Clinical Nurse Specialist, Catriona completed her MSc in Palliative Medicine for Healthcare Professionals, funded by City Hospice and Hospices UK.
Studied at Oxford Brookes University, Catriona’s first few years as a qualified nurse were spent at St Georges Hospital in London. After coming across jobs available at a local hospice, Catriona decided to take the plunge and began her journey in palliative care with Princess Alice Hospice, Esher.
Catriona pictured with City Hospice Consultant Dr James Davies
Catriona then relocated to Wales in 2018 and after a few months of agency work, the opportunity to work at City Hospice was advertised as a Community Clinical Nurse Specialist.
Catriona told us,
“It has been an amazing 5 years at City Hospice. During this time, we have survived a pandemic together whilst still providing palliative care to our local community. I have completed my MSc in Palliative Medicine for Healthcare Professionals and progressed to Team Leader.
Catriona pictured with City Hospice Consultant Dr James Davies and Professor Fiona Rawlinson.
As part of my dissertation, I undertook a Quality Improvement Project which comprised of providing teaching for nursing home staff on recognizing when a person is approaching the end of life care. This project is now being extended across Cardiff so that we can support nursing homes to ensure they can provide the best end-of-like care they can”.
In March, Catriona had the opportunity to present a poster on her project at the Palliative Care Congress in Edinburgh, representing City Hospice alongside Dr James Davies and Professor Fiona Rawlinson. The education developed during Catriona’s project will continue to be extended to all nursing and residential homes across Cardiff, with extra teaching and support to be offered to the GP surgeries and community teams City Hospice works alongside.
Catriona told us,
“I am so lucky to work with a wonderful team of people at City Hospice, that go above and beyond to support their patients, their relatives and the other people important to them, as well as each other. Palliative care is such a rewarding job and I get to work alongside so many wonderful people both within City Hospice and the wider community team. It is truly a privilege to be invited into people’s homes and support them at such a difficult time.
It will be fascinating to look back over another 5 years and see how we continue to grow and develop at City Hospice, and I couldn’t ask to work with a better group of people”.
