"I love being a palliative care nurse: sometimes it's the little things, not the big things, that make all the difference."

Shares Samantha Brook, 54, Interim Ward Manager at Sue Ryder Wheatfields Hospice.

- By Jo Fairburn

Having joined the Headingley-based hospice nearly five years ago, after 13 years working in the NHS, Sam opens up and shares her experience of nursing ahead of International Nurses Day (12 May).

For Sam, nursing is more than a profession. Inspired by her mother, a lifelong nurse, she grew up surrounded by the values of care and compassion, instilling in her the desire to support others in their most vulnerable moments.

Her journey led her to palliative care, a specialty she describes as a privilege and a passion. “People frequently ask, ‘How do you do this job?’ and I think to myself - this work needs me as much as I need it,” says Sam. “It’s almost like my religion. I absolutely love my job - I'm very lucky.”