Role and expertise
I work as a care manager in the nursing and paramedical department at AZ Voorkempen, where I lead head nurses across diverse care pathways, including critical care, internal medicine, dialysis, the sleep laboratory, mobile teams, and central logistics. I also take on staff roles in areas such as ergonomics, patient participation, pain management, and patient transport.In parallel, I am affiliated part-time with the University of Antwerp within the Master of Nursing and Midwifery programme. I teach courses on management, innovation, and entrepreneurship, supervise care projects in the bridging programme, and coach students during their internships through structured intervision and feedback sessions. My longstanding interest in leadership and interprofessional collaboration has led me to pursue doctoral research on medical–nursing dual leadership in hospital settings. Earlier in my career, I worked as both a nurse and head nurse in mental healthcare, gaining in-depth experience in supporting individuals with personality disorders and leading teams caring for older adults with psychiatric conditions.
Motivation
I am inspired by the continuous exchange between academic knowledge and clinical practice. By bringing research-based insights into everyday care and translating hands-on experience into meaningful teaching, I aim to bridge the gap between theory and practice in a way that truly resonates with both students and professionals.
Research focus
My doctoral research explores how medical–nursing dual leadership can be conceptualised, implemented, and sustained within hospital environments. Starting from a concept analysis, I am developing and validating a comprehensive model through multi-level qualitative research. The project also includes the development of an assessment tool and the exploration of key factors associated with the effectiveness of dual leadership. Ultimately, this work will result in a practical toolkit and an adaptable implementation framework to support organisations in applying this model.
Teaching contributions
I contribute to teaching within both the bridging and master’s programmes, focusing on management, innovation, leadership, and entrepreneurship, while also coaching students in practice-based learning and internships.
Services and collaboration
I collaborate with healthcare organisations to explore and implement medical–nursing dual leadership as a sustainable model for strengthening interprofessional collaboration. This includes organising interactive learning formats, such as study days, and supporting organisations in translating this leadership approach into practice. My aim is to contribute to scalable and sustainable leadership solutions that can evolve from local implementation to broader (inter)national impact.