A FORMER nurse who had a significant influence on the profession who died aged 84 has been described as an "incredible person" who saw "the good in everybody".

Dr James Patrick Smith OBE, known as 'Jim' was the founding editor of the Journal of Advanced Nursing (JAN) and played a key role in the development of the field and its scholarship in the 20th Century.

Jim was from the town centre, near to the former Sacred Heart Church, born to to parents James and Elizabeth in May 1934, and was a former pupil of West Park Grammar School.

He qualified as a nurse in 1955 and as a nurse tutor in 1961 and gained experience in a broad spectrum of clinical practice, nursing education, ward management and senior nursing management across the country.

He was the first man appointed to the nursing staff at St George’s Hospital, London where he taught Margaret Scott-Wright, who became the first UK Professor of Nursing at the University of Edinburgh.

While undertaking his tutor’s course, he obtained a travel scholarship from the National Union of Students to visit Russia and in 1973 he gained a scholarship to visit the United Sates, to pick up on modern nursing practices.

While there he saw teachers conducting their own research, who complained about the length of time it took to get published, which planted the seed for the JAN which launched in 1976 with Jim elected editor.

JAN celebrated its 40th Anniversary in 2016, with Jim also renowned for spotting talent in others.

He stepped down from being Editor-in-Chief of JAN in 1999.

He continued his career in parallel in the UK in senior nursing management and implemented many significant changes in the hospitals where he worked including: the proper use of Clinical Nurse Specialists; the role of the Nursing Officer; enabling patients to die at home; and facilitating home births.

Jim lived in Fochabers in the County of Moray in north-east Scotland with partner of 54 years John Forde.

He passed away on Friday, June 15 at his home and a funeral was held at St Mary’s Church in Fochabers on June 21.

John, 74, said to the Star: "He was just an incredible person, he was honest and he saw the good in everybody and wanted to help people.

"He has just been absolutely something else with what he has done for the national health.

"The JAN was his baby for all those years and he worked hard on that."

He added: "The church was absolutely packed for the funeral and followed by burial. I think he is at peace there."