Introduction:

1. What is your name?
Nontando Masondo

2. Which hospice do you work for?
Highway Hospice

3. What do you do there?
Professional Nurse

4. How long have you been there?
3 years

In-depth:

1. Why did you decide to focus on palliative care?
I do have an interest to look after very sick patients.

2. What gives you the greatest fulfilment?
Knowing that I helped my patient, physically, spiritually and emotionally.

3. What do you find the most challenging?
Finding an area. Safety. Sometimes it is so difficult.

4. What do you think people find the most challenging about a life-threatening diagnosis?
Who is going to look after his or her children if they die.

5. What do you think that you personally bring to your job that reflects who you are as a person?
I’m humble. Patience. Tolerance.

6. How do you take care of your own health and balance?
I do not take my patients’ sickness or problems to my family. When I am not at work, I continue with my normal life.

7. What is your advice to anyone else wishing to join your profession?
Love your job, try to enjoy it on a daily basis.

8. What is your advice to anyone given a life-threatening diagnosis?
Listen to her. Ask her concerns. Tell her she can still live a normal life and we are there to support her. Try to spend time with her family.

9. What is your advice to the loved ones of anyone who is given a life-threatening diagnosis?
I ask how they feel about the diagnosis and if they need counselling I refer them to our social worker.

10. How do your loved ones feel about the work that you do?
They are okay and supportive at all times.

11. What do you like the most about the hospice that you work with?
I’m the only one who is dealing with the patient. I do my follow up, communicate with the patient and share her problems.

12. Do you have a “motto” that you tend to live by that you would like to share?
We care.