Nurses are out in all weathers serving the communities of Scotland, supporting people at home, in clinics, and in their own workplaces. Year after year community nurses keep going through changes and reorganisations, always putting patients first. And that is why the Queen’s Nursing Institute gives awards to those who have served 21 years or more in the community.
Awards events are hosted annually in Edinburgh at our AGM and locally. If you would like to organise an event in your area to celebrate community nurses that you work with, please get it touch.
The awards are for nurses who have worked in any nursing role in the community including, but not limited to, community mental health nursing, midwifery, health visiting, practice nursing, criminal justice nursing, occupational health nursing, district nursing, community hospital nursing.
If you or someone you know would like to apply they must be NMC registered, currently working or retired for no longer than 5 years. Please complete and submit the forms below or contact Caroline Brotherston for more information.
Application Documents:
Alternatively please use our on-line form.
Here is what it means to nurses who have received the award:
I confess I am probably turning into a grumpy old woman (as opposed to the grumpy young one that I used to be) and I am not always the happiest of bunnies in the ever-changing, always evolving, constantly ‘re-inventing the wheel’ world of District Nursing. However, the recent celebration for the long service awards was a really enjoyable and moving occasion which I was proud to be a part of. It was amazing to see such a large assembly of experienced nurses being recognised for their hard work and dedication to serving the communities that we provide care for.
I wonder if any of us there could have envisaged how our vast amount of years of service would have turned out and whether we could have predicted the way that our working lives and the world at large would change in that time. Sadly my Victoria Infirmary badge which I gained in 1982 has long bitten the dust so it was lovely to receive the rather fetching QNIS badge, as it really does look nice on our uniforms. I would recommend that any of my colleagues who have achieved the relevant level of long service in the community come forward to receive their QNIS award. It is very nice to have recognition for something positive as health care has not always been receiving the best of press in recent years. The afternoon tea was lovely in itself and I fully intend to wear my badge with pride.
– June Bone, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. 28 years service.
Thank you very much for a wonderful afternoon, I was made very welcome and thoroughly enjoyed my day, good company and an excellent lunch at the Awards service. I felt very honoured
– Irene Hunter, NHS Dumfries and Galloway. 24 years service.
We were very honoured to receive our rewards and appreciate the time and effort QNIS has undertaken to acknowledge and promote all nursing awards. As a group we are proud to promote unity with other colleagues and for others to acknowledge the commitment to People with Learning Disabilities. As PWLD increase in number and their health needs increase in complexity, we recognise that we have many more challenges ahead and nurses will strive to meet these challenges in a manner which is professional, confident, committed and promotes care and compassion. Many thanks as ever for your support
– Isla McGlade, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. 22 years service