Derry’s Bernie ‘humbled’ by rare nursing honour

Bernie Michaelides MBE, who has been a nurse for 33 years and is currently Head of Intermediate Care / Lead Nurse Adult Community Nursing, has been given the prestigious title of by community nursing charity The Queen’s Nursing Institute (QNI).

The Queen’s Nurses 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.

Dr Crystal Oldman CBE, Chief Executive of the QNI said: “On behalf of the QNI I would like to congratulate Bernie Michaelides and welcome her as a Queen’s Nurse.

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

Dr Bob Brown, Director of Primary Care & Older People’s Services for the Western Trust said: “We are delighted and proud that Bernie has received the award of Queen’s Nurse, the first award in the Western Trust and representative of her commitment and dedication to leading nursing services in the community over several decades.

“We look forward to supporting Bernie as a Queen’s Nurse and working closely with the Queen’s Nursing Institute to learn from and as a result develop our services for people across our community.”

Commenting on receiving the title of Queen’s Nurse Bernie Michaeledis said: “I am both humbled and grateful to The Queen’s Nursing Institute for giving me the title of Queen’s Nurse.

“ I am very proud to lead an incredible multi-disciplinary team of dedicated nurses and health care professionals in the Western Trust who strive every day to improve the lives of our patients, carers and their families.

“It has been a privilege to work as a nurse in the Western Trust over the past 33 years and I hope to encourage my nursing colleagues to apply for the Queen’s Nurse title.”