Quality care until the bitter end

Thursday, 1 July 2010, 4:03 pm
Press Release: Waikato District Health Board

Quality care until the bitter end

If you ask Sandra Haggar how she came to take an interest in palliative care nursing, she will tell you it was by default but it’s as if it was supposed to be.

The South African-born Waikato Hospital nurse became qualified as a palliative care nurse practitioner earlier this month – the nurse practitioner title being one that less than 100 nurses throughout New Zealand hold.

After completing her nursing training in Durban, South Africa in 1983, Sandra chose to work in a medical ward, which two months later became a specialist oncology ward that included palliative care.

As much as she loved oncology, Sandra says it was the palliative care aspect that gave her the most satisfaction.

“I clearly remember a young man who had just got engaged and was having treatment while planning his future,” she said.

“Unfortunately treatment failed and the medical staff had to stop it. I recall the anger I felt and arguing with the professor that we should never give up on young patients.

“He helped me see the value in allowing this family to prepare and have time together rather than the constant treatment that was so destructive to his quality of life – and sadly, was shortened no matter what we did.”

After six years on the ward, Sandra got the opportunity to work in the community as a home care nurse and began to focus on palliative care and caring for families.

Eight years after that, in 1998 Sandra came to visit her sister and nephew living in New Zealand and loved the country, the lifestyle and freedom for her children and her and her family made the big move for good.

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In 2004, Waikato Hospital was lucky enough to acquire Sandra’s care, knowledge and experience when she started work as a palliative care clinical nurse specialist with the Waikato Regional Palliative Care Service.

In 2008, Sandra took that knowledge one step further and completed her Masters of Nursing (Clinical) at Victoria University in Wellington. Just two years later, on June 8, the New Zealand Nurses Organisation officially accepted her as a nurse practitioner..

But it’s not an easy road to such high accolades in nursing.

Along with completing a Masters degree, which must include an assessment paper and pharmacology paper, Sandra then had to collate and submit a portfolio demonstrating strong evidence of her competence in four prescribed areas.

Once that was accepted, she attended a panel interview lasting more than four hours.

It is not until the panel are happy to make a recommendation to the New Zealand Nursing Council that you are in the running to become a nurse practitioner, which is an extended and advanced practice role.

“I enjoy challenges and always wanted to advance my career, however I was not interested in moving into management because I love the clinical work too much.”

A nurse practitioner is able to assess, diagnose, order treatment and arrange referrals to other specialties.

Sandra is halfway through her prescribing practicum, which when complete will mean she is able to prescribe any medication within her scope of practice.

The mother of two says working in palliative care is where she belongs and she is pleased to have taken her nursing career to the top in that field of care.

“I get to meet such amazing people every day with incredible resilience and fortitude. My job gives me great respect for humankind and has allowed me to reprioritise my values and gain so much more out of life.

“I like the clinical challenges and find it very rewarding to be able to make a difference in someone’s quality of life.”

When she’s not caring for others, Sandra can be found at the gym, with her children and extended family or watching her favourite sports; cricket and tennis.

ENDS

Waikato District Health Board

Healthy People. Excellent Care

Waikato District Health Board (DHB) employs over 6500 people and plans, funds and provides hospital and health services to more than 391,770 people in a region covering eight per cent of New Zealand.