Introduction:

1. What is your name?
Vuyiswa Joyce Mconi

2. Which hospice do you work for?
St Francis Hospice

3. What do you do there?
Palliative Care

4. How long have you been there?
13 years

In-depth:

1. Why did you decide to focus on palliative care?
To care, support and empower cancer patients and their families.

2. What gives you the greatest fulfilment?
To see a change in the patient’s condition and appreciation.

3. What do you find the most challenging?
To get close to the patient and family and he/she passes on.

4. What do you think people find the most challenging about a life-threatening diagnosis?
When told by the doctors that nothing more can be done.

5. What do you think that you personally bring to your job that reflects who you are as a person?
Passion, empathy, empowerment , caring , appreciation from patients and family.

6. How do you take care of your own health and balance?
In case of additional infections, I protect myself, share with colleagues counsel.

7. What is your advice to anyone else wishing to join your profession?
Have to be passionate, strong in dealing with the dying.

8. What is your advice to anyone given a life-threatening diagnosis?
Be supportive, tell the patient and family its not the end of life may last.

9. What is your advice to the loved ones of anyone who is given a life-threatening diagnosis?
Be supportive, re-assure that its not the end of the world.

10. How do your loved ones feel about the work that you do?
They feel and empathize with me praising that I’m doing a good job for others.

11. What do you like the most about the hospice that you work with?
Support from colleagues, sharing and learning from each other.