Queen’s Nursing Institute Scotland: High Impact Cardiovascular Interventions 

Launched in 2023, the programme supported four nurses across Scotland to coproduce health enhancing initiatives with the communities they serve. Through intensive coaching, workshops, and expert mentoring, each nurse developed the skills, confidence, and leadership needed to design and deliver bespoke interventions shaped by lived experience and local priorities. 

The projects spanned early childhood nutrition, heart health education in prisons, community screening for atrial fibrillation and hypertension improving the physical health of people living with severe mental illness. Despite their diverse focus, all four initiatives shared a commitment to coproduction, tackling inequalities, and empowering individuals to make sustained lifestyle changes. Each project delivered practical, evidence-based activities ranging from weaning packs and healthy cooking sessions, to stop motion films for prisoners and new pathways for physical health support in mental health services. 

Nurses reported significant personal and professional growth, citing transformative coaching, increased confidence and strengthened leadership skills. Communities benefited from increased awareness, improved access to preventative support and culturally relevant, co-designed resources. 

Early outcomes indicate improved engagement; growing behaviour change and clear potential for sustainable health improvement. Together, these projects demonstrate the powerful role nurses can play in shaping community wellbeing, reducing health inequalities and leading Scotland’s efforts in the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. 

Watch this inspiring film which tells their stories: 

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