Double celebration following nursing duo’s national titles

There’s double the reason to celebrate advanced practitioners this week, after two University students received prestigious, national titles that reflect their dedication to nursing.

Claire Matthews and Emma Brennan are currently studying for the Advanced Clinical Practice MSc*, which will help them to further increase their advanced, autonomous nursing knowledge and skills.

They recently found out they been conferred the title of Queen’s Nurse. Although Claire and Emma have 60 years’ service between them, 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. Claire and Emma join approximately 1700 Queen’s Nurses across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, with 15 in Northamptonshire.

Emma (pictured on the right) said of receiving the title: “It’s an absolute privilege and honour to have been selected and I am excited to be joining the Queens Nurse network and all that it will bring. We will be meeting and learning from one another, bringing best practice, skills, and knowledge sharing ideas, and highlighting areas of excellence in practice within the community. Ultimately, we are all passionate about giving the best possible care to our patients.

“My family is very proud of what I have achieved. This title is not well known to the general public but is very highly regarded within the profession. My boys’ first question however was “does that mean I can now look after the Queen?!” After a short explanation of what it does mean they are proud of what their Mummy has achieved this year.”

Claire added: “I applied to become a Queen’s Nurse because I am fully committed to the Queen’s Nurse ethos. That includes striving to provide excellence in the care given to my patients and their families. Ongoing commitment to my clinical learning and practice. Improving standards of care and practice across the team I work with and other local community teams.

“I am thrilled and grateful to have been given the Queen’s Nurse title. I have four grown up children, who are all delighted that I am now a Queen’s Nurse, as they have been aware over the years of my hard work and commitment to the nursing profession. To be part of the nursing profession that strives to give, promote and encourage ongoing best care and practice for our patients in the community is a real honour.

Dr Crystal Oldman CBE, Chief Executive of The Queen’s Nursing Institute, added: “On behalf of the QNI I would like to congratulate Emma Brennan and Claire Matthews and welcome them as Queen’s Nurses.

“Queen’s Nurses serve as leaders and role models in community nursing, delivering high-quality healthcare 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 Emma and Claire and all other new Queen’s Nurses who have received the title this year.”

*Advanced Practitioners are health professionals from many backgrounds, including nursing. They display a level of practice characterised by a high degree of autonomy and complex decision making.

They are patient-centred clinicians who provide a unique combination of their core professional expertise and advanced clinical skills. Find out more about the MSc on our website.