Chair of The QICN awarded Fellowship of The RCN
The Queen’s Institute of Community Nursing (QICN) is proud to announce that Professor John Unsworth OBE, Chair of Council, has been awarded a Fellowship of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN).
John Unsworth has held pivotal roles in both clinical and academic settings. As Faculty Pro Vice-Chancellor at Northumbria University, he has been instrumental in shaping nursing education and workforce development.
In 2022, John was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to community nursing and nurse education.
He is also a Fellow of the European Academy of Nursing Science, of the American Academy of Nursing, and of the Faculty of Nursing of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.
His international work includes developing nursing education and practice in countries such as Thailand, China, Hungary, Ghana, Vietnam, Bahrain, Ukraine, and Grenada.
John is also a Queen’s Nurse and an alumnus of the QICN’s Innovation and Creative Practice Awards.
As Chair of the QICN Council, John has provided exemplary leadership, overseeing the development of standards for post-registration community nursing education programmes and supporting community nurses across the UK.
He said: “I am surprised and delighted to be admitted as a Fellow of the Royal College of Nursing. I have been a member of the RCN for more than 42 years and Fellowship is the College’s highest honour. I am humbled to join such an outstanding group of nurses as a Fellow.”
Fellowship is achieved through a rigorous process of nomination with several supporting statements. Professor Unsworth was nominated by his friend and colleague Dr Margaret Scott.
Amongst John’s supporters was Professor Deborah Sturdy, Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care at the Department of Health and Social Care.
Professor Sturdy said: “Recognition by the RCN is richly deserved John’s work is, skilfully working across policy, clinical practice, education and research.
“His work is eclectic, but at its heart is a desire to ensure that nursing is recognised for its contribution to healthcare and equity.”
The QICN congratulates John on this well-deserved recognition and celebrates his ongoing commitment to excellence in nursing.