At the beginning of palliative care week, I am reflecting on the things that led me to become a palliative care nurse.

I was a third year nursing student when my father in law was dying from lymphoma. I flew to Geneva to escort him home to Canberra, and honestly did not think he would survive the flight. I was terrified.

When we got home, he was admitted to hospital. I watched for a week while his medical team tried to figure out that he was not going to live. I fought to get him off the investigation merry go round, out of intensive care, to a ward where family could be with him quietly.

As we left the intensive care unit, he thanked me and told me that I should become a palliative care nurse. It was the last thing he asked me to do for him, our last conversation.

At the time, I was on a pathway to emergency or oncology nursing. I chose oncology, where I eventually ended up as a specialist nurse caring for people with advanced gynaecological cancers & malignant brain tumours. This was palliative care, in the acute active treatment phase.

Changing direction to become a palliative care nurse practitioner felt like a huge leap of faith. I was so nervous, but also was ready for a challenge. I love working with older people, so palliative aged care felt like it would be a good fit.

This has been the best decision in my career. I quickly realised that I had a lot to learn. Palliative care is so much more than clinical care in last days of life.

It’s about improving quality of life, for as long as someone lives. It’s teamwork. It’s multidisciplinary. Its getting to know people, and what matters most to them.

It’s listening, listening and more listening. It’s knowing when to listen, and when to talk. It’s knowing when silence is all that is necessary, and when touch is important. It’s holding space, providing a sense of safety.

It’s conflict management. It’s determining goals of care. It’s educating nurses, doctors, assistants in nursing, carers and families. It’s clinical assessment, and knowing what medications are needed to manage symptoms. It’s advance care planning.

It’s recognising when someone is transitioning from living to actively dying, and helping them to do that with dignity and comfort.

It’s being at the policy table, influencing healthcare management. It’s advocating for funding. It’s researching and implementing best evidence practice. It’s so multi-faceted and every day is different.

Honestly, it’s the best job in the world. Palliative care - #itsmorethanyouthink

Happy National Palliative Care Week and thank you for the work that you all do. @Pall_Care_Aus @PCNAust @palliAGED @PallCareACT @PCACEO @acnp_national @peterjenkin @Nikdjoh @RachelSS_MLA @GregHuntMP @richardmcolbeck @kate_reed76 @drkathrynmannix @mchapmanonline @LizForbat