A nurse from St Luke’s Hospice has been given the prestigious title of Queen’s Nurse by the community nursing charity The Queen’s Nursing Institute.
Kirsty Sewell-Threadgold, a specialist in lymphoedema management, has been given the honour for her high level of commitment to patient care and nursing practice.
The Queen’s Nursing Institute supports innovation and best practice in nursing to improve care for patients.
The title of Queen’s Nurse is given to community nurses committed to high standards of practice and patient-centred care.
The application process is rigorous and Kirsty was supported in her application by her manager and patients.
Kirsty said: “I feel really honoured to have been given the title of Queen’s Nurse.
“I love my job and I want to do more to raise the profile of lymphoedema and I hope this will give me a platform to do that.
“I’m a little nervous but also very excited.
“There are annual meetings and opportunities to network with other Queen’s Nurses and I’m really looking forward to that.
“I think it will benefit St Luke’s and the CCICP (Cheshire Community Integrated Care Partnership) and also the service I provide to patients.
“As a nurse I want to be in a position where I can help people and positively shape their lives in whatever way I can, and this gives me an opportunity to build on that.”
Kirsty qualified as a nurse in 2005 and spent a year working in a hospital before moving into community nursing.
She completed a degree in District Nursing and joined St Luke’s in 2016 as a lymphoedema specialist.
Kate Henshaw, Director of Care at St Luke’s Hospice, said: “Congratulations to Kirsty for such a prestigious achievement which is thoroughly deserved.
“Kirsty, along with the lymphoedema team, provide an outstanding service to local patients within our community and I’m thrilled her hard work and dedication to her patients has been recognised.”
St Luke’s lymphoedema clinics support around 1,000 patients each year.
Lymphoedema is a long-term condition which causes swelling in the body’s tissues.
It can affect any part of the body, but usually develops in the arms and legs, and is caused by a failure of the lymphatic system which can be the result of an inherited genetic condition, cancer treatment, injury or infection.
There is no cure for lymphoedema but it is possible to control the main symptoms using techniques to reduce fluid build-up and stimulate the flow of fluid through the lymphatic system.
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