Qualifications

• Advanced Certificate in Non-Medical Prescribing (MSc Level 7)​
• MSc in Surgical Care Practice (Cardiothoracic Surgery)
• Postgraduate Certificate in Mentorship in Healthcare Practice (Level 6)
• Postgraduate Certificate in Principles and Practices of Anaesthesia (Level 6)
• Postgraduate Certificate in Research in Healthcare (MSc Level 7)
• Postgraduate Certificate in Emergency Care Programme (Level 6)
• BSc (Hons) in Adult Nursing

Other Current and Previous Positions held:

Practical Assessment of Clinical Examination Skills (PACES) examiner – MSc
in Surgical Care Practice, Edge Hill University (since 2024).

Professional profile:

Maria qualified as a nurse from the University of Alcalá in 2010 and began working in
the NHS in 2013. From early in her career, she developed a strong interest in
surgical care, gaining extensive experience in operating theatres across a wide
range of specialties over more than 10 years.
In 2018, she joined Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, where she discovered her
passion for cardiothoracic surgery. This led her to pursue a career as a Surgical
Care Practitioner (SCP) at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals in 2021, while completing
an MSc in Surgical Care Practice (Cardiothoracic Surgery) at Edge Hill University.
For her outstanding performance, she was awarded the Outstanding Academic

Achievement Award by the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh Faculty of
Perioperative Care and Edge Hill University.
She specialises in adult cardiac surgery, with a particular interest in minimally
invasive techniques, including endoscopic conduit harvesting. Since completing her
studies, Maria has continued to expand her skillset, most recently earning an
advanced certificate in non-medical prescribing.
She is committed to delivering the highest standards of patient care, with a strong
focus on teamwork and interprofessional collaboration to improve surgical outcomes
and patient safety. She is actively involved in quality improvement projects, clinical
audits, and research, with the goal of advancing evidence-based surgical care and
enhancing patient satisfaction.
Teaching and mentoring are central to her practice, and she is passionate about
guiding the next generation of SCPs and other healthcare professionals through
clinical teaching.
Maria believes that SCPs play a pivotal role in the multidisciplinary team and is
dedicated to maximising this through her work at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals, her
involvement in education at Edge Hill University, and her contributions to ACTSCP.