Chief Nursing Officer Appointed

The Ministry of Health & Wellness is pleased to announce the appointment of Mrs. Felicia McLean as the incoming Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) for the Cayman Islands.  The CNO is responsible for providing guidance on professional nursing matters to the Minister for Health & Wellness, the Chief Officer, the Chief Medical Officer and other Government entities. The role provides strategic oversight for standards of nursing education, regulation and practice across the three islands.

Mrs. McLean joins the Ministry with 26 years of experience in nursing, having qualified as a Licensed Practical Nurse at the then Cayman Islands Hospital (now the Health Services Authority) in 1997. She continued her career at the Cayman Islands Hospital until commencing her Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing at Barry University, where she graduated in 2003.

Mrs. McLean served at Cayman Hospice Care, now known as Jasmine, for 18 years where she started as a trainee Palliative Nurse.  She would go on to pursue advanced training to become a Certified Hospice and Palliative Care Nurse and a Certified Lymphedema Therapist.  Her trajectory at Jasmine would see her take up the post of Clinical Manager in 2013, and later, in 2017, due to her experience, qualifications and dedication she would become the Director of Operations and Nursing for the organisation.

In 2018, Mrs. McLean successfully led Jasmine through its rebranding in an effort to not only remove the stigma attached to hospice care within the Cayman community, but to also educate the public about the full array of services offered by Jasmine and to encourage early referrals for patients who were dealing with terminal illnesses.

Under her leadership, Jasmine Villa, a 6,000 sq ft purpose-built, integrated in-patient unit and administration facility, was successfully opened in 2019;  a crowning achievement for Jasmine and the Cayman Islands made possible via tremendous community effort. 

In 2015, Mrs. McLean was awarded the National Heroes Day Emerging Pioneer Award in Health Services, and in 2019 she was the recipient of the Certificate and Badge of Honour by (now) King Charles III for her work with palliative care in the Cayman Islands

Mrs. McLean has served on numerous national committees and boards related to healthcare among them: Vice President of the Cayman Islands Nursing Association (2004-2007), Chairperson of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (2020-2023), and member of the Health Practice Commission (2020-2023). She also played a critical role on the committee tasked to create the law allowing for living wills, ultimately leading to the implementation of the Health Care Decision Act in 2019, which formally recognises advance care directives as a legal document empowering patients to express medical preferences in the event of becoming incapacitated.

“I am thrilled to be joining the Ministry of Health & Wellness as the incoming CNO for the Cayman Islands,” Mrs. McLean states.  “I believe in cultivating qualified and compassionate nurses, as their roles are absolutely pivotal when it comes to the delivery of exemplary patient care.  I look forward to leading initiatives that will improve the professional development for our nurses and ensure the highest standards of care here at home, not only via individual achievement but also through collective advancement.”

“The Ministry is pleased to welcome Mrs. McLean to our team,” Chief Officer Nellie Pouchie adds. “The role of the Chief Nursing Officer is an important one, and we are thrilled to appoint a highly qualified, exemplary Caymanian as the first holder of this brand new post under the Ministry.  We look forward to Mrs. McLean’s contributions to the team, as well as providing her with an ongoing platform to continue to contribute to the nation’s health and wellness,” CO Pouchie adds.

When not working to advance Cayman’s healthcare services, Mrs. McLean can be found at First Baptist Church, where she has served as a youth leader for over 20 years.  She is married to Kyle McLean and is the proud mother of four beautiful children and grandmother to two wonderful boys.