Sue is a Registered Nurse with over 30 years experience in a variety of settings and specialities including paediatrics, midwifery, diabetes, primary care, education and research. Sue’s passion for palliative care developed while working as a very inexperienced District Nurse providing care for two younger women with complex palliative care needs. Sue remembers feeling overwhelmed by the grief for these women and their families and anxious about her lack of experience but well supported, and inspired, by a knowledgeable and compassionate Multidisciplinary Team. Sue has since worked as a Palliative Care CN for both RDNS SA/ Silverchain and Southern Adelaide Palliative Service, and has completed a Graduate Certificate of Palliative Care.

Another significant learning from the experience of caring for these two women was the value of knowledge. Being able to understand what needed to be done and why, being able to anticipate needs and be prepared for the next phase of the person’s journey, being able to answer questions from patients and families with confidence, significantly reduced Sue’s anxiety. Reducing stress for Health Professionals and improving outcomes for Clients became a motivation for Sue to become an Educator. After completing a Certificate IV Training and Assessing Sue has spent the last 6 years as a Nurse Educator in Palliative Care (as a facilitator of the Decision Assist: Advance Care Planning and Palliative Care in Aged Care project), Dementia Care and Chronic Disease.

Sue is very excited to be managing the PEPA Program in South Australia.