Nurses’ Day is celebrated annually on May 12, the anniversary of the founder of modern day nursing, Florence Nightingale’s birthday.

Hospice is a special kind of caring for patients who have had a diagnosis of a life limiting illness that cannot be cured.  The care is extended to the families affected by this. Hospice care includes the control of pain and other symptoms and emotional, social and spiritual problems. Palliative care is offered by a team comprising of doctors, professional nurses, therapists, social workers, spiritual counselors and volunteers.

Hospices are the only facilities in South Africa providing palliative care as defined by the world health organization.

Says Sr Engela Rademeyer, specialist palliative care sister at Stepping Stone Hospice: “We strive to ensure that the patients still enjoy a quality of life after diagnosis and we try and to look after quality of emotional health for families left behind when their loved one passes away.

“It is important for us that the public understands what hospice care is about. In essence we are here to walk a road with the patient and his/her family and lend the medical and emotional support,” she says.

Nursing staff at Stepping Stone Hospice & Care Services consists of two professionally registered nursing sisters, a staff nurse, two full time care workers, 10 part time care workers and two psycho-social specialists who lend their services voluntarily.

Caption:

A dedicated nursing staff team at Stepping Stone Hospice & Care Services: f.l.t.r.: Truus Odendaal and Christie Tyler-Mitchell (Psycho-social volunteers), Sister Sheryl Newman and Sister Engela Rademeyer (specialist palliative care nurses), Lorraine Mnisi (care worker), dr Sylvia Rodriquez (oncologist) and Lizzie Khoza (care worker).