Dorothy Kupara

Dorothy Kupara

Senior Lecturer & Course Leader in Learning Disability Nursing
College of Nursing, Midwifery and Healthcare
dorothy.kupara@uwl.ac.uk

My career in learning disabilities started at the turn of the new millennium and I have worked in different learning disabilities settings as a Registered Nurse Learning Disabilities (RNLD). I have worked with people with profound and multiple disabilities in residential accommodation, as an acute liaison nurse in hospitals, community nurse for people with learning disabilities and as a lead nurse in a Community Team for People with Learning Disabilities. I am also a qualified nurse prescriber.

I have experience of teaching in nursing and have been at UWL since summer 2014. I am currently studying for my research degree (PhD) and I am investigating the roles of Learning Disabilities Acute Liaison Nurses. My interest in this particular area was influenced by my previous experience in a similar role. I am an external examiner at other higher education institutions. I have worked and supported initiatives done by Capital Nurse Programme on workforce development in learning disabilities in London. I sit on an advisory board as an expert in learning disabilities for national project on role of acute liaison nurses.

I teach on the pre- and some post-registration nursing courses including non-medical prescribing. I have experience of supervising BNursing (Hons) innovation projects (dissertations). My main areas of interest are: roles in nursing particularly advanced/ specialist and prescribing roles, nursing research, leadership and management in healthcare, mental capacity and health of people with learning disabilities. I have collaborated with colleagues on different research projects. Some of the work has been published in peer reviewed journals. I have done poster and oral presentations on learning disabilities at some of the well renowned international conferences.

  • Qualifications

    PhD Candidate (University of West London)

    PGCert (University of West London)

    BSc (University of Surrey)

    Advanced Diploma in Higher Education – Learning Disabilities Nursing (Thames Valley University)

    RNLD, Specialist Practitioner (Community Learning Disabilities Nurse (CLDN)), Nurse Prescriber, RNT

  • Awards

    Personal Tutor & Supervisor of the Year 2023 UWL SU Star Awards

  • Memberships

    Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)
    Royal College of Nursing (RCN)
    British Institute of Learning Disabilities (BILD)
    Fellow of Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
    International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IASSIDD)
    Learning/Intellectual Disability Nursing Academic Network (LIDNAN)

Teaching

I am a Learning Disabilities Nurse by background and have been teaching in nurse education for since 2014. I have written for publication, presented at conferences and participated in different research projects over the years.

Research

  • Research and publications

    Refereed articles in academic journals

    Kupara D, Woodward P (2023) Communication skills, strategies and approaches to conducting mental health assessments with people with learning disabilities. Learning Disability Practice. doi: 10.7748/ldp.2023.e2218

    Sutton, P. and Kupara, D. (2021) Meeting the health needs of people with intellectual disabilities. Learning Disability Practice. doi: 10.7748/ldp.2021.e2166

    Mafuba, K., Chapman, H., Kiernan, J., Chester, R., Kupara, D. and Kudita, C. (2020) Understanding the Contribution of Intellectual Disability Nurses: A Scoping Review. London: University of West London/ RCN Foundation.

    Mafuba, K., Forster, M. and Kupara, D. (2018) Improving the Health of People with a Learning Disabilities – A Public Health Nursing Approach. Final Literature Review Report. London: Public Health England.

    Mafuba, K., Kupara, D., Cozens, M. and Kudita, C. (2015) The importance of role clarity in community learning disability nursing – A critique of the literature. Learning Disability Practice, 18 (8), p.28-31.

    Online article: Mafuba, K; Shanley, O; Kupara, D, and Gates, B. (2015) Systematic review of literature on intellectual disability nursing staffing levels, and its relation to the safety, quality and delivery of compassionate nursing care. Semantic Scholar. Available at: https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:79142855

    Book chapters

    Sutton, P. and Kupara, D. (2023) Obsessive-compulsive disorder in children and young people with intellectual disabilities. In Matson, J.L. Handbook of Psychopathology in Intellectual Disability: Research, Practice, and Policy Cham, Switzerland, Springer [in print].

    Kupara, D. and Brown, M. (2023) Chapter 10: Intellectual Disabilities Liaison Nursing. In Mafuba, K. Learning and Intellectual Disability Nursing Practice (2nd ed). London, Routledge.

    Mafuba, K., Chapman, H., Chester, R., Kiernan, J., Kupara, D. and Kudita, C. (2023) Chapter 11: Current and Future Roles of Intellectual Disability Nurses. In Mafuba, K. Learning and Intellectual Disability Nursing Practice (2nd ed). London, Routledge.

    Kupara, D. (2023) Chapter 45: Frameworks and Guidance. In Hill, B and Mitchell, A. Non-medical Prescribing at a Glance. London: Wiley.

    Kupara, D. (2023) Chapter 51: Recordkeeping and Data Management. In Hill, B and Mitchell, A. Non-medical Prescribing at a Glance. London: Wiley.

    Kupara, D. (2023) Chapter 54: Patients’ Responsibility and Self-management. In Hill, B and Mitchell, A. Non-medical Prescribing at a Glance. London: Wiley.

    Kupara, D. (2019) Defining Intellectual Disability Nursing. In Gates, B. and Barr, O. Oxford Handbook of Intellectual Disability Nursing. Oxford: Oxford Press University.

    Kupara, D. (2019) Supported Living and Home Ownership. In Gates, B. and Barr, O. Oxford Handbook of Intellectual Disability Nursing. Oxford: Oxford Press University.

    Kudita, C. and Kupara, D. (2018) What is Learning Disabilities?, ClinicalSkills.net

  • Conferences

    Refereed and published conference proceedings

    Kupara, D. (2022) Roles of Acute Liaison Nurses in Acute Healthcare. 5th Learning Disability Nursing Symposium. Oral presentation. Virtual.

    Kupara, D. and Kudita, C. (2022) You are on mute!... Reflections on supporting nursing students during Covid19 pandemic. UWL Festival of Learning and Teaching 2022. Oral Presentation. London, England.

    Kupara, D. (2021) The role of intellectual disabilities (ID) liaison nurses in acute healthcare services as articulated in their job descriptions: A documentary analysis. RCN International Nursing Research Conference 2021. Oral presentation. Bristol, England (Virtual).

    Mafuba, K., Chapman, H., Kiernan, J., Chester, R., Kupara, D. and Kudita, C. (2020) Development of the Compendium of Intellectual Disability Nursing Interventions. International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IASSIDD) The Virtual 6th IASSIDD EUROPE CONGRESS. Poster presentation.

    Kupara, D. (2019) The role of intellectual disabilities (ID) liaison nurses in acute healthcare services as articulated in their job descriptions: A documentary analysis. International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IASSIDD) World Congress. Poster presentation. Glasgow, Scotland.

    Kupara, D. 24 May (2017) The Roles of Learning Disability (LD) Liaison Nurses in Acute Healthcare Settings: An Exploratory Mixed Methods Study – A Research Proposal. Doctoral Conference for Research Students. Poster presentation. University of West London, London.

    Kupara, D. (2015) The Impact of Peer Assessment on Student Engagement with Feedback. University of West London Teaching & Learning Conference 2015. Poster presentation. University of West London, London.

    Mafuba, K; Shanley, O; Kupara, D, and Gates, B. 6 - 9 July (2015) Systematic Review of Literature on Intellectual Disability Nursing Staffing Levels, and Its Relation to the Safety, Quality and Delivery of Compassionate Nursing Care. 6th International Conference on Disabilities. Poster presentation. Tel Aviv. Israel.

Courses taught on