Julie Ashton, a respiratory case manager, based at County Hospital, Louth is now the 19th Queen's Nurse at Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust (LCHS). "I found out just two days after my birthday that I'd been nominated for the award, I was thrilled," said Julie.
Julie had been nominated for the award by her manager and supported by personal statements from four of her patients. Having notched up 35 years' service in the NHS. Julie's career started at the tender age of 18 when she became a State Enrolled Nurse. Seven years later she became a Registered General Nurse. For the past 30 years' she has been working in the community. "I started off in A&E which I loved but due to personal circumstances I moved over to working in the community and never looked back," said Julie.
Her current role sees Julie working in the community covering the coastal areas of Skegness, Mablethorpe and Alford supporting patients who are acutely ill or coming out of hospital. Julie also completed a Specialist Nurse Practitioner degree at the age of 50. She added: "My daughters are really proud of me. My job is very busy and rewarding so it is lovely to get some recognition for the work I do."
Julie will attend the ceremony where she will officially receive her award in November. Sue Cousland, Chief Nurse and Director of Operations at LCHS, said: "We are very proud of our ever growing team of Queen's Nurses at Lincolnshire Community Health Services and they are rightly recognised for the contributions they make to patient care and the development of our future nurses and leaders. We offer our best wishes and congratulations to Julie for her achievements." Crystal Oldman, Chief Executive of the Queen's Nursing Institute, said: "Congratulations are due to Julie and her success. Community nurses operate in an ever more challenging world and our role is to support them as effectively as we can."