Sara Sánchez, alumna: caring, researching, and continuing to learn

There are professionals who view nursing as a vocation that is constantly evolving. This is certainly true of Sara Sánchez, an alumna of the first graduating class of Master's Degree internship Oncology at the University of Navarra in Madrid, whose professional and academic career continues to advance with the same enthusiasm she had when she first began.

She currently works at the 12 de Octubre University Hospital as internship Nurse (APN), where she supports cancer patients throughout their treatment journey. “Being able to provide support, deliver care based on scientific evidence, and serve as a role model for other nurses” is, she says, one of the aspects she is most passionate about in her work .

Her professional curiosity has also led her to break new ground within her clinical setting. Sara has become the first nurse to join a group at the 12 de Octubre Hospital, a step she took “with enthusiasm and a deep sense of responsibility,” aware of the importance of continuing her education and asking questions that help improve patient care.

That constant pursuit of knowledge also led knowledge to begin her thesis a few years ago at the School of Nursing at the University of Navarra, focusing on how work can help minimize the impact of breast cancer on women’s lives.

But Sara also cares for others through her words. She recently published Sunflowers for the Soul: Memoirs of a Nurse, a book deeply shaped by her experience with a patient who transformed her understanding of life and care.“She taught me to live in the present and to appreciate the little things in everyday life,”she recalls. For her, writing can also be a form of healing: “Writing is therapeutic,” she has said.

Beyond the hospital and her research, Sara also shared some quick answers to give us a better sense of her more staff side:

• A must-read: “Have a Coffee with Yourself” by Walter Dresel.

• A TV series or movie you would recommend: The Twilight Saga, both the books and the movies.

• A place to recharge your batteries: Jaraba in the province of Aragón.

• An essential habit before starting your shift: Meditate

• A phrase a patient once said to you that has stayed with you forever: "Everything is fine."