“14 years ago, I started working at Sue Ryder Manorlands Hospice on a three-month contract – but after experiencing what it was like to work at the hospice I decided to stay.”
Shares Registered Nurse Angela Walsh, 62, who has opened up about her experience working in a hospice this International Nurses Day (12 May).
With decades of experience in healthcare, Angela says she feels most fulfilled now she is working at Sue Ryder Manorlands Hospice.
Angela, from Keighley, says: “I have a very varied background in healthcare, but I always wanted to work in palliative care. When I finally had the opportunity at Sue Ryder Manorlands Hospice I was delighted. Working in a hospice you are involved in every step of the care with a patient. You have more time to build a rapport with the patients and we really work as a team and have a lot of input with the doctors.
“It’s far from doom and gloom working in a hospice. The whole idea of palliative care is to live to die – we try and make each day as important as we can. We have done all sorts of things to help people live their last days well, from bringing in lambs when they have been born in the spring, to birthday parties and weddings – it is a very uplifting place. There’s sadness of course but also a lot of happiness working here.
“The most rewarding part of my role is supporting someone to die well. It really is a privilege to help someone achieve that.”
Speaking from her years of experience, Angela shares what she thinks are the most important qualities in a Registered Nurse working in palliative care.
“If you’re considering a career in palliative care, I would say you need to be level-headed, caring and be able to talk to people”, she says. “Our staffing levels and the model of nursing which we use allows us time to really get to know our patients and their families.
“The team at Sue Ryder Manorlands Hospice are amazing. There’s always someone to talk to and we really lift each other up, we work so well as a team.”
If you are interested in a career at Sue Ryder Manorlands Hospice, visit www.sueryder.org/jobs
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