The Master's Degree in Palliative Care Nursing of the School of Nursing of the University of Navarra has just launched its new informative brochure. A guide that, according to María Arantzamendi, director of this official Master's Degree , aims to"reflect the keys of a Master's Degree in Palliative Care unique in Spain". A postgraduate program in which, as Arantzamendi points out,"100% of its alumni have employment".

To learn more about this specialized training we asked Noelia García Rueda, participant in the last edition of Master's Degree. Here we present her experience:

What does palliative care mean to you?
For me it is a Philosophy of care, a way of approaching and caring for the sick person. It is a way of working that takes into account the needs of the sick person in all their dimensions and financial aid to develop a relationship with them that promotes their empowerment. In general, these are people with a status of fragility and vulnerability behind them, so training in palliative care implies a greater understanding of that reality. This facilitates a higher quality clinical internship , which accompanies the sick person and their family in their journey through the disease.

How did you become interested in this profile of patient care?
Working in oncology I observed complicated situations, very hard for the patient with advanced and terminal disease. I realized that sometimes more could be done for these people and that if it was not done it was because they did not know how to do it. I realized that I needed more training to face these situations as a nurse and to be able to give the best to my patients.

How did you learn about Master's Degree in Palliative Care Nursing?
Through a page of the Ministry of Education that indicated that there was a Master's Degree on palliative care at the University of Navarra. From there, I went to the university's website.

What did you learn from it?
I couldn't sum it up! At final, what I acquired was a global perspective, a new vision of the sick person at status advanced and terminal that allowed me to enter the Philosophy of palliative care.

What do you highlight from your time at the University of Navarra?
The training internship in palliative care is excellent and I value, above all, the new vision of the sick person that it gave me. In addition, I would like to highlight the training in research that I received and that led me to value it as it deserves, to understand the need for research in Nursing and to consider doing a doctorate at the end of the Master's Degree.

How has Master's Degree helped you in your professional development ?
To finally opt for the research. Right now I am at the University of Navarra, in the department of Nursing Care for Adult Patients, doing a thesis on the experience of living with advanced stage cancer from the patient's perspective.

Do you remember any particular anecdote?
All the ones I keep are worthwhile. I keep the work as a team and the relationship I developed with several sick people and their families.