Kirklees nurse awarded title of Queen’s Nurse

Karina Hepworth, a senior specialist learning disability nurse has been awarded the prestigious title of Queen’s Nurse (QN) by community nursing charity The Queen’s Nursing Institute (QNI).

Karina works for South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, providing support to young people in Kirklees who come in to contact with the youth offending team.

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.

Karina Hepworth applied to be a Queen’s Nurse in order to raise the profile of young people’s needs.

Karina said, “I applied to be a Queen’s Nurse as their values are a blueprint for myself as an individual and as a professional nurse. They are what I strive to achieve every day of my life.

“Learning disability nursing affords me the opportunity to do this on a daily basis and my role enables young people with a learning disability to have the appropriate care delivered by all staff in our service.

“I see becoming a Queen’s Nurse as an opportunity to have a voice to further develop the role of learning disability nurses within youth offending teams and to raise the profile of the needs of these young people.

The Queen’s Nursing Institute is a registered charity dedicated to improving the nursing care of people. Karina was presented with a certificate to recognise her achievement at a special ceremony in London.

Jane Smith, general manager of the Trust’s learning disability services said, “Karina’s recognition as a Queen’s Nurse is a really great achievement and the qualities that Karina had to evidence (extensively) as part of the process are absolutely those which we aspire to as a Trust.”