A Trinity Hospice nurse has become one of the first palliative care nurses in the country to qualify as a Community Nurse Specialist Practitioner, marking a major milestone for hospice care and patient support.

Megan Echarri-Berry, has worked in Trinity’s Community Palliative Care Team for two years after almost a year in its Hospice at Home Team, and last month completed the prestigious qualification with distinction, demonstrating the highest level of academic and professional achievement.

The qualification, which is the level of a masters degree, equips community nurses with advanced clinical skills, enabling them to take on an enhanced role in patient care. For patients and families supported by Trinity Hospice, this means even greater access to specialist expertise in the community, helping ensure people receive the right care, at the right time, in the comfort of their own homes.

Megan’s achievement will also strengthen the hospice’s wider clinical team, allowing her to support colleagues with areas including prescribing and advanced clinical decision-making, while helping to increase the specialist skills available across the organisation.

Megan, 30, said: “I’m incredibly proud to have completed this qualification and to have achieved a distinction. The course has helped me develop my clinical knowledge and confidence, and I’m looking forward to using these new skills to provide enhanced, specialist support our patients, families and colleagues.

“Being able to provide even more dedicated hospice care to people across our community is such a privilege.”

Anita Dodd, Assistant Director of Clinical Services, said: “We are absolutely delighted for Megan. To be among the first palliative care nurses in the country to achieve this qualification is an incredible accomplishment, and achieving a distinction makes it even more impressive.

“At Trinity Hospice, we’re committed to continually developing our workforce so we can provide the highest standard of care. Megan’s new qualification will directly benefit our patients and families while strengthening the expertise available across our clinical teams.
The achievement reflects Trinity Hospice’s ongoing commitment to investing in its people and ensuring patients receive compassionate, specialist care wherever they are, whatever the hour.