Queen's Nursing Institute Scotland
The Queen's Nursing Institute Scotland (QNIS) is a charity which promotes high quality community nursing. Based in Edinburgh, the body was founded in 1889 with the opening of the small Central Training Home at North Charlotte Street. Due to the high demand for training for district nurses, the QNIS soon moved (in 1890) to the grand premises at Castle Street, where it remains.
The original title Queen's Nurse was reintroduced in 2017, to be awarded to leaders in clinical excellence in the fields of community-based, registered nursing, midwifery and health visiting.
The founding charter states the goal of the organisation, still applicable today:
"The training support and maintenance of women to act as nurses for the sick poor and the establishment (if thought proper) of a home or homes for nurses and generally the promotion and provision of improved means of nursing the sick poor."