Behind the Scenes...

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Recently we shot a series of short films with some of our nursing team to find out more about why they became nurses, why they chose to work in palliative care and most importantly why they choose to work at St Peter & St James Hospice.

Claire – Registered Nurse

"I always wanted to be a nurse from a young age. I was greatly influenced in my early teens by my Nan and Grandad who were admitted to a Hospice in London where we lived. This had a profound effect on me.

I have worked in other settings, with the NHS on a rehabilitation ward. Working in palliative care is quite different in that we help the patient manage their symptoms and work with the patient to improve their quality of life. Palliative care is patient-centred care.

We work in a beautiful setting, you can see the effect on people as they arrive, especially if they’ve come from hospital, where it can be a challenging time. You can see they relax instantly and that’s what I love about working here.”

Charley – Palliative Care Assistant

"I knew I would work at St Peter & St James Hospice because when I was 13 my nan stayed here for end of life care. The moment I walked in I knew I’d be back here to work. From that moment I’ve always known that this is the place I was meant to be.

The best part about my day is having time with the patients. I get to find out about them before they were a patient, what they used to do for work, where they lived, what their hobbies included and if they had any family.

St Peter & St James Hospice have given me the opportunity to start my nursing associate Foundation Degree with their full support so that I can train to become a palliative care nurse.

Going home at the end of the day knowing that I have made a difference to people at the most vulnerable time of their life is so rewarding.”

Ali – Clinical Nurse Specialist Team Lead

"I’ve worked in other hospices before but St Peter & St James really stood out to me because of their amazing reputation and coming along and finding that we are so patient focused, we all work together collaboratively, whether you are from fundraising, the inpatient ward, the doctors, the community we all have the one focus of our patients and their loved ones.

The holistic care, the patient focused care, having that time and being able to relate and understand and show empathy to each person and what they are going through, that was definitely for me.

Palliative care is one of the most rewarding areas that you can work in. As nurses we have the time to spend caring for and nurturing our patients, making that real difference. If somebody has ongoing pain and it’s really debilitating and affecting their life, you can improve that, there’s nothing more humbling. It’s about improving quality of life for every individual."

Eirian – Care Director

"You don’t require experience in palliative care. We are very keen to hear from people from any walk of life. St Peter & St James Hospice is an incredibly supportive and open organisation and we’re keen to tailor inductions and supportive interventions to the individual need. We have an open approach to anyone at any stage of their career, whether they are a clinical volunteer or an advanced practitioner.

We’re keen to hear from anyone interested in working in palliative care and will support you in your induction. Palliative care is a huge privilege. I would say to anyone that felt or has that perception that hospice care is sad and upsetting to come along come and have a tour and see first hand how calm, peaceful and positive the environment is.”

Full time, part time and bank options are available. We offer a competitive salary (all nursing salaries are currently aligned with the NHS Agenda for Change pay scale) and rewards package including generous holiday, pension, opportunities for progression, support with CPD and free parking. 100% of our nurses find their role meaningful. You too could make a difference to people in our community If you're interested in learning more visit our website at stpjhospice.org or call Eirian directly on 01444 471 598