Introduction:

1. What is your name?
Lindiwe Nxasana

2. Which hospice do you work for?
South Coast Hospice

3. What do you do there?
Enrolled Nurse in the inpatient unit and home care.

4. How long have you been there?
9 years.

In-depth:

1. Why did you decide to focus on palliative care?
Palliative care is holistic care and we also care for family members.

2. What gives you the greatest fulfilment?
Being able to control symptoms such as pain and bringing patients relief.

3. What do you find the most challenging?
Seeing patients who are in pain and seeing dying people.

4. What do you think people find the most challenging about a life-threatening diagnosis?
Knowing that their lives will be over soon.

5. What do you think that you personally bring to your job that reflects who you are as a person?
Caring for patients needs a compassionate heart and being able to reassure patients and their loved ones.

6. How do you take care of your own health and balance?
By eating well, communicating with people and speaking to family and friends about what I do.

7. What is your advice to anyone else wishing to join your profession?
To be good at heart, to put patients first always and to care and have compassion.

8. What is your advice to anyone given a life-threatening diagnosis?
To take it one day at a time.

9. What is your advice to the loved ones of anyone who is given a life-threatening diagnosis?
To be there for their loved ones. To update loved ones on what is going on in their world and involve them in decision making.

10. How do your loved ones feel about the work that you do?
They are very supportive, if I feel down, they know how to uplift my spirits.

11. What do you like the most about the hospice that you work with?
We are like a family – always there for each other.

12. Do you have a “motto” that you tend to live by that you would like to share?
Everybody should be made aware of palliative care, because it covers all the patient’s needs.