Introduction:
1. What is your name?
Helen Cassidy Harris
2. Which hospice do you work for?
Hospice Wits
3. What do you do there?
Locum Community
4. How long have you been there?
1 month
In-depth:
1. Why did you decide to focus on palliative care?
A big need to keep the patient at home in comfort and pain free.
2. What gives you the greatest fulfilment?
The family’s ability to accept the journey of the patient.
3. What do you find the most challenging?
Family members at cross purposes with the patient.
4. What do you think people find the most challenging about a life-threatening diagnosis?
Coming to terms with the end of life process.
5. What do you think that you personally bring to your job that reflects who you are as a person?
Empathy and knowledge.
6. How do you take care of your own health and balance?
Exercise, rest, friends, supervision and a healthy diet.
7. What is your advice to anyone else wishing to join your profession?
Take a leap.
8. What is your advice to anyone given a life-threatening diagnosis?
Find out about your condition and put in place support.
9. What is your advice to the loved ones of anyone who is given a life-threatening diagnosis?
As above.
10. How do your loved ones feel about the work that you do?
Nervous, joyful and proud.
11. What do you like the most about the hospice that you work with?
Open and willing to always help and go the extra distance.
12. Do you have a “motto” that you tend to live by that you would like to share?
Tolerance.