A COMMUNITY nurse who now educates students at the University of Worcester has been awarded the prestigious title of Queen’s Nurse.
Caroline Donley, who spent more than 25 years as a community nurse before joining the University in 2015, said she was thrilled to become part of a prestigious alliance of professionals recognised with the title.
The title of ‘Queen’s Nurse’ is available to individual nurses who have demonstrated a high level of commitment to patient care and nursing practice. The title is awarded by the Queen’s Nursing Institute, a registered charity dedicated to improving the nursing care of people in the home and community.
“I’m so overwhelmed to have been successful in my application to join the Queen’s Nursing Institute as a Queen’s Nurse” she said. “It will provide me with access to valuable knowledge and partnerships, which will benefit students at Worcester.”
Caroline leads the community practice placements for student nurses at the University, which now has more than 40 providers, from GP surgeries and hospices to care homes and even prisons. This involves educating nurse mentors and providing quality learning environments for students, and visiting each student to support them during their practice placement.
“I’m really passionate about educating the next generation of nurses,” Caroline said. “And in particular, enabling students to understand Primary Health Care, inspiring them to consider community nursing careers. Community nursing is so varied, as is demonstrated by our range of placements – many people perhaps wouldn’t think about nursing in a prison setting, but prisoners require healthcare too.”
She added: “I loved being a community nurse and I now see it as my job to inspire the nurses of the future.”
Caroline will receive her Queen’s Nurse award during a special ceremony in Kensington on June 25.
Robert Dudley, the University’s Head of Nursing and Midwifery, said: “We are incredibly proud of Caroline in becoming a Queen’s Nurse. This is a very prestigious award and recognition of her unfaltering commitment to community nursing over an entire career.”
Visit www.worcester.ac.uk or for application enquiries telephone 01905 855111 or e-mail [email protected]
