A nurse who was moved to join the profession after the death of her son has told how her student placement at Strathcarron Hospice has been a “healing” experience for her.
University of Stirling nursing student Veena decided to go into nursing following the tragic death of her son Derick Munachiso when he was aged almost four months old, 13 years ago.
When the nursing student was told her next placement was at Strathcarron Hospice with the Hospice at Home team she said she initially refused to go as she did not want to go to a hospice, as it would be full of sadness.
She explains: “When I was told my placement was a hospice I cried. I thought it was just a place of sadness and grief, with people who were broken. I didn’t want to do it.
“I wanted to become a nurse to help others as the care my son had received in intensive care had been amazing. It was a lot to cope with at the time and I decided I wanted to do something to help other people. My brother Chijoke Junior also died in 2024, so I didn’t know how I would cope with all the sadness around death. It was my first experience of hospice care.
“I had a fear about having to deliver bad news to families and that I wouldn’t know what to say. Also in my culture in Nigeria we don’t discuss about preparations or planning before the death of someone, so it felt very different from what I was used to experiencing.”
Veena approached her lecturer to let her know she didn’t want to take the placement. Her lecturer shared her own positive experience and knowledge of Strathcarron and suggested Veena give it a go. If she was not comfortable after a trial she could return to the university to look at other options.
Veena continued: “Strathcarron was so different than I thought it would be.I reluctantly came to Strathcarron and from the moment I arrived all the staff I met were smiling and happy. I was welcomed into the Hospice at Home team with open arms on that first day.
“It is such a lovely team and they have made me feel part of it. It’s was a great experience. I was really well supported and it was very informative. Staff really took the time to help me understand the needs of patients and their families and what we can do to support them. We would make life as comfortable as possible for people who know they are going to die.
“I learned about end of life care, making sure the people we support are comfortable for remainder of the life they have left. I loved learning about effective communication skills and it was helpful to learn how to speak to patients and their families about what is ahead.”
She added: “The Strathcarron ‘All About Me’ book is really helpful and I have passed these on to my own family as I realised I didn’t know many of the answer to the important questions in the book for my own parents. I am sure many people would be the same – not knowing the answers to these questions that we don’t always ask when the person is living.”
On one of Veena’s first visits with the Hospice at Home team she recognised that it was a patient she had supported on the stroke ward during a previous placement. From being part of the team in a hospital placement working to keep them alive she was now helping to support their end of life care.
She said: “Sometime after I had first met this patient they had deteriorated and were now close to the end of their life. It was a privilege to have met them on both occasions to be there as part of their care at the start of my own student nursing journey and then at the end. It was quite an emotional experience and I told them thank you for being part of that.
“There have been sad, hard times and really emotional moments, but I have learnt to cope with it by remembering that in these times of loss it is their grief not mine.
“When a family member tells you how grateful they are for the care and that you are doing a good job and helping support them at such a hard time, it is lovely to know you can help.
“Being part of the Hospice team really has helped me with my own loss. It has been healing for me.”
Denise Charity, Lead Nurse, Strathcarron Hospice at Home Service, said: “Everyone at Strathcarrron wishes Veena good luck on her new nursing job with NHS Forth Valley where we are sure she will excel. Veena has made a wonderful impact on staff, patients and families in her short time here, we will miss her.
“Hospice at Home marked its 11th anniversary at the end of 2025, so it’s nice to highlight and recognise the role our staff play in training the next generation of nurses and health care professionals in providing the best of end of life care for the people we support and their family members within our Hospice community.”
Veena added: “I would like to thank the Hospice staff for my training and support and for helping to give me an understanding of dealing with this type of care. This also helped me with my own personal journey with the losses I had experienced. I would like to thank my family for their love, support and encouragement, and above all I would like to thank the almighty God for His strength, guidance and bringing me this far.”
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