2) Second supervisor for a part-time PhD student (due to commence October 2025). Working title:  Factors that influence prospective students to choose the nursing apprenticeship route into nursing: a phenomenological study.

Quality Assurance Agency Reviewer for Nursing and Midwifery approved programmes - October 2024 - Ongoing.