Three of the Island’s Community Nurses have recently been awarded the prestigious 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 the care of their patients.  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 nurses who recently attended the Award Ceremony in London to receive their title are:

•         Bernice Ashworth, Prison Health Care Lead Nurse
•         Amanda Phillips, Deputy Prison Health Care Nurse
•         Susan Dunajewski, Senior Nurse in Community Nursing.
 
Minister for Health, David Anderson MHK, said: “I’d like to congratulate all three of the Island’s new Queen’s Nurses on their achievement.  The fact that direct patient feedback forms a requirement of becoming a Queen’s Nurse demonstrates the quality of our Community Nursing Team, and their ability to deliver excellent patient care.  It’s also encouraging to see that two of the three nurses are based at the Isle of Man Prison.  Since healthcare was transferred from the Department of Home Affairs to Health Services in 2008, the Department, and in particular Primary Care and the Community Nursing Team, have worked extremely hard with the Prison Management and Ramsey Group Practice to develop the quality of health care available to prisoners.”
 
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 helps to ensure that the title of Queen’s Nurse is attributed to those who are committed to providing the best care to their patients.
 
Cath Quilliam, Director of Community Nursing, said: “Congratulations are due to Bernice, Amanda, and Susan on their success.  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.”