Hospice nurse receives prestigious award

Catriona Seed, a Clinical Nurse Specialist at City Hospice in Cardiff, has been given the prestigious title of Queen’s Nurse (QN) by community nursing charity The Queen’s Nursing Institute (QNI).

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.

The award recognises Catriona’s ongoing commitment to improving patient outcomes and services in Cardiff.

In addition to supporting City Hospice’s patients and families with specialist palliative care in homes across the capital, Catriona leads a quality improvement project to improve the provision of end of life care in nursing homes and is passionate about educating healthcare professionals, implementing extra study days for community nurses to learn more about palliative and end of life care.

Catriona received the award earlier this month at Friends House in London in the company of other winners and QNI fellows.

Catriona said: “I am honoured to be awarded the title of Queen’s Nurse. I have been overwhelmed by the positive feedback to the study days I have introduced to educate community healthcare professionals and it is great to see these services progress. I am lucky to be part of such a supportive clinical team at the hospice who are also constantly striving to provide the best possible care for our patients and their families.”

Liz Booyse, Chief Executive of City Hospice, said: “We’d like to congratulate Catriona on achieving this prestigious honour. Her commitment to improving the quality of care and services makes a huge difference to patients with terminal and life limiting illness in Cardiff and we are very proud that Cat is part of our wonderful team here at the hospice.”

Dr Crystal Oldman CBE, Chief Executive of the QNI, said: “On behalf of the QNI I would like to congratulate Catriona and welcome her as a Queen’s Nurse. 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 Catriona and all other new Queen’s Nurses who have received the title this year.”