Published Wednesday 13 Sep 2017

Kat Groenewald has become the latest nurse to receive a prestigious scholarship to develop her specialist palliative care skills.

Kat works in aged residential care and is this year’s Donny Nurse Specialist Training Programme scholar.

The two-year scholarship mixes clinical training with a post-graduate diploma. It is part of a wider effort to enhance, and address gaps in, the country’s palliative care workforce.

“Palliative care is all I’ve ever wanted to do – I love the holistic approach to providing quality of life and care to patients,” Kat said.

“I’ll spend part of my scholarship at the Mary Potter Hospice, before working with Wellington Regional Hospital’s palliative care team. I’ll then spend time with hospice community service.”

This is the first time Wellington has hosted a Donny Nurse scholar. Host organisations must offer clinical experience in specialist hospice inpatient care, specialist community palliative care, and tertiary hospital palliative care.

“We had an overwhelming response from applicants wanting this training,” said Wellington Regional Hospital palliative care nurse practitioner Alison Rowe.

“Collaborating with the Hospice and provide training across all situations is the best way to develop advanced nursing practice in palliative care. The interest from applicants shows the appeal of this sort of training.”

Capital & Coast DHB executive director of nursing and midwifery Andrea McCance congratulated Kat on receiving the prestigious scholarship.

“This programme fits nicely with the nursing priority of growing its workforce in this important and expanding area of need,” Andrea said.

Images: Palliative care nurse practitioner Alison Rowe (L) and Donny Nurse Specialist Training Programme scholar Kat Groenewald (R).

Media contact: Chas Te Runa – 027 230 9571