Three of the island’s community nurses have been awarded the title of Queen’s Nurse (QN) by UK community nursing charity The Queen’s Nursing Institute.
The latest awards bring the total number of Queen’s Nurses in the Isle of Man to five.
The awarding of the title of Queen’s Nurse aims to recognise nurses, midwives and health visitors working in the community who make a special contribution to patients’ care.
According to a statement from the Department of Health, it also recognises the institute’s belief that caring for people at home and in the community is fundamentally different from caring for patients in hospital.
The three are: Bernice Ashworth, prison health care lead nurse, Amanda Phillips, deputy prison health care nurse and Susan Dunajewski, senior nurse in community nursing.
The title of Queen’s Nurse is not an award for past service, but indicates a commitment to high standards of patient care, learning and leadership. Nurses who hold the title benefit from developmental workshops, bursaries, networking and other opportunities, and a shared professional identity. Being awarded the title of Queen’s Nurse relies upon feedback not only from patients, but also from managers. Giving patients a role in providing feedback ensures the title of Queen’s Nurse is attributed to those who are committed to providing the best care.
Cath Quilliam, director of community nursing, said: ‘Community nurses operate in an ever more challenging world and it is important to support our staff as effectively as we can. The Queen’s Nurse title plays a key part of this, particularly with regards to supporting professional development, and I will be encouraging other community nurses to apply.’
