Service Manager from the Community Children’s Nursing Service in Cambs, Sian Hooban, has been given the prestigious title of Queen’s Nurse (QN) by community nursing charity, The Queen’s Nursing Institute (QNI).

Speaking after receiving the award on Monday 25 June at the Royal Garden Hotel, Kensington Sian said: “I am really happy and proud to have a voice for community nursing.”

The title 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 opportunities and a shared professional identity.

Dr Crystal Oldman CBE, Chief Executive of the QNI said: “On behalf of the QNI I would like to congratulate Sian and welcome her as a Queen’s Nurse. Queen’s Nurses serve as leaders and role models in community nursing, delivering high quality health care across the country.  The application and assessment process to become a Queen’s Nurse is rigorous and requires clear commitment to improving care for patients, their families and carers. We look forward to working with Sian and all other new Queen’s Nurses who have received the title this year.”

Sian was nominated for the award by John Peberdy, Service Director for Children and Young People’s Services, for her work to promote community nursing both locally and nationally in providing and influencing the provision of care for children and young people with complex healthcare needs.  John said “Sian lives the Trust values and keeps children and young people at the heart of what the community nursing teams do.  Her behaviour inspires her peers and colleagues; she is very well respected.’ 

She contributed to the writing and publication of a recent new RCN guidance – ‘Meeting Health Needs in Educational and other Community Settings; A guide for nurses caring for Children and Young People’, which seeks to ensure best practice to some of the most vulnerable children and young people.  Her teams also provide excellent and well evaluated student placements so that the next generation of nurses are trained to meet the demands of a modern NHS, which sees greater numbers of complex children.  John says “I am really pleased to hear that Sian has been awarded the prestigious title of Queen’s Nurse; she fully deserves it.”