Professor Steven Ersser

My current role is to lead the Department of Nursing Science within the Faculty of Health & Social Sciences at Bournemouth University. As Professor of Nursing and Dermatology Care, my primary research focus over thirty years has been on nursing applications within the clinical field of dermatology, skin health and skin care and related research and clinical development. Specifically, I am interested in developing theory-based educational and self-management support interventions to support those living with long-term skin conditions, such as eczema and psoriasis. This work extends to people living in resource -poor countries with neglected tropical skin diseases. I have sought to develop and evaluate the skin care for adults and children in general clinical care and community settings to improve their skin barrier function and wellbeing. I have also focused on health promoting self-management interventions to support public awareness of skin health, such as engaging in skin self-examination, to promote the early detection of skin cancer. Recent work includes work on improving skin and dermatological care Africa by developing interventions that restore the skin barrier, enhance quality of life and preserve water usage.

For over a decade I was co-founder and inaugural Chair of the International Skin care Nursing (ISNG) Advisory Board to promote global collaboration amongst nurses in the field to facilitate access to dermatology expertise and fundamental skin care worldwide. I have retained a strong interest and commitment to community dermatology, in international resource poor settings and in Europe.

My undergraduate nursing education was at Guy’s Hospital, London. Clinical nursing practice has focused on adult nursing in medical, older people and dermatological care settings. Clinical-academic work ensued at the Oxford Nursing Development Unit and the National Institute for Nursing in Oxford, combined with that at the Oxford Department of Dermatology. Following Readerships at Oxford Brookes University and the University Southampton, my first professorship was at Bournemouth University in 2007. I have served as Dean of Health and Professor of Nursing & Dermatology Care at the University of Hull and then as Dame Kathleen Raven Professor of Clinical Nursing at the University of Leeds. After work at University York as Professor of Clinical Nursing Research, I have returned to Bournemouth to lead the Department of Nursing Science.

I hold an Adjunct Professorship in Nursing at Memorial University, in Canada. Previous positions include those at National University of Singapore, St John’s College, Cambridge, St John’s Institute of Dermatology King’s College, London, New York University and the University of Cape Town.

In 2006, my dermatology peers of the British Dermatological Nursing Group (BDNG) awarded me the Stone Award for supporting evidence-based dermatology and skin care nursing in the UK and internationally. In 2018, I had the honour to be recognised by Sigma, the International Honor Society for Nursing through the International Nurse Researchers Hall of Fame Award that recognises ‘significant and sustained national and/or international recognition for their work; and whose research has impacted the profession and the people it serves’.

I currently serve as a nurse member of the Dermatology National Specialty Group, at the UK’s National Institute for Health Research, Clinical Research Network. I am also a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (AdvanceHE) in the UK.

At Bournemouth, I am co-lead of the Nursing For Long-Term Health Research Centre and would welcome research students and collaborators within the field of skin and dermatological care and those support for those living with long-term dermatoses and seeking to promote skin health and well-being through nursing practice, research and education.