Teaching focus: Tendai Gwenhure

• What is your job role at UCL institute of Ophthalmology and what do you teach?

I am the Clinical Ophthalmic Practice programme lead. I also lead on the MSc Physical Assessment of the Ophthalmic Patient module and the PGCert Clinical Care in Practice module. 

• What is your career background?

My ophthalmic career journey started over 20 years ago when I was a clinic manager and surgical assistant at a private eye center. I then joined Moorfields Eye Hospital in 2001 and trained to become an ophthalmic emergency nurse practitioner in 2005. In 2014, I took up the Moorfields clinical education role as well as module lead role at UCL Institute of Ophthalmology. I was drawn more into education following completion of my MA Practice Education in 2016 and subsequently took on the programme leadership role in 2019. To promote and raise the profile of ophthalmic nursing, I lead on a few external ophthalmic nursing forums including: chairing the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Ophthalmic Nursing Forum, the World Association of Eye Hospital Community of Practice for Nurses, as well as being a council member of the Association of Ophthalmic Nurses and Technicians (AONT). As an advocate and role model for lifelong learning, I am in my final year of a doctorate programme to explore enablers and barrier to ophthalmic nurse training. 

• What are your areas of specialism?

My clinical expertise is specialist ophthalmic emergency nursing practice. I thoroughly enjoy the variety of the role, and the job satisfaction that comes with direct patient care. I am passionate about ophthalmic nurse education and workforce development as I believe it is the linchpin for sustainable healthcare. I am also actively involved in voluntary community engagement initiatives in line with the NHS Prevention Programme and promotion of research in underserved communities, which my colleagues and I do on weekends.

• What is your job role at Moorfields Eye Hospital?

I support workforce training and development through clinical teaching and delivery of in-house study days and workshops. As a senior clinical educator, I also support new and junior members of the education team as well as coordinate and facilitate the development of clinic based practice educators. The remit of my role to facilitate work-based clinical experience and promotion of eye care delivery involves working with a number of Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs), Integrated Care Bords (ICBs) and NHS England as well as the independent sector. An example of this expansive role was the initiation of the award-winning Eye Envoys programme to education and train community nursing staff on basic eye care. Having completed the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Associate Principal Investigator training programme, I am a research link nurse, and I have collaborated engagements with the lead nurse for research. I am the trust career conversation co-lead where I provide information and advice to staff on career and developmental opportunities and the various education pathways to fulfil their career trajectories. Being a champion for equality, diversity and inclusivity, I am a mentor on the Leadership Academy Programme for staff with disabilities and long-term conditions. I am also a career sponsor for junior staff members from the global majority community. 

• How does your role at Moorfields Eye Hospital relate to your role at the institute?

My role between Moorfields and UCL complement each other. Having an understanding of the workforce needs from the clinical perspective is advantageous as it helps me to decipher some of the knowledge gaps,  and this informs me of the most clinically relevant content, design and delivery of the programme. 
 
What's the most important thing you've learned from your students about the subject you teach?
I was impressed by the student agency on the group work and how they valued the collaborative and collective approach of learning.  
 
What was the highlight of your teaching over the last year (academic year 2023-2024)?
I would say the face to face clinical skills workshops where students worked through a series of clinical scenarios, simulated learning, and formative VIVA stations.

• What is your biggest achievement?

Being a first-generation university graduate, getting to the final year of my doctorate is a significant milestone. I am very grateful for the privilege of having  great mentors and leaders who have encouraged and supported me on this journey through their unique  talents and insights. 

• What was your reaction upon receiving the 2024 institute’s Teaching Award?

 It was a quite a surprise as I had not anticipated it. I was truly humbled and honoured. 

• What do you consider to be the greatest benefit of working across two big institutions such as UCL IoO and Moorfields?

Working with the some of the world's best clinicians, academics and researchers inevitably compels one to be no less.