New field hospital named after Queen’s Nurse

Scotland’s new field hospital being built at the Scottish Events Campus (SEC) in Glasgow is to be named after a Queen’s Nurse – Sister Louisa Jordan. She was born in 1878 in Maryhill, not far from the SEC and the new unit that will bear her name. The NHS Scotland-run temporary medical facility, with an initial 300 beds, is being created to increase patient capacity during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

It is an honour to have a Queen’s Nurse recognised in this way and is a tribute to courageous nursing leadership. Louisa Jordan trained as a district nurse with the Queen’s Jubilee Institute of District Nursing and became a Queen’s Nurse. She was working as a Queen’s District Nursing Sister in Buckhaven in Fife when she signed up to join the Scottish Women’s Hospitals in 1914 and travelled to Serbia to establish a field hospital there. 

Today Scotland’s Queen’s Nurses are at the forefront of the nationwide effort to mitigate the impact of the Coronavirus and treat those who are affected. They are leading the establishment of field hospitals in remote and rural areas, they are advanced nurse practitioners triaging patients in COVID–19 assessment centres, they are health visitors supporting new mothers and safeguarding Scotland’s most vulnerable families, they are mental health nurses working in addictions to ensure the wellbeing of those whose access to recovery support has been curtailed. 

Let me be clear, I am not suggesting for a moment that Queen’s Nurses have the monopoly on courage and inspirational leadership at times of crisis. Our current emergency brings daily stories of the extraordinary everyday actions of nurses and our health and care colleagues.   

The Queen’s Nurse excellence profile sets out the qualities which the nine–month programme is designed to develop and perhaps it offers a template for us all as we seek to be the best version of ourselves as we step up to play our part at this time. I’d like to invite you to read the excellence profile putting yourself in the first person and reflect on which compassionate, contemplative, self-care practices you might need to put in place each day in order to be that person.  

THE QUEEN’S NURSE EXCELLENCE PROFILE

 

Inspiring Others by making a difference:

I find opportunities (or circumstances find me) for changing how things are currently done, recognising how things should and could be, making things better for individuals, families and communities and/or helping others to make a significant impact.

Inspiring Others with tenacity and resilience:

I find my way across boundaries, around obstacles, through bureaucracy and successfully challenge “but we don’t have control over that” or “that will never work here” attitudes. I keep bouncing back, finding new doors to open each time one closes.

Inspiring Others by bringing people with them:

Through “coming from the heart” and my enthusiasm and persuasive nature, I create a ground swell of support and recognition that has “carried the day”, getting others to commit and get things done.

Inspiring Others with humility and reflection:

I listen deeply, seeking to understand what really matters. I approach life reflectively, always learning and am kind to myself. I will sometimes be surprised by personal recognition for my achievements, and I am quick to attribute success to the contribution of others.

For more information on Louisa Jordan, please see the Scotland’s War post