Three nurses from East Yorkshire, who have been recognised for their commitment to learning, leadership and excellence in patient care, were awarded the Queen’s Nurse title last week.
Jo Raper, Cheryll Hornigold and Alison Wesson each received the title at a ceremony in London on Friday 8 December.
All three nurses work together in the same team, specialising in infection prevention and control. Collectively, they have almost 100 years of experience working in the NHS, each having worked in several roles before taking on their current positions.
The job takes them out into the community to support GP practices and adult social care settings, as well as working with local authorities. In addition to investigating outbreaks, they use their expert knowledge to provide training to educate and bring awareness to infection prevention and control.
The title of Queen’s Nurse is open to registered nurses with more than five years experience working in the community. Recipients of the title should be trusted and valued by the people they serve, as well as respected by their peers.
Teresa Fenech, Executive Director of Nursing & Quality at NHS Humber and North Yorkshire Health and Care Board, said: “This is an amazing achievement. Queen’s Nurses serve as leaders and role models in community nursing, and only so many nurses are recognised each year.
“This award highlights the exceptional individual contributions that Jo, Cheryll and Alison each make to the communities they serve. I am tremendously proud that they are being awarded for their work and hope they will continue to have a positive impact across East Yorkshire.”
Speaking about what being awarded with the title means to her, Jo said: “I was surprised at how excited I was when I found out that we had been awarded the title. It’s recognition that we’re contributing to developing local services and our colleagues who work in the community.”
Cheryll and Alison also expressed their surprise at being awarded the title, saying they feel “proud to be recognised” for their work in the community and how they are making a difference.
The Queen’s Nurse title is awarded by the Queen’s Nursing Institute (QNI) and is given to those who have demonstrated commitment to high standards of practice and person-centred care.
The programme brings together community nurses to develop their skills and recognises that they are part of a professional network dedicated to delivering and leading outstanding care in the community.
The QNI supports leadership, innovation and best practice in order to improve care for people, their families and the communities they serve.