Introduction:

1. What is your name?
Sara Klassen

2. Which hospice do you work for?
Ladies of Hope

3. What do you do there?
I am a registered nurse and Palliative care is my profession.

4. How long have you been there?
I have been working at LOH for the last 3 years.

In-depth:

1. Why did you decide to focus on palliative care?
I did a course on Palliative care and felt inspired.

2. What gives you the greatest fulfilment?
Getting to know the patient in their situation and assisting them in their passing in dignity.

3. What do you find the most challenging?
To prepare the family of the patient with the life-threatening diagnosis.

4. What do you think people find the most challenging about a life-threatening diagnosis?
It always seems to be most difficult to accept and cope with the reality thereof.

5. What do you think that you personally bring to your job that reflects who you are as a person?
Compassion first, and confidentiality and my expertise.

6. How do you take care of your own health and balance?
My spirituality and dealing with my own emotions in seeking counselling for myself.

7. What is your advice to anyone else wishing to join your profession?
That they should have the passion for it and a strong heart, also, to be very committed and willing to go the extra mile.

8. What is your advice to anyone given a life-threatening diagnosis?
To accept the reality of the fact and seek counselling or someone you trust to help deal with the situation.

9. What is your advice to the loved ones of anyone who is given a life-threatening diagnosis?
To also accept and seek counselling.

10. How do your loved ones feel about the work that you do?
My family admires me for what I do and they give their support.

11. What do you like the most about the hospice that you work with?
Learning new diagnosis and meeting different families.

12. Do you have a “motto” that you tend to live by that you would like to share?
We love what we do “CARE”