One of our senior community nurses has been selected to take part in a special professional development programme to become a Queen’s Nurse.
Joan Gracie, Team Leader for school nursing in Clackmannanshire and Stirling, is one of 20 nurses that have been chosen to take part by The Queen’s Nursing Institute Scotland (QNIS). On completion of the course they will be the first nurses to receive the title in Scotland for almost 50 years.
Joan, who is based at Clackmannanshire Community Healthcare Centre, said it was an honour and a privilege to have been chosen.
The modern Queen’s Nurses, drawn from Health Boards and other independent organisations across Scotland, aim to promote health improvement and deliver quality care in local communities across Scotland.
QNIS was established by Queen Victoria in 1889 in honour of her Golden Jubilee. Historically, the Queen’s Nurse Title was awarded to nurses who completed training that equipped them to work in the community. The new Queen’s Nurses will take part in a nine-month programme, developing and honing their existing skills and capabilities, culminating in an Awards Ceremony in December 2017.
NHS Forth Valley Director of Nursing, Professor Angela Wallace explained: “The shift towards providing more care closer to people’s homes offers exciting opportunities for the further development of community nursing. The return of Queen’s Nurse Title is a very welcome mark of professional excellence.”
